Pictorial Portrait Photography
A course by Lídia VivesPhotographer
A course by Lídia Vives, Photographer
Learn how to capture the essence of Renaissance masters in your photos
With a camera and a computer you can not only create scenes, but also whole new worlds, which is Lídia Vives' area of expertise. The Spanish photographer draws inspiration from the great Italian masters of the Renaissance to create realistic and surrealist works in equal parts, as she has demonstrated in the different exhibitions she has held in Mexico, Spain, and France.
In this online course, Lídia teaches you photographic retouching techniques and art direction tips to create your own portraits in a pictorial Renaissance style.
What will you learn in this online course?
16 lessons & 11 downloads
What will we do in the course?
48 seconds
Composition + balance. What it is and what examples there are.
10 minutes, 53 seconds
The center of interest + format and reframe.
8 minutes, 2 seconds
The colors and their characteristics.
12 minutes, 12 seconds
The Renaissance portrait.
7 minutes, 43 seconds
Lighting, set preparation and treatment of models
6 minutes, 39 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by meeting Lídia, who tells you a little more about her work and how she has developed her style over the years. See her influences, mainly in two worlds: painting and portrait photography.
Discover all the elements you need to know when creating an image: learn about composition and balance to structure and place all the elements well.
Next, see everything you need to know to work the center of interest in your photographs to guide the viewer's eye to where you want it to go. Learn the types of formats that exist, when to use them, the correct way to reframe, and how to work with color by considering its psychological meaning and characteristics.
Discover the main characteristics of the Italian Renaissance portrait. Move on to the photo session and see what light you should use and how to use it. In addition, prepare the set and your model.
Lídia explains to you what is the best way to deal with someone when you carry out a photo shoot, then you can start taking photos.
Before finishing the course, learn how to post-produce an image, starting in Camera Raw and ending in Adobe Photoshop. Discover how to give your photography the pictorial effect through a neat and professional retouching with Lidia's expert advice.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Create a photo portrait with Renaissance-style features.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Photographers, artists, and anyone interested in the art of portraiture.
Requirements and materials
You need an SLR with any of these lenses: 18-35mm, 50mm, or 75mm, as well as the ability to use your camera's manual mode.
You also need a computer with Adobe Photoshop and digital development software. Lídia uses Camera Raw, although you can also use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Regarding lighting, you can work with natural light or with a softbox and you also need a white reflector, which can be made of foam board or expanded polystyrene.
Reviews
- spumipioliPLUS5 months ago
Ottimo corso! Dallo scatto alla post produzione. Ottima spiegazione e ben curato!
- 9 months ago
Amazing course and teacher!
- 9 months ago
me gusto
- 1 year ago
El curso es muy bueno, me ayudó a ver desarrollar mi creatividad y sacar mejor provecho a lo que tengo en casa para crear un escenario más pictórico.
- 2 years ago
Didactic description, to better interpret the poses and colors specific to Italian Renaissance painting. Thank you for this photographic journey. Much better than my English...
Lídia’s work has been exhibited in Spanish and Australian galleries, using her Instagram account as a visual diary where she expresses all that she doesn’t say out loud. Her main clients include brands and editorials for which she creates fashion and advertising photography, and above all, for art collections.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- My influences
- What will we do in the course?
- U2
Composition and color
- Composition + balance. What it is and what examples there are.
- The center of interest + format and reframe.
- The colors and their characteristics.
- U3
Portrait theory and photo shoot
- The Renaissance portrait.
- Lighting, set preparation and treatment of models
- Renaissance photo session
- U4
Photo development and retouching
- Revealed in Camera Raw
- Revealed in Camera Raw II
- General retouching
- General retouching II
- Skin retouching and Dodge and burn
- Color
- Final retouching
- FP
Final project
- Pictorial photographic portrait
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
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FAQs
You’ll learn to create portraits inspired by Renaissance art, master composition, lighting, color management, directing models, and digital retouching to achieve painterly, professional-quality photos.
This course is designed for those with intermediate knowledge of photography and digital editing, especially Photoshop and Camera Raw. You don’t need to be an expert, but basic manual camera skills are recommended.
You’ll need a digital camera, a computer with Photoshop and Camera Raw installed, and basic props and costumes to recreate Renaissance settings. Professional gear is not required.
You’ll learn to use soft natural or artificial light, positioning the source to the side to emphasize volume, shadows, and drama—mimicking Renaissance painting aesthetics and highlighting the model’s expressiveness.
Yes, the course covers Photoshop retouching techniques for skin, creating volume with Dodge and Burn, color adjustments, and mask usage to achieve painterly, professional finishes.
You’ll explore composition based on classical art principles: the rule of thirds, symmetry, gaze direction, visual weight balance, element arrangement, and creating focal points to guide the viewer’s attention.
You’ll learn how to select color palettes, combine complementary tones, use color psychology, and apply chromatic symbolism to convey emotions and messages in your photos.