Photographic Portraits in Black and White
A course by Giuseppe FallaPhotographer
A course by Giuseppe Falla, Photographer
Learn to take unique and intimate portraits with a single light source
Knowing more about people and their environment is essential before trying to portray them in a photograph. The visual artist and photographer, Giuseppe Falla, dedicates a part of the process to observe his portrayed and see beyond to be able to get his true essence in the photographs.
In this course you will learn the process of making a photographic series of portraits, under a concept based on your client and with a basic studio lighting. Giuseppe will give you the keys to get your portrayed to feel free to show himself as he is in the session and that you can get that way, portray his personality.
What will you learn in this online course?
13 lessons & 6 downloads
What will we do during the course?
49 seconds
We prepare the conceptual proposal
2 minutes, 53 seconds
Moodboard Creation
5 minutes, 1 second
You think about styling and makeup
2 minutes, 10 seconds
Materials and space preparation
4 minutes, 3 seconds
Proper light setting
3 minutes, 0 seconds
What's included in this course?
You will start the course knowing Giuseppe Falla, who will tell you more about his career as a photographer as well as explaining how he got a clear identity in his photographs. You will see what inspires him and who his references are.
You will learn step by step the work process of a shooting of portraits. You will see the importance of connecting with the portrayed, of knowing more about him or her and their surroundings, as well as the purpose of the photos. This will allow you to work on more produced or more minimalist lighting, among other factors.
Once you have the idea of what your client is like and what you want, you will create a mood board with references of style, energy or essence of what we want to achieve in the session, as well as the acting , styling and makeup.
You will prepare the space and materials for your session. You will learn to configure the lighting, checking that the flash and space light is adequate. You will also check that your camera is connected to your computer to be able to preview your photos live.
Giuseppe will give you fundamental advice on lighting in shooting, to achieve concrete effects or emotions. Also tricks that will help the portrayed to be more comfortable and to show himself as he is. Once the photos have been taken, it will show you how your selection process is.
Finally, you will edit the final photographs with Adobe Lightroom to begin to colorize, reframe, edit, balance the lighting and give the latest composition touches. Then, you will export the images to Photoshop to finalize the image to your liking.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
You will hold your own photo session: a series of 4 black and white portraits, under the same lighting and the same concept.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
To people interested in photography who want to start portraying with basic elements.
Requirements and materials
It is required to know how to handle an SLR camera, as well as have basic notions about lighting.
As for materials, you will need an SLR camera and a light source for your photo shoot and a computer with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.
Reviews
- 2 years ago
Cours efficace qui aborde une autre approche du portrait NB, l émotion est omniprésente de la conception du projet à la contemplation de l’image.
- 3 years ago
excelente curso, recomendasisimoooo !!!
- 3 years ago
O curso é interessante mas tinha mais interesse no processo preto e branco. De qualquer forma, aprendi coisas novas.
- lilifoster39PLUS4 years ago
Un curso muy completo todo lo q necesitaba
- 4 years ago
Me gusto el curso, aun que si es necesario tener conocimientos en Photoshop
Thanks to his expertise in lighting and flashes, he has taught at the New York International Photography Center and the MCM Studio in Buenos Aires, with teachers such as Ruven Afanador, Gabriel Machado, José Cicala, Fabian Morassut Andrew French, Stephanie de Rouge and Natan Dvir.
His other great passion is theater, a fact that has led him to photograph Rock of Ages (Mexico), Lies: The Musical (Mexico), The Vagina Monologues (Mexico), Next to normal (Argentina), Equus (Argentina), The other side of the bed (Argentina), El Padre (Peru), Mudanza (Peru), Mamma Mia (Peru), among others.
Content
- U1
The time has come
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do during the course?
- U2
Portrait Preparation
- We prepare the conceptual proposal
- Moodboard Creation
- You think about styling and makeup
- Materials and space preparation
- U3
The take
- Proper light setting
- Shooting
- Conclusions of the session
- U4
Postproduction and final version
- Selection of the images
- Lightroom edition
- Final retouching in Photoshop
- FP
Final project
- Final project
What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
You’ll learn how to conceptualize, direct, and produce portraits influenced by theater, master professional lighting, create moodboards, choose styling, and post-process images—focusing on capturing authenticity and visual storytelling in both color and black and white.
Yes, this course is designed for photographers with some background who want to deepen their skills in portrait techniques, lighting, direction, and visual storytelling applied to theatrical and documentary projects.
Basic photography knowledge and camera handling are recommended since the course covers intermediate portrait, lighting, and post-production concepts and techniques.
To get the most out of the course, you’ll need a DSLR or mirrorless camera, portrait lenses, continuous light sources or flashes, diffusers, and access to editing software like Lightroom and Photoshop.
The course explores how theater experience enhances your ability to direct models, capture genuine emotions, and develop deep visual narratives in portrait sessions.
Yes, you’ll learn to use continuous lighting, modifiers, and specific techniques to create dramatic, expressive black and white portraits that emphasize contrast, texture, and mood.
Yes, the course teaches directing and communication strategies to build trust, empathy, and capture natural expressions, especially in theatrical and documentary settings.