Night Portrait Photography
A course by Alejandro ChaskielbergPhotographer
A course by Alejandro Chaskielberg, Photographer
Learn the workflow to capture a portrait that tells a story through the use of light and timing by night
If you want to experiment with light and use the night to create photos that reflect the character of the protagonist and surprise your audience with the result, Alejandro Chaskielberg can show you how. He’s a renowned Argentinian photographer with three published photography books under his belt, his work features in magazines like National Geographic, i+D Magazine, and The New Yorker and holds awards from Magnum Foundation, National Geographic Society, and the World Photography Organization for Photographer of the Year in 2011.
In this course, Alejandro teaches you how he works using light and color for narrative, to create a nocturnal portrait that tells a story and awakens the senses of its audience.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 29 downloads
What will we do in the course?
1 minute, 33 seconds
What is long exposure photography?
10 minutes, 1 second
How will we take the photo?
16 minutes, 10 seconds
Materials and equipment
11 minutes, 19 seconds
We look for our theme
7 minutes, 56 seconds
Field visit and preparation
9 minutes, 20 seconds
What's included in this course?
Alejandro welcomes you to the course by telling you about his professional trajectory and his main influences that will serve as inspiration. He also explains what you are about to learn in the course, from the idea for your portrait right up to the post-production phase.
Continue by learning all there is to know about the tools you’ll need, such as flashlights and flashes to use for lighting, as well as the equipment you need to shoot your nocturnal portrait.
Select a theme, the mood of your photo, and the pivotal aspect of your story. Once you’ve found it, carry out an investigation to create a solid concept. See how to carry out good fieldwork when visiting a location and how to analyze the light so you avoid anything unexpected.
Next, get started on your photoshoot! Create your nocturnal portrait in your chosen site. See how to prepare your equipment, find the right angle, and try out the different techniques to give more light to your image. The possibilities are infinite when creating a unique portrait.
Once you’ve created your portrait, see the post-production software that Alejandro uses, his digital workflow, and how he retouches his photos, taking his photographs to an optimal level of expression using color and levels.
Finish the course with a stunning nocturnal portrait that tells a story and all the necessary knowledge to create other portraits and experiment with a variety of lighting techniques.
What is this course's project?
Create a nocturnal portrait using different sources of light, from flashlights to flashes.
Who is this online course for?
For anyone that wants to experiment with light and use the night to create fantastic images that tell a story.
Requirements and materials
Basic photography skills are not required to take this course but it will be useful to know how to use a camera to take long exposure shots.
As for materials, you’ll need a camera that allows you to take long-exposure shots, a tripod, a portable source of light, and a computer with photo editing software.
Reviews
- 3 years ago
There are some creative concepts in this course, which makes it worth your time if you do night photography.
- 3 years ago
:)
- 3 years ago
Curso inspirador!
- 4 years ago
Me ha parecido destacable la parte de las referencias así como la búsqueda y tratamiento del tema, ya que en un curso así esperas que haya mucho contenido enfocado a la técnica y sin embargo este curso aporta mucho valor adicional. Muy recomendable!
- 4 years ago
Excelente curso
He developed a unique technique and aesthetic for night photography, for which he is recognized today, receiving the Iris de Oro prize, and claimed the Best Photographer of the Year from the World Photography Organization. He has worked in many parts of the world including Japan, Italy, Surinam, and Argentina, among others, and published three photography books to date.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course?
- U2
The narrative
- What is long exposure photography?
- How will we take the photo?
- Materials and equipment
- We look for our theme
- Field visit and preparation
- U3
The portrait
- Let's prepare our equipment
- Shooting I: The beach
- Shooting II: The Ship
- U4
Postproduction
- Selection of images
- Color settings I
- Color Settings II
- Tips and conclusions
- FP
Final project
- Night Portrait Photography
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FAQs
You’ll master night portrait techniques, handling both artificial and natural light, long exposures, crafting mysterious atmospheres, choosing materials, and professional post-processing to create expressive, storytelling images outdoors at night.
This course is aimed at people with intermediate photography knowledge; basic camera skills and photography concepts are recommended to get the most out of the advanced lighting and night visual storytelling content.
You’ll need a camera with manual mode, tripod, fast lenses, light sources (flash, flashlights, or phone), remote control, and extra batteries. Accessories for long exposures and digital post-processing tools are also recommended.
Using selective lighting, long exposure, and blending artificial and natural light, you’ll learn to shape mood and visual storytelling to convey mystery and depth in night portraits.
Yes, the course teaches how to set your camera for long exposures, adjust ISO and aperture, and use moonlight, flashlights, and flashes to capture well-exposed, creative outdoor night portraits.
You’ll learn workflows with Camera Raw and Photoshop, selective color and exposure adjustments, image organization, file syncing, fixing lighting issues, and advanced editing to enhance the expressiveness of night portraits.
The course guides you through scouting, researching locations, analyzing ambient light, choosing subjects, and blending personal and documentary narratives to build authentic, meaningful photo projects.