6 Week class starting Monday, January 12 taught by Cheryl Diermyer
This hybrid course combines online study with hands-on, in-person, experimentation on the craft and business of portrait photography. Participants will use the course online learning materials to build foundational knowledge and then apply that knowledge during in-person studio or on location sessions. The online portion consists of the following six modules:
- Week 1: Course Orientation
- Week 2: Fundamental Portrait Photography Techniques
- Week 3: Portrait Session Planning
- Week 4: Gear and Lighting Techniques
- Week 5: Creating a Mood
- Week 6: The Business of Portrait Photography
In addition to the online modules, this course includes four hands-on in studio sessions. During each studio session participants will experiment with a variety of lighting techniques based on their preferences. This could include high key lighting, edge lighting, soft lighting, hard light, natural light, and creative special effects. The course will also cover how set design, backgrounds, props, color, and composition can be intentionally combined to create a specific mood, atmosphere, or visual story. Through planning, repeated experimentation, observation, image-making, and reflection, students will discover how different choices in lighting and environment influence the way a subject is perceived. This is a hands-on, experiential learning course designed to encourage curiosity, creative risk-taking, collaboration, and the development of an individual photographic voice.
Dates
January 12, 2027 – March 23, 2027
Zoom sessions, Second and fourth Tuesdays, 6:30-7:30 PM
- Zoom Discussion Topics: online material takeaways and questions, planning for the shoot, after shoot image sharing & reflections.
Time and dates of the four In-person hands-on sessions will be determined by the course participants; to be held during the course dates, January 12 – March 23, 2027.
Register Here
Course Objectives:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Apply fundamental portrait photography techniques by using camera settings, composition, focus, depth of field, and exposure to create technically sound portraits in a variety of environments.
- Plan and execute portrait sessions by selecting appropriate locations, backgrounds, lighting, lenses, and equipment to achieve specific creative and storytelling goals.
- Use lighting intentionally by applying natural and artificial light techniques to shape mood, reveal character, and enhance the subject.
- Develop effective interpersonal and communication skills by establishing rapport with subjects, providing clear direction, creating a comfortable environment, and responding to the individual needs of the person being photographed.
- Evaluate and reflect on your photographic practice by critically reviewing images, identifying technical and creative strengths and areas for improvement, and articulating how your experiences influence your developing photographic style and visual storytelling.
- Analyze photography business practices and strategies to identify approaches that align with your individual creative strengths, professional goals, and personal business style.
Cost
$100 Includes access to the online course portal, six 1-hour Zoom sessions to discuss course materials and share after shoot images and lessons, and four hands-on studio or on location sessions.
Twenty-five percent of the course fee is returned to the Redlands Camera Club to support future RCC member activities.
Questions?
About your Instructor
Cheryl Diermyer, Ed.D., is an experienced leader in online and in-person higher education course design and faculty development. Her course designs are grounded in adult learning theory and practice. Before entering higher education, she worked as a video journalist with CBS News. Her award-winning work at CBS helped shape her enduring interest in the power of storytelling. Now semi-retired, Dr. Diermyer teaches Advanced Instructional Design at California State University, Monterey Bay and has a portraiture studio in Riverside, CA. Her work in education and photography reflects her passion for storytelling and lifelong learning, particularly through portrait photography and experiential approaches that engage learners in active, real-world experiences and thoughtful reflection.