Capturing Authenticity: Portrait Photo Basics – New!
Adult Multi-Week | Registration opens 11/5/2025 9:00 AM EST
Dive into the art of photographing people in a way that reflects their true essence. Through hands-on practice, you’ll explore techniques for building trust and directing with confidence. We’ll cover everything from pre-session planning to in-the-moment connection, so you can help your subjects feel relaxed and seen, resulting in images that are both beautiful and deeply authentic. We will also cover techniques to improve your portrait photography on a technical level. By the end of the course, you’ll not only sharpen your technical portrait skills, but also develop the interpersonal tools to create portraits that tell a genuine story. Perfect for photographers of all levels who want to move beyond posed shots and capture the heart of their subjects.
- You must bring your own DSLR camera and SD card and any light source you want to experiment with (flashlights, lamps, glowsticks, etc.). Please come to class ready with a charged digital camera and a notebook.
Accessibility notes: Many artmaking processes require the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time, fine motor skills/finger dexterity, repetitive motions, vision, and some amount of physical strength. VisArts values making classes accessible to everyone, and is always happy to work with students to make accommodations when possible. Please reach out to info@visarts.org with specific questions related to accessibility or accommodations.
Paid studio access is available through our Studio Access Program. Please visit visarts.org for more information.
Classes are confirmed one week prior to the start date. In order to help us confirm classes, please register as early as possible.
- See special notes for materials requirements.
Aspen DeRosa
Aspen DeRosa is a multimedia artist, teacher, and student of life. Their work celebrates play and mindfulness and seeks to create space for curiosity, pause, and joy. Aspen creates multimodal installations that engage all senses. The work is highly collaborative and adaptable for the viewers to engage with. Aspen’s work is based in material explorations, including papermaking, natural fabric dyes, screenprinting, sound, mold-making, video, photography, performance, etc., to address topics related to play, mindfulness, and work/life balance. They received their BFA from VCU in 2019 in Photography and Film. They spent 2 years at the University of Iowa expanding their sculptural skills and teaching experience before coming to VisArts. Outside of VisArts, they have a photography business and primarily capture live events and portraits to celebrate milestones.
Website: www.aspenderosa.com
Social Media: @bevelcut_shawti