Rankin
An Introduction to Photography
Capture striking shots with the legendary photographer of everyone from Stormzy to The Queen.
This course includes:
What you'll learn
Join Rankin in his studio and prepare to get hands-on with the fundamentals of portrait photography, using smartphones to digital SLRs.
- Snap photos that stand out
- Go from automatic settings to manual
- Take on 8 inspiring creative challenges
- Learn about lenses and lighting
- Get the most out of your subject
- Build your portfolio
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Across a career spanning more than three decades, Rankin has photographed some of the most recognisable celebrities and public figures, including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, and Kate Moss. As well as his portraiture, Rankin has shot iconic music videos for the likes of Miley Cyrus and Rita Ora, created advertising campaigns for brands such as Mercedes-AMG and Samsonite, and published over 40 books and magazines, including Dazed & Confused, which he co-founded with Jefferson Hack in 1991. His work has featured not only on the glossy pages of Vogue, GQ, and Rolling Stone, but also on the walls of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the MoMA in New York.
Course trailer
Lesson plan (35)
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01
An Introduction to Photography: Welcome
02:22
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02
An Introduction to Photography course introduction
01:23
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03
How to take a good portrait
10:20
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04
The power of portraiture
25:07
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05
Introduction to cameras
06:50
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06
Smartphone photography
03:09
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07
Challenge one: auto settings
00:29
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08
Photography basics
13:02
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09
Camera lenses
05:03
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10
Challenge two: manual settings
00:26
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11
Introduction to photography lighting
05:16
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12
Studio lighting
03:05
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13
Natural lighting
08:06
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14
Challenge three: lighting
00:29
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15
Photo shoot preparation
02:42
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16
Visualising your idea
05:30
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17
Challenge four: moodboard
00:37
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18
Creative collaborations
06:44
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19
Getting the most out of your subject
13:12
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20
In the studio with Rankin
10:17
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21
The other side of the lens
22:29
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22
Challenge five: portrait photography
00:28
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23
Photography post-production
02:15
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24
Creative retouching
19:10
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25
Rankin's self-portrait
07:34
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26
Challenge six: self-portrait
00:45
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27
Representation
13:27
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28
Challenge seven: who do you see?
00:30
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29
Getting out of your comfort zone
30:40
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30
Challenge eight: be brave and be bold
00:31
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31
Extra tips
02:38
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32
How to build your photography portfolio
19:18
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33
How to get the job
04:37
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34
Q&A with Rankin
05:00
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35
Outro
00:46
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Please try again later
Get a free taster lesson
Sign up and get a flavour of Rankin’s course as he shows you first-hand how to work with natural light, adapt to shifting weather conditions, and get the most from your subject.