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An Introduction to Photography

Rankin

An Introduction to Photography

Capture striking shots with the legendary photographer of everyone from Stormzy to The Queen.

This course includes:

35 lessons

4 hours

15 exercises

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)

  1. 01

    An Introduction to Photography: Welcome

    02:22

  2. 02

    An Introduction to Photography course introduction

    01:23

  3. 03

    How to take a good portrait

    10:20

  4. 04

    The power of portraiture

    25:07

  5. 05

    Introduction to cameras

    06:50

  6. 06

    Smartphone photography

    03:09

  7. 07

    Challenge one: auto settings

    00:29

  8. 08

    Photography basics

    13:02

  9. 09

    Camera lenses

    05:03

  10. 10

    Challenge two: manual settings

    00:26

  11. 11

    Introduction to photography lighting

    05:16

  12. 12

    Studio lighting

    03:05

  13. 13

    Natural lighting

    08:06

  14. 14

    Challenge three: lighting

    00:29

  15. 15

    Photo shoot preparation

    02:42

  16. 16

    Visualising your idea

    05:30

  17. 17

    Challenge four: moodboard

    00:37

  18. 18

    Creative collaborations

    06:44

  19. 19

    Getting the most out of your subject

    13:12

  20. 20

    In the studio with Rankin

    10:17

  21. 21

    The other side of the lens

    22:29

  22. 22

    Challenge five: portrait photography

    00:28

  23. 23

    Photography post-production

    02:15

  24. 24

    Creative retouching

    19:10

  25. 25

    Rankin's self-portrait

    07:34

  26. 26

    Challenge six: self-portrait

    00:45

  27. 27

    Representation

    13:27

  28. 28

    Challenge seven: who do you see?

    00:30

  29. 29

    Getting out of your comfort zone

    30:40

  30. 30

    Challenge eight: be brave and be bold

    00:31

  31. 31

    Extra tips

    02:38

  32. 32

    How to build your photography portfolio

    19:18

  33. 33

    How to get the job

    04:37

  34. 34

    Q&A with Rankin

    05:00

  35. 35

    Outro

    00:46

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1 year

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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.