Self Portrait for Beginners
with
Manuela Thames
What motivates photographers to pick up a camera and turn it onto themselves? It seems that most artists become eventually curious about attempting self-portraiture while simultaneously shying away from it. The process of posing in front of a camera and looking at oneself in an image afterwards can be intimidating, if not frightening. We are our own worst critics after all. What is it that makes taking self-portraits appealing and fascinating? What distinguishes a self-portrait from the popular selfie? What can we learn from this process that has become so popular? And, most importantly, how do you get started?
In this workshop, Manuela Thames will share from her own experience of taking self-portraits for many years and guide you through the steps for a successful self-portrait photo session. She will include all aspects of the process including equipment, set up, camera settings, focus, lighting, posing, props, location and postprocessing. She will explain the steps of her own creative process from concept to final image, including failures, successes, and everything in between.
As you start out with assignments and exercises and become more comfortable with the technical aspects, she will also teach you how to come up with ideas and inspiration for self-portraits. Through assignments, discussions, personal feedback and studying a variety of examples by well-known photographers, you will become more comfortable with experimentation and start to embrace the joy, fun and fulfillment that comes with taking self-portraits. As you dive deeper into the story telling aspect of using self-portraiture, you will also discover how this practice can be a tool of exploration, reflection and even healing in your own journey. Are you ready to experiment, grow as an artist and move out of your comfort zone? This workshop provides a safe space for you and your creation of compelling self-portraits.
Join Manuela Thames on September 18 for four weeks and discover the wonderful world of self-portraiture!
We will have a Zoom meet up once a week. Dates and time TBD.
REGISTER NOW FOR THIS COURSE
US$500
All-Inclusive Participation
Get detailed instructor feedback and support while enjoying interacting with like-minded creatives through our online forum during the course.
Share your work, and enjoy the challenges and instructor-led discussions in our online classroom which is open 24/7. Weekly Zoom Meetings!!
US$375.00
Observation Student
Get access to our online classroom to follow along with conversations and Instructor critiques of the All-Inclusive assignments. Observation seat students do not receive instructor feedback and do not participate in Instructor-led discussions.
**PLEASE CONTACT THE INSTRUCTOR DIRECTLY TO PURCHASE AN OBSERVATION SEAT
Manuela Thames is a photographic artist based in Saint Paul, Minnesota where she lives with her husband and two children. Born and raised in Germany, she moved to the US in 2004 after marrying her American husband. Shortly thereafter she began her photography journey after two life changing events happened within one year, the birth of her first son and the death of her brother.
Largely self-taught, Manuela uses various photographic techniques to explore themes around loss and grief, her personal experience with generational trauma, as well as the notions of belonging, connection and what it means to be human. Within that she continues to explore human ways of coping, the strength that evolves out of suffering and our common desire for healing and journey towards wholeness. Much of her work consists of black and white, conceptual self-portraits.
Manuela’s photography has been described as contemplative, evocative, dark, and cinematic and has been widely exhibited nationally as well as internationally. Her “Trauma” series won 1st place conceptual series of the year in the Monovisions Award in 2019, and in the same year she won the 13th Julia Margaret Cameron Award in the Self-Portrait Category. In addition, her work has been published online and in print in such places as Black and White Magazine, Sun Magazine, Dohdo Magazine and Shots Magazine.
