Portrait Photograhy Masterclass with Anne Zahalka

Immerse yourself in the art of photographic portraiture with renowned Australian photographer Anne Zahalka. This intensive workshop offers an opportunity to explore your own visual language while composing contemporary, staged portraits in both professional studio settings and outdoor environments.

Through hands-on instruction, you'll be guided through every aspect of creating a portrait, from working with models, props, and lighting to mastering pose and composition. The course covers both natural and artificial lighting techniques, utilizing reflectors, fill lighting, and controlled studio setups.

Participants will collaborate on all elements of the production, including camera and tripod operation, exposure control, lighting setup, directing, and composition. Using props, costumes, and professional equipment, the group will work together to re-stage individual portraits. All necessary tools, including tripods, lighting, reflectors, backdrop materials, and reference images, will be provided.

You are encouraged to bring a selection of images from art history or popular culture, which will serve as inspiration for restaged portraits using yourself and others as subjects.

There will be a light lunch and refreshments provided on Sunday 29 June, which is included in the cost of the workshops. This is an opportunity for social engagement with fellow Masterclass students and staff. The NAS Café is open on Saturday 28 June for regular purchases of drinks, meals and snacks.

* The course fee accommodates a limited class size, fostering a more personal learning experience.

* The workshop is suitable for intermediate and advanced students over the age of 18.

* The NAS Art Club is open to students from ages 15 years and over. 

* Short courses may be held in upstairs studios. If access to stairs is not suitable, please contact us at short.courses@nas.edu.au 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Anne Zahalka is a leading Australian photographer who is inspired by the rich traditions and conventions of the genre of portraiture. She draws on this history to reflect on art, culture and identity as recurring elements and themes in her work. Using models – often friends, family, cultural groups or herself, Zahalka develops narratives to explore ideas about identity, diversity, place and the construction of self across different bodies of work. She explores the influence of painting on portraiture and draws on these to make photographic portraits that are part homage and part critique.

In this masterclass workshop she will introduce you to key bodies of work from her major survey exhibition Zahalkaworld – an artist’s archive giving an in-depth discussion of her approach, process and photographic steps to achieving her highly resolute portraits.

https://zahalkaworld.com.au/

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

• Bring resource materials including images, props and costumes
• Bring your choice of camera equipment, however it must be a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) or a Mirrorless digital camera body. The camera must have Shutter priority (Tv/S), Aperture priority (Av/A) and Manual (M) exposure control modes
• One or more camera lenses
• A cleared memory card and fully charged battery
• Notebook and pen

Covered footwear is essential in all studio spaces on campus.