How do you make your photos more engaging?

Everyone wants to capture the "postcard" photos. The single hits. But how do you make your photos more memorable?

Through visual storytelling.

"This course outlines a less random way of capturing images and therefore adds a layer of interest for myself, my photography, and for the final product."

Kevin Lamport
9 Video Lessons

Just over 2 hours of video walkthroughs with text outlines. Captions in English, Deutsch, Français, Polski, y Español.

4 Downloads

PDF download for offline reference, including sample Model & Property releases.

2 Assignments

Submit two optional assignments for instructor feedback.

Instructor Support

Live chat and email support.

Course Objectives

  • Create visual stories with identifiable characters, settings, and styles
  • Capture the essential "storytelling photos" when out with your camera
  • Plan a long-form photography project to work on over a period of time
  • Know when a Release form is required and how to get one (with downloads)
  • Edit your captured photos down to a selection that presents the story to viewers
  • Understand what the "Decisive Moment" is and how to use it in your storytelling
  • BONUS: Learn how working with a nonprofit can benefit both your community and your photography

Course Curriculum

    1. Better Photography through Visual Storytelling

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Virtual Classroom Orientation

    3. Student Survey

    4. One-on-One Consult Call

    5. Referral Program

    1. Elements of a Story

    2. The Storytelling Photos

    3. The Decisive Moment

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Test: Elements of Visual Storytelling

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. Download: Elements of Visual Storytelling

    6. Assignment: Visual Storytelling

    1. Long-Form Photography Projects

    2. Researching your Project

    3. Editing a Story

    4. Ethics & Legal Considerations

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. BONUS: The Legacy of the Pony Express Story

    6. Test: Taking Visual Storytelling Further

    7. Downloads: Taking Visual Storytelling Further

    8. Assignment: Long-Form Projects

    1. Final Test

    2. Practicing your Storytelling

    3. BONUS: Getting Started in Nonprofit Photography

    4. Course Review & Feedback

About this course

  • $59.00
  • 23 lessons
  • 3 hours of video content
  • Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
  • 4 PDF Downloads

Level-Up Your Photos

Practicing visual storytelling can connect viewers to your photos in ways that singular "eye-candy" photos just can't do. Humans are storytellers and story consumers at heart. Leave a lasting impression. Entertain. Inform.

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MEET YOUR TEACHER

John Peltier

I've been teaching in-person photography lessons since 2017, primarily to beginners using various camera models. Everyone has the same struggles, and I'm sure you do too. I've brought a proven method of addressing those struggles to these online courses.

Aside from teaching, my photography passion is storytelling. I've completed photodocumentary projects worldwide over the past 15 years, in locations such as Haiti, Guatemala, and Uganda, and have been featured in publications including New York Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, and the U.S. National Park Service.
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