Creating Environmental Portraits That Tell Powerful Stories
© anja hitzenberger
Online Class Presented by International Center of Photography (ICP)
 

Creating Environmental Portraits That Tell Powerful Stories

Dates: Tuesdays, Feb 4–Apr 7, 2020
Time: 11am–1pm (ET)
Sessions: 10
Limited enrollment: 12 students
Fee: $515

This class is presented by the International Center of Photography (ICP). Learn how to tell stories about people by photographing them in their own environments — their homes, workplaces, or neighborhoods — and how to incorporate space to reveal intimate details. In this class, we delve into ways to make your subjects feel comfortable, so that your images both illuminate their personalities and engage the viewer on a deeper level. We also cover a history of the environmental portrait and discuss a selection of contemporary photographers.

 

 
Since I haven't had the opportunity to study photography formally, I needed a course that would help me acquire an awareness of the composition skills I was thinking about unconsciously. Anja helped me improve my observation skills, both explaining the main elements of composition, with reference to the techniques used by other photographers, and through shooting exercises and group critique, which took me, week after week, to intentionally compose the frame in order to develop a narrative.
—Gianluca (Italy)
Anja's course helped me to get out of my comfort zone and grow as a photographer — the assignments and the feedback helped me to be more honest about my work and challenge myself more. I cannot stress enough how useful her courses would be for anyone looking to improve as a storyteller and photographer. I really enjoyed the interactive part where you can speak and see the other people in class in real time — it really brings up the learning experience.
—Alejandra (Mexico)


Anja Hitzenberger
Anja Hitzenberger
Anja Hitzenberger is a photographer, filmmaker, consultant, and educator. She is the founder of StrudelmediaLive, an educational platform that offers live online photography classes and more to people around the world. Anja studied in the Creative Practice full-time program at the International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City, and has been on the faculty there since 2009. She is dedicated to working with people from different cultures across the globe.


Her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows, film festivals, and on theater stages throughout Europe, the United States, South America, and Asia. Her photography has been published internationally and is a part of both private and institutional collections, including the International Center of Photography. She has received numerous artistic grants and has been awarded residencies in Rome, Paris, Warsaw, Beijing, and Tainan (Taiwan). A focus of her activities has been working with live performance, including producing a multimedia piece that toured in New York City, Austria, and Korea.

Anja has been teaching live online photography classes since 2015, as well as in-person workshops in New York, Europe, China, and Taiwan. Originally from Salzburg, Austria, she divides her time between New York and Vienna.

Anja teaches visual storytelling, environmental portraits, critique groups, and how movies can inspire your photography for StrudelmediaLive.