Courses

Close-up photography transforms the familiar into the unexpected. This course invites photographers of all levels to explore the details that shape our visual world, from the intricate structures of plants, food, feathers, and insects to the abstract surfaces of architectural and geological forms. Working beyond the strict limits of true macro photography, students learn how scale reshapes perception and meaning. We’ll focus on the craft that makes intimate images compelling. Composition and light take on heightened importance at close range, as do depth of field, figure-ground separation, color, contrast, shadow, texture, and form. Through guided practice, students will refine both simple and complex compositions and learn to control visual hierarchy with precision. The course also examines the creative possibilities of digital post-production, using adjustments in exposure, saturation, and cropping to move beyond documentation toward artistic expression. Students will leave with technical fluency and a sharpened eye for discovering powerful images in even the smallest details of everyday life.