Description:
Join Mark de Paola in Chicago September 20-21, 2025, for a beautiful weekend capturing portraiture stories. Dissecting together the anatomy of character and plot development, as well as exploring both the literal and abstract possibilities of crafting story with photographs, students will come away with at a minimum of two distinct narrative sequences of photographs.
Set against Chicago’s iconic urban facades, you will work on assignment to adapt each assigned character to your own authored story. This masterclass is catered to photographers both beginning their artistic journey as well as those more advanced in the medium. Mark will explore how implementing and understanding how sequencing a narrative applies to many photographic genres and is critical to creating a completed body of work.
De Paola is long known for his fashion and fine artwork that has been revered as portraiture first, always striving for the most authentic and truthful essence and expression from a collaboration. This understanding of providing a space of safety and freedom in a creative space is a critical topic of discussion that each student will also explore with Mark and each portraiture collaborator.
Do not miss this unique opportunity to join Mark de Paola and Leica Akademie USA this September in Chicago. You are sure to come away with powerful and poignant photographs, reunite with your own unlocked sense of play and story, and immerse further into discovering your truest unique photographic style and connection in portraiture.
TOPICS:
- Building, deconstruction, and abstracting a narrative in portraiture
- Mark’s creative process from concept to completion in photographic storytelling
- Character development
- Working with natural light on-location
- Capturing motion or suspense in a still image
- Understanding the collaboration between photographer and subject
- Adapting a creative concept to your own visual style
- Composing photographs to elicit tension or suspense as plot point
Agenda:
Saturday, September 20, 2025
10AM - Start time, Location TBA
10:00AM-11:30AM - Mark de Paola Lecture on Imbuing Narrative In Portraiture
11:30AM-12:00PM - Student Introductions
12:00PM-1:00PM - Group Lunch
1:00PM-5PM - Photo Shoot #1: De Paola will give a brief narrative prompt for each student to capture with the collaborator. Each student will present this 5-image story at the end of the masterclass during group review.
Sunday, September 21, 2025
10AM - Start time, Location TBA
10:00AM-1:00PM - Photo Shoot #2: De Paola will give a second narrative prompt for each student to capture with a different collaborator on Day 2. Each student will present this 5-image story at the end of the masterclass during group review.
1:00PM-2:00PM - Group Lunch
2:00PM-4:00PM - Individual Student Reviews with Mark de Paola/Students Deliver Final Portfolios to Leica Akademie USA Rep
4:00PM-5:00PM - Final Group Review/Students present their portraiture narratives shot over the course of the two days together.
What To Expect:
Weather - September is typically a beautiful month in Chicago as the heat of summer relaxes into Fall. Expect comfortable temperatures and a possible need for a light jacket depending on forecasted rain or clear skies.
Food - All food allergies and restrictions must be communicated to production prior to the program in order to accommodate for each day’s group lunch.
Walking - Expect to walk between exterior locations and to be on your feet on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Please wear comfortable walking shoes.
Camera Gear - Please only bring the camera gear that you can carry yourself. Please do not bring tripods, reflectors, or large lighting contraptions.
Details & Locations:
Location: TBA - Chicago, Illinois
Participants: 8 people
Duration: 2 Days
Activity Level: High
What’s Included:
- Individualized instruction and mentorship by Mark de Paola
- Production, talent and shoot teams,
- Shoot locations
- Group Lunch Each Day
- Transfers between masterclass activities (if necessary)
- Individual shooting sessions with portraiture collaborators
Please note that student flights to/from Chicago, airport transfers, and accommodations are not included in tuition and must be arranged for individually by each student.
AT-A-GLANCE
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Dates
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