Dates: January 15 - February 12, 2026
Meetings: Thursdays, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (5 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $490 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Brittainy Lauback
Skill Level: Intermediate
In this immersive weekly course, students will learn to create compelling portraits of strangers in real-world environments. Through photographic sessions on the street, participants will practice approaching subjects, building quick rapport, and capturing authentic character and emotion. Instruction will cover camera techniques for working in changing light, using both natural and supplemental lighting on the fly, and composing images with intention and sensitivity. Discussions will address ethics, consent, storytelling in public spaces, and ideas for a personal series of portraits. Most class time will be spent photographing together in the field, supported by short lectures, demonstrations, and group critiques. This course is ideal for photographers who want to strengthen their technical agility, confidence in approaching people, and ability to tell human stories through portraiture.
Objectives:
Confidently approach and photograph strangers in public spaces with respect and professionalism
Apply camera settings and techniques suited for fast-changing street environment
Use natural and available light effectively to create expressive portraits on the fly
Compose dynamic portraits that convey a sense of place and personality
Demonstrate awareness of ethical and legal considerations
Develop strategies for building rapport and gaining trust with strangers
Edit and sequence images to create a cohesive visual narrative
Review and evaluate your own work and that of peers through group critiques
Prerequisites:
Photography I or being comfortable using your camera in Manual mode. This course is for DSLR or mirrorless camera users, not for smartphone photography. Students should be able to select and send pictures for weekly critiques in class. Familiarity with Adobe Lightroom is a plus.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students should bring 5-10 pictures representing their work (preferably related to street photography but not a must). In addition, please bring 3-5 pictures of your favorite street photographer and be ready to explain what you like about their imagery.
Dates: January 15 - February 12, 2026
Meetings: Thursdays, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM CST (5 sessions)
Location: Houston Center for Photography
Cost: $490 (HCP members can receive a 10% discount)
Instructor: Brittainy Lauback
Skill Level: Intermediate
In this immersive weekly course, students will learn to create compelling portraits of strangers in real-world environments. Through photographic sessions on the street, participants will practice approaching subjects, building quick rapport, and capturing authentic character and emotion. Instruction will cover camera techniques for working in changing light, using both natural and supplemental lighting on the fly, and composing images with intention and sensitivity. Discussions will address ethics, consent, storytelling in public spaces, and ideas for a personal series of portraits. Most class time will be spent photographing together in the field, supported by short lectures, demonstrations, and group critiques. This course is ideal for photographers who want to strengthen their technical agility, confidence in approaching people, and ability to tell human stories through portraiture.
Objectives:
Confidently approach and photograph strangers in public spaces with respect and professionalism
Apply camera settings and techniques suited for fast-changing street environment
Use natural and available light effectively to create expressive portraits on the fly
Compose dynamic portraits that convey a sense of place and personality
Demonstrate awareness of ethical and legal considerations
Develop strategies for building rapport and gaining trust with strangers
Edit and sequence images to create a cohesive visual narrative
Review and evaluate your own work and that of peers through group critiques
Prerequisites:
Photography I or being comfortable using your camera in Manual mode. This course is for DSLR or mirrorless camera users, not for smartphone photography. Students should be able to select and send pictures for weekly critiques in class. Familiarity with Adobe Lightroom is a plus.
Course Prep:
For the first class, students should bring 5-10 pictures representing their work (preferably related to street photography but not a must). In addition, please bring 3-5 pictures of your favorite street photographer and be ready to explain what you like about their imagery.
Images: Brittainy Lauback
