Last weekend I got the chance to expand my photography knowledge at a “Portrait Photography 101” class taught by a couple awesome and successful photographers, Sarah Deragon of Portraits to the People, and Jesse Freidin, fine art dog photographer. Sarah and Jesse talked to us about what they think makes a great portrait, and what to look for when taking someone’s portrait. I also learned what to tell a client when they ask the all important question, “what do I do with my hands?” which is super important because I don’t even know what to do with my hands when I get in front of the camera. Seriously, friends, you’re not alone in this one.

Overall, the class was very informative, with something for all levels of photographers, and it was held in the creatively-inspiring Makeshift Society. But the best part of the day was putting our skills into action and photographing each other around Hayes Valley, which naturally led to meeting a few new friends who I plan on photo adventuring with very soon.

Enjoy a few of my shots from the day, and if you’re interested in attending a class like this, Sarah and Jesse will be holding another class in July!

xoxo,

cristal veronica