Visual Rhetoric
4 WEEK WORKSHOP
WITH INSTRUCTOR
Courtney Larson
Remember the best story you have ever heard? Maybe it was the bedtime story your mother told when you were little, a popular TED talk you watched on YouTube, or the way your partner tells the story of when you two first met. What makes that story so powerful? We will examine the tools needed to express ideas and emotion visually. By analyzing literature and art, we will construct a new language for dynamic storytelling and the relationship between our mind’s eye and the camera. This class will develop your ability to integrate various storytelling approaches, create single frame stories and photo essays, compose an effective communication strategy, and offer new tools for emphasizing the moments.
Tell a story with your photos.
“This course taught me all of what I needed to know to start incorporating storytelling in my work and to see it and evaluate it in other people’s images.”
– MARIANA
WEEKLY WRITTEN & VIDEO LESSONS
LESSON ONE
This week, we'll discuss how to approach storytelling within a single image, how to identify and strengthen your visual narratives, and the Rhetorical Triangle.
LESSON TWO
We’ll continue the exploration of literary components such as characters, setting, and plot. We'll also look at how developing our characters can strengthen emotion.
LESSON THREE
Learn about The Decisive Moment, three practical tips for documenting moments, and the elements in multi-image stories
LESSON FOUR
In this final week, will examine the psychological power of imagery, review how to use nonverbal cues to communicate a message, and explore the role of body language and composition in storytelling.
instructor tip:
Reflections can be a powerful storytelling tool! When you double something within your frame, you are, essentially, making it twice as important. Think of it like a megaphone for your image's story.
Courtney is such a gifted teacher, and her perspective on things is incredibly valuable. I loved learning from her about storytelling and how all of the elements within a frame plus the choices we make as a photographer impact our message. I keep referring to these materials again and again!
Visual Rhetoric by Courtney Larson is a workshop I have wanted to take for a long time. I finally had the opportunity to dig in as a silent seat student, and this class did not disappoint! Courtney is a master storyteller, creating a huge body of work I have admired for years. Courtney digs deep into the concept of storytelling and what makes an image stand out from those around it. This class is appropriate for all photographers, because regardless of what genre we most love to photograph, at the heart of every image is the story we wish to tell the world. I highly recommend Visual Rhetoric both for it’s content and for Courtney’s engaging and personal teaching style!
I LOVE this course!! I took it as Study Along and have been slowly working through it. It is SO thoughtful and as an experienced photographer, I am learning story concepts I didn’t think about before. Courtney’s work is beautiful and she uses her images to explain her ideas very well. I highly recommend this course especially if you are feeling “stuck” with your storytelling. This is a class I will be sure to reference back to and am enjoying savoring the content.
Visual Rhetoric is a great class. I enrolled in the September 2021 run and enjoyed every minute of it! My first exposure to Courtney’s class was during ClickAway 2020 and I knew I wanted more. I was nervous to sign up at first, because I didn’t think I was ready, but I was so glad to have enrolled in the class. The format of videos, reading materials, and live discussions was immersive and I felt challenged in a good way every week. Courtney held weekly chats via Zoom and I loved the discussions with her and the other class participants. I felt a kinship to everyone in the class and it was my favorite part of the week to engage with women around the world and discuss the weekly lessons. Courtney’s critiques provided thorough feedback and encouragement for making images stronger or being strong just as they were. My mind was energized and I know my photography is better for it.
Courtney is a gifted photographer and an even better instructor. I often find myself struggling to capture a moment before it passes and Courtney offers excellent instruction on what to consider when approaching a scene and creating images. Her in depth analysis of images and her insightful live calls make this workshop stand out in it’s depth. I highly recommend Visual Rhetoric!
This is hands down my FAVORITE workshop! Courtney has designed the workshop to help turn this giant structure of visual storytelling into solid building blocks. She dissected stories so we as students can build stronger storytelling images. This workshop was a challenge for sure in a very positive way. It pushed me to think differently. It trained me to see the world differently. On top of the technics that are essential to the making of a strong photograph, Courtney also taught me how to look within myself to define my value and believes. Being able to understand why I love an image and why I create is crucial to becoming a better artist with an authentic voice. I also have to mention how much effort Courtney puts into her critiques and feedbacks. Honestly, for the price I paid, I was not expecting to have such thorough in-depth critiques every single week! Wow. That alone is just incredibly valuable. I learn the best when I get feedbacks on what I have done well and what I could have done better. Courtney is encouraging and she is very honest with my work not being afraid of point out my weaknesses, which I truly appreciate. I will never doubt that Courtney will be the biggest cheerleader when I make progress. I also know that I can fully count on Courtney to keep me grounded so I can continue to learn and grow. Honestly, I think EVERYONE needs to take this workshop at some point during the photography journey.
TAKE. THIS. CLASS. Every week is packed with solid information – no fluff – and the assignments are challenging but push you in the best way. Courtney takes the big concept of storytelling and breaks it down in concise steps that help build every frame with as much intention as possible. I love systems and structure, so this was huge for me. Aside from storytelling you also learn so much about yourself, your own style and approach to photography – I loved that. If you are on the fence about full participation like I was, I highly recommend going for it! Having accountability is great and getting Courtney’s feedback on your work is incredibly valuable. She is warm and encouraging and goes above and beyond to help her students get as much out of this class as possible. Thank you so much for this amazing experience!
Love this awesome course. Courtney’s pdfs and videos are very informative, presenting a whole new world to me. After the course, I started to incorporate more thinking into my shooting process and I can tell my gallery becomes a lot more interesting than before. The course is a game-changer. Highly recommend!
This class really pushed me out of my comfort zone, but in such a good way! Courtney was an amazing teacher and she helped me learn to visualize what I wanted to create. I’m now taking time to slow down and be more intentional with light, composition, and what message I want my images to convey. If you’re stuck in a rut or want to create stronger images, I highly recommend this class.
This fabulous course demonstrated how moment is as important as light and composition for making a strong image. I highly recommend taking this class if you want to take storytelling images that resonate with your audience.
I took this class as a study along student and I wished I did full participation! Such an amazing class and Courtney put so much into the course! I loved how she breaks down storytelling concepts for you so easily! I loved this workshop and highly recommend everyone adds it to their list of classes to take!
Courtney had some great concepts that she taught and helped us process the ideas that she discussed . She was extremely helpful in making sure we could all interact and get the feedback that was incredible helpful. Her class was super informative and stretched our idea of storytelling and what makes a good storytelling image.
Years ago, I started following Courtney’s work to become a better storyteller professionally–I photograph weddings and am pretty traditional. So, slowly I started working towards more candid moments, but during the same time, I had basically stopped photographing my kids at home since it just is always a mess here (we are homeschoolers and life is fun and busy). But this gave me an entirely new look at how important taking these photos will be for ME. I know my professional work will grow significantly this year, but my personal life will now be documented. This class is wonderful and thought-provoking.
This class is AMAZING! I’ve taken a number of photography workshops, and this is one of my absolute favorites! It is one of those ‘game changers’ as I noted a difference in my work immediately after I started. I took this course hoping to learn about storytelling, especially in a documentary approach. Before this class, I would hear comments about the ‘story’ in a photo but I had no idea how to *see* it. The concept of story in a photograph sounded very abstract to me. This course taught me all of what I needed to know to start incorporating storytelling in my work and to see it and evaluate it in other people’s images. It also taught me how to infuse my own person into the images that I create. Courtney goes in a lot of depth to explain the different ways that we can infuse stories (and yourself), both from a subject perspective (through a lot of soul searching) but also sharing the practical ways to do so. Her CC videos are also really helpful. She is extremely generous with her knowledge and goes beyond storytelling, but she also shares her knowledge on lighting and composition. If you are on the fence about this class, I do strongly encourage you to take it without fear of disappointment. This class is worth every penny!
Visual Rhetoric is an informative and challenging course. Courtney provides all the tools and techniques to apply better narratives to our work. Understanding the language and concepts of storytelling was a huge benefit to me. Courtney is a fantastic teacher. I can’t recommend this course enough!!
I loved this class. It brought a whole new way of thinking and seeing before I snap an image now. It has changed my photography so much and I could not recommend it enough, one of my favorite classes. I refer back to the material often. I learned so much and would not be where I am today without this course!
One of my all-time favourite classes! This is an intelligent workshop designed to push your view of storytelling to the next level. Courtney put so much into the course content. I love the feedback she provides and how the content follows a very intentional path. Totally a class every storyteller must take!
This class is just GOLD! Courtney has laid out the principles of visual rhetoric so clearly and concisely in the PDFs, and she shares a wealth of images that all help so much to convey her message. She is an exceptionally engaged instructor that welcomes questions and invited hours of chatting over materials on our weekly calls! This class was precisely what I need to be studying right now, and I didn’t realize it before. These principles will make my imagery so much more meaningful and I am so very thankful for that. So here’s a HUGE and very heartfelt THANK YOU to Courtney. I could not be more grateful. People, don’t walk, RUN and take this class.
I have LOVED this course. Courtney is a warm, dedicated and engaged teacher and her critiques are awesome. I’m definitely seeing a difference in my images, and my thought process when I pick up my camera. I’m so glad I did this course and highly recommend it.
A week after I completed this course, my husband was looking at my photos and said I definitely got my money’s worth. I agree! This course was challenging and difficult, and so worth it. I feel like my entire perspective on why I take photos has shifted. I am a more thoughtful and intentional photographer today, and I know I will continue to improve as I continue to process all the materials. This was my first course, and Courtney’s generous feedback was so helpful. The TAs were also wonderful. I highly recommend this course!
I can’t say enough good things about this class and the amazing instructor. If you’ve been thinking about taking it, just pull the trigger and sign up. You will not regret it! Courtney is a gifted educator and has such enthusiasm and passion for photography and storytelling and is so generous with her time and expertise. The weekly live chats were invaluable and inspiring and the weekly critiques were so helpful and motivating. I learned so much and had a great time participating. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I learned because I didn’t *just* learn facts, this class shifted my whole way of thinking about how and why I shoot and what makes an image strong or fall flat. It not only improved the way I shoot but also how I self-critique my own work. I created some of my favorite images to date while shooting for this class.
I took this class hoping to be a slightly better photographer after four weeks. I’m excited to say that after four weeks I feel like a much better and more confident photographer. This class really teaches you to see photography (yours and others) in a new way. It also helps you dig deep to learn more about yourself and why you shoot. I’m leaving this class feeling inspired, refreshed and excited! I highly recommend this class and would definitely take a class with Courtney again!
My hope for this course was to be a stronger and better photographer in four weeks. I can honestly say taking this class and working with Courtney has exceeded my expectations. She’s opened my eyes to seeing scenes in a whole new way. I have not only a deeper understanding of why things work in my photos and others but also a deeper understanding of my personal why when shooting. I feel stronger and more confident in my photography and ability in only a few weeks. Courtney is an amazing teacher and the course material was great. I highly recommend this class!
I loved how this class forced me to analyze why I photograph and then gave me the tools I need to move forward with my storytelling!
What a wonderful class. Courtney was engaged and enthusiastic for the whole class. The information presented was easy to follow and understand and thought provoking. Courtney’s feedback was great and really pushed me to grow. I have not mastered all of the information in 4 weeks but feel that I will continue to use the material to hopefully keep developing my ability as a storyteller.
One of my favourite workshops ever! Courtney is an amazing teacher and so generous with her time and materials. She made me think about my images in a way I’d never really thought about them before, really delving into the “why” that powers my photography. It was a very introspective workshop and I feel like I learned so much about myself in addition to how to become a more effective storyteller. This class is definitely worth taking full participation, as Courtney is very generous with her feedback and the video chats are such a helpful tool to really work through the materials. You won’t regret taking this one!
This is an awesome class! I learned so much about storytelling from Courtney. It really opened up a new way of thinking for me, and I started really thinking through what I want to say with my photos. It gave me a deeper meanig when photographing. Courtney is a committed teachert and leaves very thorough feedback on the assignements. I was amazed at how she analyzed my images and helped me work to go deeper! Storytelling is an art and you will get so much info in this class. I still go through the materials because I find them useful. I recommend this class, its so worth it!
I cannot recommend Visual Rhetoric enough! I take a lot of workshops and breakouts, and this one really stood out to me. It is filled with new and really thought-provoking content. I have even taken other story-telling workshops before, but this had so many concepts that I had either never studied before or were covered at a deeper level. I also learned a great deal about myself, and how to captures that really matter to my core and make me feel more fulfilled. Besides all of the amazing content that you learn, well then there’s Courtney… she is one of my favorite teachers. She will tell you honestly what she thinks, and yet you can also tell she truly cares about your growth as an artist. Her feedback videos are so insightful. She and the TAs are always there to answer any question you have and are an endless wealth of knowledge! I promise, this course does not disappoint.
I simply loved this class. Courtney is a great teacher, and she provides tons of information on now to better understand and approach storytelling photography. Before this class, i did not know what I was doing when i tried to tell a story with my images. Now i have a clear vision in mind, guidelines which help me to tell a story, e.g. evoke emotions or catch the viewers attention, and to express my feelings and thoughts. There are also plenty of guidelines included on how to become a better photographer as such and importantly, how to merge the how and the why in photography. The course invites you also to a journey to your inner self, and it was in many ways therapeutic :). Above all, it was inspirational!! Loved chatting with her and i simply recommend it to everybody. One of my best pictures emerged during the last four weeks Thanks Courtney!!!
I absolutely loved this course! I took it as a study along (which is what I do with most courses) and about halfway in to week 1 I was wishing I had taken it full participation! Courtney poured her heart and soul into this workshop and it’s very obvious. From her thought out critiques, to the weekly live chats, there is so much opportunity for feedback! If you’re looking for a workshop to help you with your storytelling with an extremely involved instructor, don’t hesitate to sign up! And be prepared to be challenged, work hard, and grow!
Are study along students included in the live chats? Are the live chats recorded to allow SA students to listen to them?
Laura,
No, only Full Participants will be able to participate in the live discussions. Study Along students will have access to the recording of the live chats.
This class was sooo good! I would do it again in a heartbeat! I loved the assignments and critiques, and Courtney was such a great instructor. It was so good to be “in a classroom” again with meaningful assignments that challenged me and pushed me to try new things! I can say my photography will not be the same from here on out!
I loved this class. Seriously, it’s a new favorite. First of all, Courtney is a wonderful teacher. She is generous with her time and vast knowledge. I was impressed with her participation, and really enjoyed her regular live chats online where I got to connect with her and my fellow classmates. This allowed us to dig deep into the class material, and get answers to questions in real time. Second, the material is unique and extremely helpful. I’ve taken story-telling type course before, but there were lot’s of new concepts presented here that have already changed the way I approach making a photograph. And, finally, this class was super introspective. I came away knowing more about why I take photos, and what speaks to me and my vision. So, yes, I highly recommend this workshop. It’s a game-changer, and will mark a milestone in my photography journey.
Take this class!!! Seriously- I learned so much from Courtney. She perfectly explains how to see moments, how to capture them and how to create a beautiful story full of emotion, visual interest and importance! The content in this class is priceless- but having Courtney as a mentor is indescribable! She helped me find and develop my passion and for that, I am forever grateful! You will not be disappointed with this class!
I found this course to be challenging in a really good way. It breaks down the different elements of telling visual stories and demonstrates practical techniques. There is an introspective thread throughout the course, which really helped me to respond to ‘why’ I take photographs and what I bring of myself to it. It is an emotional exercise. It really made me realise that my own stories are valuable. (I took this course as a study along participant.)
In a nutshell: Visual Rhetoric was awesome & worth every dollar!!! Courtney has put so much into this workshop & it was obvious that she has a thing for teaching. I even signed up for her class at Click Away & would happily take any class that she offers in the future. I had major realizations about my own childhood & why I am the mother I am today. And even why I am so passionate about photography. Honestly, it was therapeutic.