MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that acclaimed artist Petra Collins—who’s worked with touchstone brands such as Gucci and Adidas; had several books published with Rizzoli and Penguin Random House; shot covers for Vogue and Rolling Stone; and directed numerous music videos, including Olivia Rodrigo’s Grammy-nominated “Good 4 U”—is joining Sessions by MasterClass, a structured, 30-day curriculum where members learn meaningful skills through hands-on experience, step-by-step demonstration and an engaged community. In her session, Collins will share a never-before-seen look into her creative process and evolution of style to inspire members to find meaning behind their art. From technical camera skills to conceptual techniques for bringing an idea to life, members will learn Collins’ tips and tricks for capturing images with purpose. Enrollment for Collins’ session is available starting today; the class goes live on July 1.
“Petra’s aesthetic has help defined film photography for this generation,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “In her session, she provides an exclusive look into her style, approach and expertise, helping members learn how they can express themselves creatively through film photography.”
In her session, Petra will cover how to operate camera settings, lighting and composition, and encourage members to create a meaningful series of work that communicates their vision. The session is broken down into five sections:
- Gearing Up for Inspiration: Collins will share her photography journey to motivate members to pick up a camera and start capturing what they love. For beginners, she will provide her starter kit recommendations, including must-have items such as a manual single-lens reflex camera, 400 ISO film and a 50mm lens. She will also highlight budget-friendly lighting options such as flashlights, fluorescent lights and a metallic gift bag as a bounce or a sandwich bag as a lens filter.
- Understanding Your Camera and Lighting Techniques: Collins will explain how camera settings impact exposure and what settings to use when shooting in different scenarios. Members will shoot at least two rolls of film using both natural light and sourced lighting.
- Portraits and Understanding Your Subject: Joined by her sister, Anna, in this lesson, Collins will demonstrate the importance of connecting and creating intimacy with your subject to capture a revealing portrait.
- Creating Your Series: Leveraging all technical and creative skills taught throughout the session, Collins will provide an intimate look into her past works to illustrate how to create a series of photographs that communicate a larger vision.
- Keep Experimenting: Members will reflect on all that they achieved and hear Collins’ tips for how they can keep growing through photography.
“Photography is a powerful way to push a conversation forward because you have the ability to create an image that has never been seen before,” Collins said. “In my session, I want to empower members to think about what they want to see and teach them how to capture images that resonate with the world around them.”
Though she was just 15 when she launched her career, Collins quickly became one of her generation’s most defining artists in photography, fashion, film and music. She has published six photo books—including Fairy Tales with Rizzoli and Petra Collins: Coming of Age with Penguin Random House—and has photographed print ads for legacy brands like Gucci, MAC, Apple and Adidas. Beyond photography, Collins has shot music videos for major artists, including Cardi B and Carly Rae Jepsen, and is currently directing her own feature film with Selena Gomez.
