The Art of the Faceless Image
with Melissa Foxman and Krista Cox
Dive into the world of faceless photography -- you'll learn to show emotion, highlight important details and use color, shadows, and angles to share your subject’s stories (all without showing their faces!). We'll cover the history of this unique genre, demonstrate behind-the-scenes shooting and lighting techniques, and create memorable and timeless images!
In a series of 14 videos (including behind the scenes, editing techniques, image reviews, indoor and outdoor session tips, demonstrations of off-camera lighting and more!) you'll learn everything you need to know about creating beautiful, faceless images!
COURSE TYPE
SELF PACED
SKILL TYPE
SHOOTING, EDITING, CREATIVITY
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER, INTERMEDIATE
let's talk about
What you'll get
Techniques, perspectives, and crops to create impactful faceless imagery
Krista and Melissa's favorite tips for using color, composition, light and shadows to strengthen your images
An in-depth look behind the scenes at how to work through a session and create multiple different views of the same faceless moments
A process for creating beautiful, compelling, and timeless stories without relying on a subject’s face
Shooting and editing tips and tricks that will take your faceless imagery to the next level
The tools you need to challenge yourself with a unique way of storytelling...all while preserving your subject's anonymity
check out what's in your classroom
14 Videos
Go behind the scenes to learn how to create faceless images -- from shoot to edit!
120 page Guidebook
From the history of the faceless image to techniques to create compelling images on your own, this guidebook covers it all
Bonus Materials
A lighting guide, a challenge workbook, tips on silhouettes and shadow, and a planning guide -- these extras will help you create beautiful images
NEW HERE? See how our self-paced courses work
BY THE END OF THIS COURSE,
you will learn why faceless images are so compelling & how to create them...beautifully!
meet your instructors
Melissa Foxman and Krista Cox
Melissa Foxman lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their two teenagers, her greatest inspirations. Melissa is a Click Community Mentor, a Click Pro Elite, a Lensbaby Ambassador, and a former TV news reporter and anchor. She enjoys working with clients and focusing on creative photography.
Krista Cox is a Click Community Mentor, Click Pro Elite, hobbyist, and published photographer who documents her children’s everyday moments in a documentary style and also captures their imaginations through collaborative projects. She is passionate about creating compelling storytelling images, often incorporating the use of pocket light and shadows in her work.
I have always been fascinated by Faceless photography, though could never put into words exactly why. This wonderful course thoughtfully explains the how and why of what makes a Faceless image work. I love how Melissa and Krista delve into the history of Faceless imagery and all the benefits of eliminating facial expressions from the frame. Their PDF and videos are chock full of information that both beginner and experienced photographers will enjoy and benefit from.
Thank you so much Leah for your thoughtful review of the course! I appreciate your kind words, and it was wonderful to hear what parts resonated with you. I look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work!
I was on the fence about buying this course, but I am so happy that I did! The ebook that comes with the course is so thoughtfully laid out and full of much more information than I would have expected. Melissa and Krista go through so many helpful subjects, including compositional elements, storytelling elements, technical elements, etc…all in a way that is very approachable and inspiring. I’m feeling inspired and ready to take on some new projects, and I’m exited about it! I have taken several self directed and mentor led courses, and this has been my favorite so far. Thank you SO much Melissa and Krista❤️
Cali, thank you!! What a beautiful thing to hear, that this course left you inspired. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for being a part of it! And thank you again for your kind words!
Cali, thank you so much for your very kind words. I’m so honored that our course has been your favorite so far and that you’re feeling inspired! I can’t wait to see what you create!
Absolutely loved this course! The PDF was packed with information and the videos provided a first-hand perspective of how Krista and Melissa execute their creative process both with shooting and editing! As the mother of a near teenager, it gets more and more challenging to photograph my daughter. This course provided a fresh approach to documenting my teen and sparked some creativity. I cannot recommend this course enough!
Hi Stacy! I love that this course has sparked some ideas for your near teenager! My kids are both teens and when I moved to more faceless images of them the whole process became so much more fun for us all. I appreciate your kind words, thank you!
Thank you so much for your review, Stacy. I’m so glad this course sparked creativity for you!
Melissa and Krista, you two are a powerful dynamic duo! I’ve never taken a photography course that has covered so much ground — and in such a concise, easy-to-understand, and beautiful way. Your 120-page guidebook is truly a work of art, and I had fun going behind the scenes with you. As a photographer who easily gets bored, I love that I can apply all that I’ve learned about faceless photography to a variety of genres. I can’t thank you enough for all your heart, experience, and thought you put into creating this course. I can’t wait to try out some of your amazing tips and techniques!
Dawn, your kind words mean so much! Thank you for all the thoughtful things you said, Krista and I really did try to pour our hearts into this course, and to hear it resonated makes me so happy! Thank you!
Dawn, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m so excited to see what you create – we too love that faceless can apply across genres!
This is a great class to take if you are looking for creative and inspirational ideas to add to any genre of photography. Krista and Melissa’s pdf and videos are beautiful and packed with information. I don’t take images of people very often and this class has given me ideas to include my husband who does’t like to be photographed and even myself in more images. I often fell like I struggle with storytelling and this class has helped me realize how I can incorporate it more in to my images.
Thank you Kerri, that is so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad the storytelling aspect resonated with you. And also glad to hear that you’re planning to use some of these techniques for photos of your husband and yourself!! I love that, as it’s so important as the photographer for you to be in the frame too!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Kerri! My husband also doesn’t like to be photographed, but it’s funny how a faceless image can really make a subject more at ease. I’m so glad to hear that the storytelling components of our course resonated with you. Can’t wait to see more of your work!
As the mother of teens, I take fewer and fewer images of my children in the interest of their desire for privacy. Working through this course has given me such great ideas to capture my kids while they are still at home, and sparked a creative drive to photograph them in different ways. This class is a must do for anyone looking to broaden their idea of what constitutes a portrait, and the BTS and editing videos are such a unique look into Krista and Melissa’s very different processes. This class offers a great look into photographing people of all ages and offers concrete methods of working with different concepts and setups, from true documentary to some Photoshop compositing. “The Art of the Faceless Image” definitely has something to offer everyone, no matter what stage of your photographic journey you are in.
Molly thank you! And I’m loving the faceless images you’re taking of your teens and sharing in the classroom! As you know, my children are teenagers as well and it was so important to me to show different ways to include this age group (and adults) within this genre. And as an adult photographer, faceless self-portraits can be so much less intimidating! Your kind words mean so much, thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Molly! We are so glad that this course has something for everyone — from the different ages we cover, to the different styles/genres we cover. And I absolutely LOVE the images you’ve been sharing in the course – can’t wait to see more!
This is such a great and inspiring course! I do not shoot a lot of faceless images, but after going through this course materials, I just feel so inspired and with so many creative ideas in my mind about the whole faceless art I could create. Melissa’s and Krista’s class is jam packed with tons of valuable information! They do not only teach about faceless photography, but about storytelling, colors, emotions, OCF, and so much more! They have truly left their heart and knowledge in all their detailed and well done videos and pdf.
Thank you so very much Paty! I’m so happy to hear the course has inspired you, that means so much! The subjects you mentioned, storytelling, colors and emotions are so close to my heart and it’s wonderful to hear those parts of the course resonated with you! Thank you for your thoughtful review!
Thank you so very much for your kind review, Paty! Melissa and I really did pour our hearts into this course, and I’m so glad it can provide some inspiration!
This is such a fun class to take. I am always drawn to faceless images and it is great to get to see other people’s approaches and techniques. This class is jam packed with information. There are so many great videos included. The step by step instruction and demonstration included is extremely valuable.
That is so wonderful to hear Amy! Thank you for your thoughtful review, it’s so nice to know what stood out to you. I agree, seeing things from someone else’s perspective can really spark creativity! I’m so glad you enjoyed the class!
Amy, thank you so much for your kind review! I’m so glad you enjoyed our course and the different approaches we try to showcase!
This is the class that I didn’t know I needed. Basically, I shoot anything other than humans. Eye contact, formal portraits, worrying about blinking and odd face poses…not for me. This course has opened up a whole new photography genre to me. Who knew…faceless photography was even a thing. :) This course is jam packed full of information, and all in a very very very professional manner. The PDF…so beautiful and informative. The videos…great tips from shooting, to editing, to lighting, to making your own awesome reel from still photographs. Then as if that wasn’t enough, the bonus materials including creative exercises. This course has it ALL! Thank you Melissa and Krista for pouring your passion into this course!!!
Hi Jennifer, what a joy it was to read your comment! Thank you!! I’m so glad you’re discovering a new genre, that’s always so exciting! We’re so glad you are a part of this course, and I look forward to following along on your faceless adventures!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Jennifer! I love that faceless photography has opened up a new genre for you and that you’ve enjoyed the course. I can’t wait to see what you create!
I love love love this course for so many reasons! I’ve always been drawn to faceless photography, and this course breaks it AAAALLLLLL down. Melissa and Krista talk about the WHY of faceless and the HOW. AND the storytelling aspect of faceless (which is really the most important part). They demonstrate some really cool techniques for creating faceless images (like silhouette), and I absolutely love watching their videos and seeing how they think through creating an image. I’m SO excited to incorporate more faceless into my own work. I’m brimming with new ideas!
Taryn, I am thrilled to read about all the excitement you feel after going through this course!! That’s so wonderful, I can’t tell you how happy that makes me to hear. I love watching you create, and your enthusiasm is such an inspiration! I can’t wait to see all your new faceless ideas come to life! Thank you again for your kind words!
Thank you so much for your kind review, Taryn! I love hearing that the course was helpful and that you’re excited to shoot more faceless. Can’t wait to see more of your images!
This self paced course was exactly what I needed in this moment. I was feeling so uninspired, but this topic is so interesting and can be used in so many ways, so things are turning around. Krista and Melissa give a pdf that is full of a ton of information. Not only is it about faceless images, we learn about how to tell stories. The videos are so helpful and as someone who is still learning OCF, I found both of their videos helpful in demonstrating how they use those lights to get the shot they want. Because the course is broken down into different genres and techniques, I am going to take each section and practice that genre and that is how it has helped break me out of a creative rut. I highly recommend this course for all levels, as I think there are so many things to learn. The quality of the information and how it is presented is so good, the videos are entertaining and well done.
Wendi that is so great to hear! And I’m so glad the storytelling part spoke to you. I love your plan to focus on faceless photos by genre moving forward! Can’t wait to see what you create. Thank you for your kind words!
Thank you so much for your kind review, Wendi! I’m so glad you’ve found the course informative and I love your approach of practicing each genre – I love that faceless photography can really apply across genres. I can’t wait to see the faceless art you create!
I am loving this course! I never thought about shooting faceless images, but see why it can be so great! I am visiting two grandchildren we don’t see often, who don’t like their face photographed. I’m betting I can get some lovely faceless images of them. And I need to try the flour exercise with my youngest grandchildren. It looks like so much fun for the kids!
Thanks for this thoughtful course that is so full of information! More scope for the imagination!
Barb, your kind words mean so much to us! I’m so glad you’re going to try out the flour activity — it really is a lot of fun! Can’t wait to see the images you come up with.
Thank you so much for the kind words, Barb! It’s so wonderful to hear how you’ll be using the course to photograph your grandchildren, I’m sure that will be so much fun! I look forward to seeing what you create. And yes, faceless photos sparking the imagination is a great thing!
I can’t say enough about this course! Krista and Melissa have done a beautiful job creating material sharing their process in shooting faceless. Their PDF alone is full of info and images that will have you inspired.
Thank you very much Kristin! I’m so glad you enjoyed the course, this topic is one Krista and I are so drawn to! We appreciate the kind words!
Thank you so much for your kind review, Kristin! Your kind words mean so much to us!
This is a class everyone should take! I am addicted to faceless images now. Every video taught me something new. I love the storytelling. I didn’t realize all the emotions we can show until I watched Melissa’s video.
I was so happy to see how Krista broke down the different ways to make silhouettes with OCF. I am only halfway through, but I can’t wait to see what else is coming up!
Angela, we are so thrilled to hear you’re enjoying the course! The faceless genre really is addicting. We can’t wait to see what you create!
Angela, I’m so glad to hear your thoughts on the course! Thank you! And yes, emotions to me are at the heart of faceless photography. I look forward to seeing what you create as you continue with the course!!
As someone who has always been fascinated by faceless photography, I knew this was going on my “must-have” list. Krista & Melissa outdid themselves, and it did not disappoint.
The course flows smoothly and is jam-packed with beautiful imagery and great information. They deep dive into the topic of faceless storytelling so eloquently, and it was such a joy to read (and watch). As a visual learner, I loved how they incorporated examples with detailed explanations. One of my favorite sections touched on faceless storytelling and the interaction with your environment. I think as photographers, we instinctively rely heavily upon facial expressions to tell a story, but when it’s gone, the environment comes to the foreground to support our story. They provided excellent examples of how to use the environment to enhance the story in faceless photography.
I feel like many courses tend to be geared towards one specific genre, but this course touched on a variety of genres, and there really is something for everyone. In addition, the course gives examples of how to use faceless photography throughout various life stages, not just one specific age group. Another section that really spoke to me was “Sharing Their Lives” as it touched on paying attention to the interest of your subject, the details that matter to them, and incorporating it into the story.
I could go on and on about how fantastic this course is, but I don’t want to ruin it for you.
All I can say is, I highly recommend grabbing yourself a copy of this course to get your creativity flowing with faceless storytelling.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Tandra! Your thoughtful review means so much and I’m so glad you’re enjoying it. I absolutely love your work and can’t wait to see more of your faceless images!
Tandra, thank you so much!! I loved reading your thoughts on the course, as I too am a visual learner! I’m so glad to hear of the parts that stood out most to you, this genre really does have something for every photographer to explore and we were so excited to share that. I love how you show faceless images in your work, and can’t wait to see more!
This self-paced class by Melissa and Krista is amazing and a joy to read (and watch)! You may not have spent much thought on faceless photography until now (“Well, it’s a photograph without a face, right?…”), but this class will take your understanding of faceless photography to a whole new level. Melissa and Krista go over a wide array of topics in this class: from the whys of a faceless image, over principles of storytelling, use of color and color theory, composition (perspectives, long exposure, use of creative lenses), utilization of light and shadows, juxtaposition and scale, tips on how to shoot intentionally, on how to create different moods… I could go on and on. This class will provide you with so many ideas on how to create compelling images that go way beyond a “technically faceless image.” They go over different genres from documentary to conceptual to landscape to lifestyle and show you how versatile and unique faceless photography can be.
What I particularly loved about this class is the element of co-teaching: Because Krista has young children (aged 1 to 8) and Melissa’s children are teenagers, they each focus on different situations and different aspects of faceless photography, each highlighting different approaches to their subjects, which makes this class interesting for anyone. As a “momtog,” I loved seeing these different perspectives: My eight-year-old doesn’t like to be photographed as often anymore (early teenager, maybe?) and my five-year-old likes to make goofy faces as soon as he spots a camera, so this class has also provided me with new ideas on how to deal with that more creatively, has shown me the many ways of how I could still capture a story, memories and emotion without having to use their faces. Most of all, this class made me want to grab my camera and be creative, capture all the stories and details I hadn’t previously noticed or thought worth capturing because it’s probably those details like holes in their shoes or dino Band-Aids that will make me remember these moments later.
Also, the PDF is such a lovely read, with a clear and structured layout and many beautiful images to provide examples and explanations. In addition, there are also tips for gear and techniques, tips on how to gather ideas for faceless images you want to capture and so much more. The videos are informative and fun to watch and take you from behind-the-scenes to editing in LR and PS, with tips! I particularly liked the image review video with Krista where she goes over her faceless images pointing out the successful and the less successful ones and why and how they work (or not). In short, this class is as versatile as faceless photography itself and I highly recommend it if you want to learn and try something new, create more creatively and add diversity to your art, your portfolio, your photo books and the ways you’re telling your stories!
Irina, your thoughtful review means the world to me! Thank you so much for joining this course, and leaving such wonderful feedback! It’s so great to hear about the different parts of the course that you enjoyed. I love your work and look forward to seeing what you create!
Thank you so much for your kind review, Irina! Your words mean so much to us. We are SO GLAD you are enjoying the course and we can’t wait to see your faceless images!
A self-proclaimed documentary photographer, I shoot from the hip — usually fast and loose — and often, nay always, shoot faces. This approach, I now realize, has made my work decidedly flat and predictable.
Enter the “The Art of the Faceless Image” by Krista and Melissa, whose work I’ve long admired for their unexpected storytelling and breathtaking composition. The course covers an incredible range of topics from technical to photography theory — all aimed at making other elements work harder for you in the absence of showing a face.
Thanks for an amazing course. It’s just what I needed to get out of my photography rut, adding intention to the process and drama to the end result.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Michelle! We love that faceless applies to almost all genres and so glad you’re enjoying the course!
That is so awesome to hear Michelle! Thank you! I love how using other elements in your frame besides the face resonated with you. That’s where so much of the fun comes in! So grateful for your kind words!
As someone who has always been intrigued by faceless images, I knew this was a course I had to have. I love how Krista & Melissa deep dive this topic. The course is overflowing with beautiful imagery & valuable information to kick start your creativity. I was impressed with how they managed to weave faceless storytelling through a variety of genres. Often times I feel like courses are tailored specifically to one genre but this course really has something for everyone. I could go on and on about this course but I don’t want to spoil all the amazing information they provide, do yourself a favor and grab your copy. Krista and Melissa have outdone themselves and you will not be disappointed.