Len’s Master Class

Join Len Metcalf in a one year journey to take your photography to that next level.

Len has been running his Master Class since 2009, it has been the mainstay of his business and reputation as a photography educator. It is designed specifically for intermediate and advanced beginners to give them a framework to study photography and their own creative practice over a full year of immersive learning. Lead and taught by Len Metcalf, this course will elevate your photography through study and doing.

The class starts in February 2026 and runs through to the end of November. Each month you will have two live online classes with Len. Choose between visiting Len’s Studio at Willoughby East in Sydney, or a class online held through zoom. These are first and third Thursday of each month. In these classes you will be mentored and given feedback on your photography. Questions will be answered. You will be given guidance as to where to go next and what to concentrate on. The class will be at either 10 am at the Studio or 7 pm Sydney time for the online class. This is suitable for those living in Europe and the Americas. Class will be two hours long.

In between classes you will work on projects and exercises, and present your ongoing work to the group through our online community and to Len. You will be required to define photographic projects, and work on these projects over weeks and months, each time taking on more complex projects. By the end of the course most will have produced a book and a substantial body of photographs that speak to each other as a series.

Each week you will be given video presentations to watch and learn from at your leisure. Each week you can interact with your class for extra support and feedback. You will have access to our online community, where you can post photographs, meet with others on video, and message each other. This is also the repository of the video presentations for the course.

The course is a mix of theory, practice, inspiration with lots of discussion. To get the most of this course, you will need time to watch the presentations, to work on your projects and class exercises, and to attend class. It is recommended you allocate one day per week for this. Though many will allocate a lot more time in this immersive year. Many have done the course whilst working full time, others have devoted much more time to their learning journey. You get out of it what you put into it.

The course is inclusive, supportive and encouraging. A wide range of photographic genres are encouraged and supported. You will find that Len creates an inspirational learning environment, one where you feel safe to experiment and be yourself in.

You will be introduced to a wide range of photographers work throughout the course. We will examine the work of a different photographer each week. We will delve into the great photographers, the ones you need to know about. Not only will you be shown their work, you will develop a deeper understanding of their work, so it can influence your own work too.

We will go through the art of photographic composition, taking each concept slowly, exploring them in depth with examples and exercises to strengthen that vision. Learning composition is about learning a visual language and developing your visual literacy.

During the course we will work on your photographic practice. Your workflow. How you use your camera and software. How you approach creativity. We will examine colour theory, and monochromatic photography. We will ensure that you are up to speed with your photography.

We will explore working in diptychs, triptychs and in series. You will learn how to create books, zines, and even hand made books. You will explore printing and sharing your work. By the end of the course you will be confident about presenting your work to others.

inclusions

• a preliminary session with Len to discuss your learning needs, desired outcomes, current skills and possible projects to work on

• 20 classes with Len on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month (Feb - Nov 2026)

• 10 am for in person class at Len’s Studio, Willoughby East, Sydney.

• 7 pm Sydney time for regional, interstate and overseas students via zoom

• weekly photography exercises and assignments

• weekly class support meetings

• weekly video presentations by Len on photography techniques, genres, composition, creativity, etc

• weekly video presentations on inspiring photographers and their work

• over 150 video presentations

content

• preparation for learning, using projects for learning, giving effective feedback and learning strategies

• photographic work flows, exposure, depth of field, focusing, sharpness, noise, etc

• composition, framing and seeing

• creativity

• colour theory and practice

• monochrome photography

• printing your work, colour profiles

• book making

• creative photography techniques such as multiple exposures, collage, using words

• working in series

• exhibiting and sharing your work