Education portfolio by Andrei Kovalev: students fit an oversized clear helmet onto a model during a workshop, lit green.

Courses and consulting

Since 2017 I have taught courses on complex photographic projects. Each one is built from scratch around one or more real shoots.

I believe there is no better education than guided experience. Working as a production team, my students bring a complex photographic project to life. From the first sketch to post-production, they learn a practical approach, technical solutions and creative practices.

Spéos portrait course by Andrei Kovalev: a robed warrior with a red-ribboned sword faces a giant monster’s open jaws.

Online course · Spéos Paris · 2022

Commercial + Fine-Art Portrait Photography

An intensive online course I ran with Spéos Paris, for photographers who wanted to master complex portrait photography, build a portfolio and grow their careers.

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Online course by Andrei Kovalev: a grey-haired man leans on a film light in a glass courtyard, among old lamps, film cans and bare trees.

Online course · 2017–2020

Complex Staged Portrait Photography

The course covers every side of a professional portrait photographer’s work, in seven parts.

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A samurai with a long blade faces a giant mechanical Godzilla head among desert ruins.

Course · Moscow · 2019

Buritō Kōsu

From 27 April to 12 May 2019, my course students and I made the key visuals for Samskara, Burito’s third album: five characters, a two-metre mechanical Godzilla head, six crazy film-like sets, a 4×5 film series and more.

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Vladimir Chukov in a red parka sits on old luggage in a forest clearing as orange smoke drifts through the trees.

Course · Moscow · 2018

Photoband 2018

My second crash course on producing and staging complex portrait shoots, 1–6 May 2018: lectures, hands-on workshops and three large-scale shoots.

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Philipp Soloviev in a ruffled collar stands with a borzoi in a misty greenhouse.

Course · Moscow · 2017

Photoband 2017

My first crash course on producing complex photoshoots, June 2017: four weeks of lectures, hands-on workshops, guest lecturers and four full-scale shoots.

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Consulting by Andrei Kovalev: a man poses beside a large-format view camera in a striped vintage vest.

One-on-one · Consulting

Sessions for photographers

I advise photographers, amateur and pro, on building a career and on their personal and commercial projects.

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