Shooting with Intention – Capturing Cohesive Travel Stories (Smartphone Camera) with Lisa Carney

This seminar is for CreativeLive subscribers only. Not subscribed? Start here!

This session moves from foundations into a practical “how to shoot” workflow on the road, focusing on capturing sequences and mini-stories instead of one-off hero shots. Using examples from real travel assignments and mobile shoots, Lisa will walk through how to move through a scene, refine a subject, and build variety (wide, medium, detail) while staying connected to the story’s core idea. The class includes demos of in-camera tools (focus, exposure, burst, panorama, and live-view decisions on phone and camera) plus time for students to ask about their own travel shooting challenges.

This class includes a dedicated 30 minutes of Q&A directly with Lisa Carney.

Please note this is Part 2 of Lisa's "Travel Series," though it can be taken individually. Part 1 is "Seeing on the Road," and Part 3 is "Finishing the Story."

What You'll Learn

• Approach a new location and quickly decide what the story is and which scenes to prioritize.
• Create cohesive story sequences (establishing shots, moments, details, transitions) instead of disconnected single images.
• Adapt when conditions are “bad” (harsh light, crowds, clutter, weather) and still come away with strong images.
• Use mobile and camera features (focus control, exposure compensation, burst mode, portrait mode) to support your narrative decisions.
• Think like an editor while shooting so you come home with a usable, coherent set of images for albums, social, or portfolios.

Who It's For

• Travelers and content creators who want more cohesive travel photos from a smartphone camera.
• Beginner to intermediate photographers who want a repeatable workflow for shooting sequences, not just one-off images.
• Photographers who struggle with challenging travel conditions, such as harsh light or crowds, want practical ways to adapt.
• Anyone building albums, social posts, or portfolios who wants to return from a trip with a complete, usable set of images.

How to Join

• This class is available exclusively to CreativeLive subscribers. Not a subscriber? Join here.
• This class was recorded live on Zoom and is now available on demand.