1. Introduction
When PhotoWhoa reached out to me to review another one of their Masterclasses—after my previous review of Ian Plant’s excellent Travel & Nature Photography Masterclass —I took my time choosing. I was intrigued by several: one on capturing street portraits, another tracing the evolution of street photography. But in the end, I was pulled toward something deeper—Alister Benn’s "How to Be Truly Creative".
As a travel photographer for Getty Images, my focus has always been on storytelling. From religious rituals in India to minimalist seascapes along the British coast, my photography has appeared in exhibitions across London, Spain, Cuba, and Peru. And what drew me to this course was its promise to help photographers reconnect with their inner voice—something I believe separates a good image from a lasting one.
How to be ‘truly’ creative, a Photography Masterclass by PhotoWhoa and Alister Benn
2. Masterclass Overview
This isn't your run-of-the-mill photography tutorial. There's no talk of megapixels, tripods or camera bags. Instead, Alister Benn guides you through a rich and reflective journey into creative expression through photography. Alister grew up in the Highlands of Scotland, and is now based on the West coast of Scotland where he has been teaching photography for over twenty years. His mission is to help photographers reconnect with their voice, their instincts, and their emotional responses to the world. It’s not about the technical perfection of an image, but the energy and presence it conveys. Topics covered include:
The 5 Triggers Of Engagement – why we are attracted to certain things.
The Creative Photography Lessons- Hierarchy Of Engagement.
Creative and expressive processing.
Mood in minutes…
Alister Benn teaching photography in beautiful Scotland through his company Expressive Photography
The course is cleanly structured, progressing through themes of emotional engagement, visual awareness, abstraction, and interpretation. It's broken down into digestible modules that you can work through at your own pace, each one rooted in ideas that challenge conventional thinking.
One standout concept for me was his Hierarchy of Engagement, a framework that helps you reflect on why you take photographs in the first place—what draws you in, and what holds your attention. It asks you to go beyond just looking and to start feeling your way through photography.
Beautiful landscape images by Alister Benn, check out his Photography Masterclass via PhotoWhoa
3. Instructor’s Teaching Style
Alister is calm, philosophical, and completely unpretentious—a rarity in a space that can sometimes feel overly technical or ego-driven. His teaching doesn’t hit you like a lecture; it lands more like a conversation, the kind you’d have while walking through misty Scottish hills with a camera slung over your shoulder.
He invites reflection rather than reaction. You’re not being told how to shoot—you’re being encouraged to pause, feel, and respond to your environment. His delivery has a meditative, almost hypnotic quality that lets the material really sink in.
What sets him apart is his ability to draw connections between photography and other creative mediums. He speaks of rhythm like a musician, of layering like a painter, of silence and space like a poet. These analogies help break you out of the rigid "rules" mindset and bring you back to the emotional core of image-making.
It’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present.
His tone throughout is generous and open, and even when tackling more abstract concepts, it never feels waffly or out of reach. Instead, it feels like he’s helping you remember something you already knew, deep down, but maybe forgot under the noise of trends, presets, and the algorithm.
Learn to appreciate nature and the World around you with Proffessional Photographer Alister Benn
4. Video Quality & User Experience
The production values are solid: sharp visuals, clean sound, clear on-screen examples, and useful breakdowns in Lightroom. PhotoWhoa's platform is easy to use and keeps your place as you move through the lessons. Whether you binge it or dip in and out, the course is built to suit your flow.
Ask yourself why are you making photographs in the first place? What is your purpose…
5. Content Relevance & Depth
What impressed me most is how universally relevant the material in this course is. Whether you shoot city streets, mountain ranges, or abstract textures, the creative principles apply. Alister explores:
Using aspect ratios to influence mood and interpretation
How light, geometry, and atmosphere can transform an image
The emotional language of temperature, contrast, tint, and luminosity
One particularly thought-provoking section dives into aspect ratios—how the frame itself changes the story you’re telling. Alister breaks down the psychological and compositional differences between classic formats like 4:3, cinematic wides, and panoramic crops. This hit home for me. I’ve always leaned into framing instinctively, but never consciously examined how aspect ratio alone can steer a viewer’s emotional response.
Several years ago, I delved into the world of anamorphic lenses and wrote a couple of blogs, including this one on cinematic wide-angle landscape photography, exploring the unique results possible when using anamorphic glass. In contrast, the square format—so beloved by Instagram—brings a punchy symmetry and instant balance. I’ve embraced it in several works on my Instagram, particularly when experimenting with minimalism and colour contrast, especially in my abstract seascapes. You can explore more of my abstract seascapes on my website at the following page.
Another insight that stood out was Alister’s take on flipping images—rotating or mirroring them to open up new emotional or compositional interpretations. As someone trained to see such moves as ‘cheating’ or unnatural, it challenged some long-held habits. But seeing it done tastefully and purposefully in his workflow was eye-opening. It made me realise that the only real rule in expressive photography is this: does it feel right?
In another memorable section, Alister demonstrates in Lightroom how small tweaks to contrast or warmth can completely shift a photo’s emotional tone. A woodland scene from the Canary Islands transforms from inviting to haunting with just a subtle adjustment to the temperature slider.
It’s a simple but powerful reminder that every tool in the digital darkroom carries emotional weight. It’s not just about editing—it’s about storytelling.
Changing the mood, feel and emotion of an image by using the Lightroom sliders
6. Uniqueness & Value
There’s no shortage of tutorials out there promising sharper shots, cleaner edits, or Lightroom hacks. But that’s not what this course is about. What Alister Benn offers is something far more valuable: a route back to meaning.
It’s rare to find a photography course that asks more of you than just turning dials or chasing trends. Alister encourages you to step off the conveyor belt of social media validation and start tuning into what really drives your creativity. He reminds you that good photography isn’t just about technical skill—it’s about presence, awareness, and voice.
In a world that often pushes photographers to conform to trends, this course pushes you to rebel. Thoughtfully.
And that resonated. In an era where algorithms seem to decide what “works,” it’s easy to lose your gut instinct. To forget that photography is, at its best, an act of emotional honesty. This course doesn’t give you templates or formulas—it gives you permission. Permission to be bold, to experiment, to break your own habits. To be quiet, if that’s what the shot calls for.
That’s what makes this Masterclass stand out. It’s less a toolbox and more a compass.
And personally, I found it reinvigorating. It reminded me that expressing mood, story, or soul through an image isn't something you copy—it’s something you cultivate.
In his PhotoWhoa Masterclass Alister Benn explains how to add depth and emotion to images using Lightroom
7. Final Verdict: Is It Worth It?
Absolutely. This is the kind of Masterclass that lingers. It won’t just teach you how to make better photos. It will help you remember why you picked up a camera in the first place.
For me, it felt like a much-needed reset—a reminder that photography is less about rules and more about resonance.
‘Make Mood in Minutes’ with your photography using Alister Benn’s Photography Masterclass via PhotoWhoa.com
8. Where to Find It
Check out Alister’s excellent insights into photographic creativity below:
👉 How to Be Truly Creative by Alister Benn on PhotoWhoa
If you’re looking to refresh your creative vision or simply need a spark, give it a go. If you are interested in attending one of Alister’s Expressive Photography Workshops & Events click here. Alister’s Workshops are in high demand and in exciting and adventurous place including: Namibia, the Canadian Rockies, Iceland and of course Scotland.
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