Lighting Classes

Introduction to portable flash
4 hour workshop
$140
Maximum class size, 12

This workshop is about the creative power and flexibility of battery powered, shoe mounted flash units including the Nikon SB or Canon EX series. These little flash units have transformed the concept of what it means to light on location.

By learning how to shape and control the output of your portable flash, you can create pictures with high production value without lugging around cumbersome strobes and hunting for AC outlets on location. We’ll look at some of the auto exposure modes that let you work quickly with often great results. Then we’ll dig into manual control for those times when you want to light more creatively and your camera’s brain just doesn’t understand what your brain is up to.

The instructor, Peter Poulides, will work with a model, shooting with the camera tethered to a computer and projector so the class can follow along with the demos. The photos will be imported into Lightroom for viewing and comparison. Students will be invited to shoot with their own cameras on some of the manual exposure setups.

The workshop is limited to 12 people so there is time for interaction and questions.

Some of the gear we’ll cover:

• Choosing a flash: compatibility, quality, power, size and price
• External battery packs
• Wired or wireless
• Radio vs optical triggering
• Umbrellas, boxes and reflectors
• Clamps, adapters and brackets
• Putting together a lightweight, portable kit

Some of the techniques you will learn:

• Manual vs TTL exposure control
• Hard light vs. soft light
• Bounced and diffused
• Mixing flash with ambient light
• Single and multiple units
• Front vs. rear curtain sync
• White balance, gels and color correction
• High speed sync

Introduction to studio lighting
4 hour workshop
$125
Maximum class size, 12

Are you interested in shooting in the studio, either your own or someone else’s? Are you curious about working with strobes or ramping up to start a portrait or wedding business? Whether you already own your own gear or are just thinking about buying or renting, attending this hands on workshop will teach you what you need to start making great photos for you to enjoy or sell to clients.

This is a thorough introduction to studio lighting. You will learn how the size, shape, color, quality, angle and distance of the light affect the subject, background and mood of the photo. These techniques apply to many types of lighting, but this class will use studio strobes.

The instructor, Peter Poulides, will work with a live model, shooting with the camera tethered to a computer and projector so the class can follow along with the demos. The photos will be imported into Lightroom for viewing and comparison. Students will be invited to shoot many of the setups with their own cameras so they can study the photos later on for clues as to what worked and what didn’t.

You should already have a working knowledge of your camera settings including exposure modes, shutter speed and f-stops. To participate in shooting photos with your own camera it must have a hot shoe or PC sync connection. If you have a Sony camera, you will need the hot shoe adapter accessory.

The workshop size is kept to 12 people to allow time for interaction and questions.

Some of the equipment and techniques you’ll learn about:

• Bare head with reflector
• Umbrella, reflected and shoot through
• Soft boxes
• Beauty dish
• Octabank large source
• Reflecting light off of ceilings, walls and floors to create big, soft sources
• Snoots, grids and foil
• Color gels
• Using reflectors, flags, scrims and cutters
• Stands, bags and booms
• When to use a flash meter