Classes

Struggling with midday sun or unpredictable outdoor lighting? This lecture will break down exactly how to take control of your environment using strobes, modifiers, and exposure strategies, no shade hunting required.

Whether you’re shooting seniors, editorials, or personal brand clients, you’ll learn how to approach outdoor lighting with intention and confidence.

In this session, I’ll walk you through:
– How to balance flash with ambient light for natural or dramatic looks
– When to use high-speed sync vs. ND filters (and why it matters)
– Modifier choices for full sun and how to shape directional light
– Real-world setups and case studies from my on-location shoots
– Creative techniques for working fast and staying inspired outdoors

You’ll leave with a toolkit of lighting setups and troubleshooting tips you can apply immediately, regardless of location, weather, or time of day.

Kenny Kim brings clear, practical, and experience-driven insights to every master class. With over 20 years of shooting destination weddings around the globe, Kenny draws from a rich well of knowledge to help photographers navigate the unique challenges and opportunities in this specialized field.

In this master class, you’ll gain actionable advice on how to break into destination wedding photography, attract new clients, and grow a sustainable boutique business. From marketing strategies and client relationship building to lesser-known industry tips, Kenny will equip you with the tools to thrive.

What you’ll learn:
– How to book your first (destination) wedding clients
– Strategies for using social media to maintain and grow client relationships
– Building strong connections with clients and vendors
– Running a successful boutique photography studio
– Travel and logistics tips for destination weddings
…and more insider advice from a seasoned pro as well as some time for Q&A

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your wedding photography business globally, this class will leave you with the clarity, confidence, and techniques to take your craft to the next level.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Working with male clients can be both rewarding and challenging — whether they’re corporate executives, creative entrepreneurs, professional models, or “regular guys” stepping in front of the camera for the first time. In this 90-minute live demonstration, I’ll walk you through my proven approach to creating timeless, confident, and authentic images that make men look and feel their best.

WHAT WE WILL COVER:
– Pre-shoot preparation: consultation strategies, wardrobe guidance, and setting client expectations.
– Posing for authenticity: reading body language, adjusting posture for confidence, and avoiding the “over-posed” look.
– Adapting to personality types: directing extroverts vs. introverts, corporate vs. creative energy.
– Lighting and composition for male features: shaping light to convey strength, relatability, or sophistication.
– Keeping the session collaborative: how to make your client feel like a creative partner, not just a subject.
Expect real-world posing scenarios, live adjustments, and discussion on how to build trust quickly so clients leave the shoot feeling empowered … and come back for more!

WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD BRING
– Notebook for posing tips, client communication strategies, and lighting setups
– Camera and lens (optional; this is primarily a demo, but attendees may want to shoot during brief audience participation moments)
– Curiosity and willingness to rethink traditional posing

KEY TAKEAWAYS
– How to prepare male clients for a shoot so they arrive confident and ready
– Practical posing adjustments that instantly improve posture and presence
– Communication techniques that create trust and keep sessions collaborative
– Lighting approaches that complement masculine features without over-stylizing
– Ways to adapt your style for different industries; from corporate to fashion to lifestyle

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This class is for photographers who:
– Struggle to make male clients look natural and confident on camera
– Want to move beyond standard “hands in pockets” poses
– Work with entrepreneurs, small business owners, models, or editorial clients
– Want to add authenticity, versatility, and polish to their men’s portrait work

PREREQUISITIES
A working knowledge of manual camera settings and basic lighting is recommended. This class is not a camera fundamentals course.

COURSE LEVEL
Intermediate to Advanced: Designed for photographers who already understand camera basics and lighting but want to refine their skills in working specifically with male subjects.

CATEGORY
Live Demonstration: I’ll work with a male model on site to demonstrate preparation, posing techniques, and directing men with different personalities and goals. Attendees will see the process from pre-shoot strategy to live posing adjustments.

Get ready for a live shootout where Esteban and Mandy go head to head to prove who really has the dopest portrait game! In this live demonstration, they’ll each be thrown into the fire with just 5 minutes per image to work their magic. The twist? You, the attendees, call the shots. From picking the location to handing them random props that could either inspire brilliance or total chaos.

Watch as Esteban and Mandy reveal their wildly different approaches to photographing couples, turning the same constraints into completely unique results. It’s part strategy, part improv, and all entertainment. Not only will you see how two pros tackle pressure, creativity, and curveballs in real time, you’ll walk away with fresh ideas for leveling up your own couples portrait game.

Who will come out on top? That’s for you (and the portraits) to decide.

Same light, wildly different vibes. In this live demo, we’ll rapid-fire through popular modifiers—umbrellas, softboxes, strip boxes, beauty dish, grids, snoots, gels, and more—to show how each one sculpts your subject, controls spill, and shifts mood from soft and flattering to punchy and dramatic. You’ll see feathering, falloff, and angle changes in real time, plus easy recipes you can copy for headshots, seniors, and beauty work.

We’ll show you how we use monochromatic setups on seamless paper to create timeless, studio milestone portraits. We’ll cover ideal props for different ages, how to shoot different angles for more variety, how to position the light to achieve perfect soft lighting and how to keep your setups simple and timeless. With a milestone model in class, you’ll see firsthand how to photograph babies at different stages, from 3 months to one year. While this isn’t technically a hands-on class, bring a Westcott trigger if you have one, just in case we have some extra time for you to practice shooting!

Need to deliver variety in less time? This class is your shortcut to faster, smarter studio sessions using Westcott’s Creative Mask feature. Perfect for fast-paced environments like sports, volume sessions, headshots, and editorial portraits, Creative Mask lets you create up to six distinct lighting combinations without ever touching your setup.

I’ll break down how to build a single lighting setup that can simulate multiple looks with the push of a button, including:
– How Creative Mask works in practice (and what gear is needed)
– Ideal setups for team sports, seniors, headshots, and fashion looks
– How to create three to six unique lighting combos in a single session
– How this workflow saves time in tethering, client selection, and editing

You’ll walk away with a streamlined approach to delivering more value, more variety, and more profit without more time on set. Whether you’re scaling volume work or adding efficiency to creative portraits, this technique will transform your workflow.

Few shots wow clients (and sell wall art + albums) like the perfect veil portrait. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn the techniques to use the veil to create dramatic, movement-filled veil images that feel both cinematic and timeless. We’ll cover everything from working with different veil lengths, using motion and assistants for tosses, and incorporating off-camera flash for light-filled drama. You’ll practice our go to veil poses with what to look out for (good and bad) and how to perfect that image in camera, pushing your images to the next level. By the end, you’ll have the skills to turn even a simple veil into a show-stopping image that elevates your portfolio and clients can’t wait to feature on their wall at home.

You’ll need a camera and if possible off camera flash + trigger.

Imagine booking weddings where budgets have no ceiling, creative freedom is limitless and your work is showcased on the world’s biggest stages. In this unfiltered, behind-the-curtain session, world-renowned wedding filmmaker Ray Roman reveals the exact strategies, positioning tactics and insider connections that open doors to the top 1% of weddings—no matter your location or current client base. You’ll discover what luxury planners really look for, how to command premium rates and the “backdoor” moves top creatives use to get in with the industry’s most exclusive circle. If you’re serious about elevating your brand and breaking into the most sought-after events on the planet, this is the class you can’t afford to miss.

Neon photography is bold, colorful, ethereal, edgy, and cinematic. It impresses not only with its beauty but also with its technical difficulty. Riding the line between vintage and contemporary, neon portraiture feels truly timeless. Yet beneath its glow lies a deceiving challenge — one that has kept it an under-explored form of photography.

We need more photographers to embrace that challenge: to use neon as a tool for shaping color, light, and environment into portraits that don’t just look striking, but tell powerful stories. This class will show you how.

In this live demonstration, you’ll learn how to master low-light shooting in public-style spaces, creatively manipulate neon with prisms and reflections, and edit with intention to unify tones while keeping skin natural.

I’ll take you behind the scenes of my entire process, from capture to final edit, showing you how to create work that feels colorful, emotional, and unforgettable. Whether you want to elevate your low-light work, add neon into your toolkit, or simply get inspired to experiment with bold color, this class will give you the roadmap.

Learning Objectives / Takeaways:
How to expose and compose for neon light while preserving detail and skin tones.
Subject placement for rim light, glow, and storytelling impact.
Creative techniques (prisms, reflections, blur) to turn ordinary city scenes into cinematic frames.
A start-to-finish editing workflow that unifies bold color and keeps images polished.
How to approach challenging light with confidence and intention.

90-Minute Class Structure:
0 – 10 min | Introduction & Inspiration
Instructor introduction, portfolio highlights, and class goals.
Showcase neon images to frame challenges/opportunities.
10 – 35 min | Shooting Foundations
Camera settings for low light (ISO, shutter, aperture).
Using neon placement for rim light, shadow, and mood.
Composing for storytelling in busy environments.
Live demo: 2–3 setups with model while narrating process.
35 – 55 min | Creative Techniques
Demonstrate prisms, reflections, and blur for artistic color play.
Show 2–3 creative variations and troubleshoot common issues.
55 – 80 min | Editing Workflow
Import 2–3 live images.
Walk through Lightroom → Luminar Neo → Photoshop workflow.
Show how to unify tones, balance bold color with natural skin, and polish with subtle effects.
80 – 90 min | Wrap-Up + Q&A
Review 3 key pillars (shoot with intention, experiment with creativity, edit with cohesion).
Audience Q&A.

Join me for a live demo where I’ll be teaching one of my favorite time-saving (and money-saving!) techniques: newborn composite photography. In this class, I’ll walk you through how to capture a simple, clean image of a newborn in-studio, and then show you exactly how to edit that image into a beautiful digital backdrop.

This approach allows you to create stunning, creative, and high-end final images without needing to invest in more props, elaborate sets, or take up valuable studio space. You’ll learn how to photograph for composites with intention, including:

• Proper angles, lighting, and posing for easy and realistic edits
• Choosing the right digital backgrounds
• Step-by-step editing workflow to blend baby seamlessly into the backdrop
• Tips for creating polished, professional images that sell

Whether you’re brand new to composites or want to add new looks to your portfolio without buying a truckload of props, this class is designed to help you work smarter—and create scroll-stopping photos your clients will love.

Shooting demo will be using a newborn doll if a newborn model is not available.

We know you newborn photographers love to see a workflow from start to finish… this is that class! We’ll walk you through our exact posing workflow using a posing doll, so you don’t have to worry about trying to hear us over screaming babies. We’ll cover both table and prop poses and transitions, including the Potato Sack, Froggy, Basket, Bucket, Box, Bum-Up, Side-Lying, Forward Facing, Mug Shots, and Heart Pose. You’ll see the exact order we use in real sessions and learn how to create variety for your galleries without adding unnecessary time to your workflow.

If you want to make money as a business owner the answer is simple. MARKETING. Photographers are notoriously deficient in this area and worst of all, stubborn! You know who you are.

Talk to any successful photographer or business owner and they will all agree, without marketing, you don’t have a business. You have a hobby.

In this class, I will dive deep into how to create campaigns that drive new customers and leverage your past customers to build a true marketing plan for your business for the entire year.

We will cover:

-Google Adwords.
-Facebook Ads – everything from targeting the correct audience to building look-a-like audiences to understanding Facebook’s ad metrics.
-SEO tactics to generate new leads without spending a dime.
-and more.

You will leave with a full understanding of how to implement these strategies and tactics so you can grow your business this year.

You don’t need a trunk full of gear to create beautiful, flattering outdoor portraits. In this live demo, I’ll show you how to work with what you’ve got—just your camera, a medium lens, and natural light. We’ll walk through location scouting, pose flow, light direction, and background choices in real time, then I’ll photograph a full mini session using one model and no modifiers, props, or assistants. You’ll learn how I find the light, place my subject, choose my angles, and keep the session relaxed and efficient—even in a less-than-ideal location. No reflectors, no stress—just simple, thoughtful outdoor portraits that feel honest and connected. This is a demo-only class. You’ll watch, ask questions, and see exactly how I work in a real-world outdoor setting.

Most senior portrait photographers put their marketing muscle into attracting senior girls—and we get it. They’re excited, they’re stylish, and they’re known for investing big. But here’s the truth: senior guys aren’t just tagging along because Mom made them. They’re an overlooked, underestimated market that’s waiting for the right kind of experience—and when you deliver, the results can transform your business.

In this class, we’ll break down how we shifted our strategy, rewired our messaging, and built sessions that actually resonate with teenage guys. You’ll learn how to create guy-centered portraits that feel confident, cool, and true to them—not forced or formulaic. We are going to demonstrate different styles of shooting, different lighting styles, posing that makes them feel like men, and how to use your environment to make these feel like more than just “pictures for mom” and get the senior AND their mom EXCITED to buy prints and then rave about you to their friends.

If you’ve ever felt stuck trying to connect with your male seniors—or worse, ignored them altogether—this class will give you the creative and business tools to finally tap into the other half of your market and make a LOT more money!

Overwhelmed by taking the flash off camera? Let’s simplify it. Amber will cover basic flash setups – what to bring, settings, modifiers, and triggering systems coming soon. Then she will bring it into a hands-on session where you practice lighting simple portraits using one or two speed-lights or small strobes with models and learn the basics of proper exposure. You’ll leave finally feeling confident in using off camera flash for real-world shooting, balancing light for well exposed images, and go home with a new love of light and photography! No more blown out skies or bright orange-skinned clients in your future!

Off-Camera flash doesn’t have to be complex. Once you understand the basics, it comes down to how to creatively implement these techniques to create the look and feel you want. The difference between natural-looking, well lit portraits and a dark and moody look is smaller than you think. Same tools. Same techniques. Different application.

In this class, we will show you how to do both quickly and easily. I will be using a 200 watt light with an octabox. I encourage you to bring a light and modifier so you can participate in this hands-on class.

On-camera flash doesn’t have to be intimidating, or give you that “deer in headlights” look. In this beginner-friendly class, we’ll break down the basics of using your flash effectively, from understanding manual vs. TTL modes to balancing flash with natural light. You’ll practice with your own Speedlight, learning how to control exposure, avoid harsh shadows, and use simple techniques to get flattering, professional results straight out of camera. This hands-on session is designed to help you feel comfortable with flash so you can walk into any situation, whether it’s a wedding, event, or portrait, and light with confidence.

Please bring your own Speedlight for this class.

Don’t like hauling around a mountain of gear? Prefer showing off jaw-dropping images without looking like you’re moving into the venue? This course is for you!
Back for its 3rd year (yes, it’s that popular), I’ll prove just how much magic you can create with one flash and one modifier. We’ll cover how I keep things light, fast, and stress-free while still delivering stunning results—especially on a wedding day when time is as tight as the groom’s tux.

If flash photography feels intimidating, don’t worry—I’ll turn that fear into confidence faster than you can say “first dance.” By the end, you’ll be ready to light up any room… with skill, not just wattage.

Perfect for first-time OCF users!

You don’t need five lights and a gear cart to make killer images. In this photo walk, Josh will show you how to shoot full sessions with one light and one modifier. We’ll walk, shoot, and he’ll explain how to find my light fast, how to modify it on the fly, and how to work with what you’ve got—whether you’re in open sun, shade, or something weird in between. This class is all about working smart, moving fast, and still delivering high-end results that keep clients coming back.

Have you ever walked into a room so mundane, messy, or cramped that you wondered if the best photo would be of the exit? If so, you’re in the right place. I’ll show you how to turn an ordinary—or downright questionable—space into a stunning backdrop, using nothing more than the environment, a few clever angles, and household items to make your couple look like royalty… even if they’re standing next to a laundry basket.

Women over 40 are one of the most loyal, emotionally driven, and financially ready audiences in portrait photography. Yet most photographers overlook them or use messaging that misses the mark.

The Over 40 & Fabulous framework gives you a complete, repeatable campaign built to attract, book, and serve this high-value niche. We’ll walk through each stage, from first ad to application, consultation to shoot, product delivery, and finally magazine and gallery features. You’ll see how the pieces work together to increase client value and long-term momentum.

You’ll learn:
– How to identify and connect with the “Over 40” client in a way that resonates
– A step-by-step campaign map you can adapt for your studio
– The levers that turn one campaign into consistent revenue and loyal clients

This class is designed for photographers who already offer boudoir sessions. We will not be covering how to shoot boudoir. The focus will be on understanding this target demographic and building a marketing campaign around them.

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn to “paint with light” using the most accessible and powerful tool available: sunlight. I will teach you my unique methods for creating extraordinary, editorial-quality images that are an explosion of color, all using a simple and practical tool: colored plexiglass. This is more than a technical lesson; it’s a deep dive into using color as a powerful storytelling tool.

What You Will Learn:
* Creative Color Techniques: We’ll begin by dissecting some of my previous work, revealing the exact techniques I’ve used for covers and editorials for magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
* Hands-On Practice: The workshop then becomes a live, hands-on experience. With a professional model and my full guidance, you will apply these techniques to create your own unique and colorful images.
* A New Perspective: This workshop is for photographers ready to break free from conventional lighting and inject their work with bold, creative energy. You’ll leave with a new perspective on lighting, a mastery of color, and a portfolio of truly unforgettable images.

What to Bring:
Please bring your camera and a lens. This is an outdoor workshop and will utilize natural sunlight, so no additional lighting equipment is required. Please come prepared to work outside.

Almost anyone can press a button on a camera, but can everyone use that camera to capture an emotion from a dog or a cat? Watch Adam take photos of dogs and cats in a way that capture an emotion and their personality. A common pitfall with pet photography is only capturing what the pet is willing to give you. Adam will teach you how to work with an assistant to capture pets in a way that portray their true personality and elicit an emotion.

In this beginner level Hands-on pet photography session, Adam will cover the basics when it comes to ideal lighting setup(s) for pet photography. Adam will also cover how to communicate with the pet’s owner, an assistant and the dog or cat to achieve the results you’re hoping for. We’ll also cover how to communicate with your pet photography clients in advance of the photo shoot, so you know what to photograph.

Sexy doesn’t always mean dark and moody. It can be playful, flirty, and full of personality.

Are you ready to bring up the energy, over-exaggerate those poses and expressions, and step into the bold world of Pin-Up Photography? YES YES!!

If so, then let’s go! This class is all about creating portraits that are cute, fun, and full of emotions with twists and lots of curves.

Come play, experiment and let’s capture the timeless vibe of Pin-Up Photography.

Bring your gear, this is a hands-on class that I will walk everyone through.
Lens range suggestion 24-70m.
Lights will be preset but questions are welcomed.

All are welcome. Please have knowledge of how to operate your camera. This is not a technical class.

Back by popular demand: with a twist (shaken not stirred). This isn’t just about styling and shooting; now you’ll battle it out through the full creative process. You will split into teams and will compete to style, photograph, and then edit their food images on the spot. You’ll bring what you already know about quick lighting setups, natural prop styling, and how to turn a good shot into a mouthwatering masterpiece through Lightroom and Photoshop. We’ll compare SOOCs and final edits. And there will be a winning team!

Great photographs rarely rely on a single compositional rule. Instead, they become powerful when multiple elements, light, lines, colors, patterns, framing, depth, or negative space, work together in harmony. Plurality in Composition is about learning to layer these tools intentionally to build images that feel more complete, dynamic, and emotionally resonant.

We all have our go-to setups for portrait lighting that we know allow us to capture good, clean images with minimal fuss. But sometimes we can settle into routines with our lighting. Doesn’t this get boring after a while? In this class we’re going to work with different lighting setups to achieve some new and interesting looks. What kind of images can we capture with constant lighting? What happens if we point a strobe at the lens? What happens when we mix constants and strobes? We’ll talk about (and use!) various types of lights, including some less orthodox means of lighting a subject. We’ll also talk about common and uncommon modifiers. We’ll discuss how to use them, how NOT to use them and what happens if we throw the rules to the wind and do it anyway.

The goal for this class is to challenge our standard conceptions of portrait lighting and get you thinking outside the box. You’ll walk away with interesting images and some new tools for creative portraiture that will let you give your clients a unique experience and create memorable images for them.

If you’re ready to go beyond the basics and add a little wow to your bride and groom portraits, this hands-on class is for you. From intimate emotional captures to spotlighting dramatic architecture, this hands-on class is all about turning your couple shots into compelling breathtaking moments. With our stunning rent-a-human models, Jen will guide you through intermediate posing techniques that bring your surroundings into the spotlight. You’ll learn how to lead your couples into dynamic, meaningful poses that connect them to the scene while highlighting their unique chemistry. Here’s what we’ll focus on:

1. Five killer poses that work in every scenario for every couple
2. A mixtape of on-location backdrops – yup, we’re going on a little Union Station walking tour!
3. The secret sauce to making your couples look like they actually like each other

Gear up with your camera, reflector, lights, and any other gadget that makes your signature style.  To provide the best variety of portfolio images, please be prepared to move around inside/outside. Kindly dress accordingly for whatever STL weather brings us – unless it’s doom weathering – we will be spending most of the class outside or wandering.