Classes

Come and learn how I meet with million-dollar wedding clients exclusively using zoom in a home office. I’ll show you my set up for amazing lighting, great audio, and a killer background. I’ll share what app I use to have the client pick a time based on my availability. 30 seconds before the meeting, I press a button and I’m ready to go–the most efficient I have ever been, saving thousands and thousands of dollars on rent, time and tax benefits. Stop meeting at starbucks where you have to waste an extra hour of your day just to save a seat. This set up will blow your mind and you’ll wonder why you hadn’t done it before.

In their rapid rise from burned out and broke photographers to successful owners of multiple studios, parents, and humanitarians, the Blumes have learned one overarching lesson: slowing down to cast strategic Vision is the key to both momentum and purpose in life. Learn how the Blumes, well known “work-life balancers,” succeed without sacrificing too much. From their 15 years of experience in a home studio, to hiring associates, to now traveling full-time in their mobile Airstream studio, they’ll share their guiding principles and strategies to inspire fellow creators who want their lives back!

In this tell all lecture, I will share my exact process on how I seal the deal with 95% of my inquiries and keep getting new clients often. We will chat about client gifting, word of mouth, when to reach back out, constant contact, keeping them after the session is over and tons more!

Using tulle to create Fine Art/Beauty portraits doesn’t have to be complicated. All you need to get started is tulle and tenacity! I will show you how I create unique looks using minimal sewing skills and supplies. This hands-on class will allow you to capture stunning portraits infused with your own creative tweaks. I cannot wait to see how many different looks we can get from one class!

Together we will:
• Use tulle to create one of a kind wardrobe pieces
• Employ multiple lighting techniques
• Learn posing tips
• Use subtle tweaks to create different looks

Required Gear: Camera
Optional Gear: Lighting (Some lighting is provided, but there may be an opportunity to use your own at the end of class).

Whether you want to shoot film as a hobby or add it to your arsenal of tools as a business owner, this class will help you get started with the ins and outs of metering, shooting, developing, and editing the film. In addition, we will discuss pricing film photography to be profitable. Feel free to bring your favorite film camera, film, and light meter.

Prom Day is probably the biggest day of a high school girl. Don’t you want to be part of your Model Team’s biggest days??? I will show you how I use this day to take great fun photos, capture romantic (age appropriate) images, fun group shots, best friends being best friends and amazing photos that might end up as wall art. All in 20 minute group session on Prom day. We’ll look at marketing, getting new clients selling digitals or prints and building your brand as the go to photographer when great shots matter most. This will be live demo as we look at posing, lighting and simple setups. It will go into the details of how to use these photos to make money and get new clients.

Whether you struggle with keeping up with your post-session workflow or are just on the lookout for some incredible time saving tips, this course is for you. Learn how to establish a simple and efficient workflow that will give you back tons of free time and leave your clients raving about you. Success as a photographer and creative can leave you stressed out with an overwhelming grinding in your office versus following your passion of taking pictures and creating talent. Now is the time to change your business and take your life back by learning fast fast repeatable steps for post-session image delivery aimed towards happier clients.

Here’s what you will learn:

1. Simple steps to establishing a consistent post-production workflow
2. How to leverage editing shortcuts and AI technology to deliver your sessions and imagery fast while establishing a good work/life balance
3. Refining your customer touch points through targeted communication that will establish a base for future sales

Working in the business you love isn’t out of reach, and it doesn’t happen by accident. Jen will take you from frustrated to fab by giving you the steps and the tools to create your ultimate post-session workflow.

Interacting with kids is tough, especially as an adult. Learn how stupid games and a thigh workout will help get you the best kids pictures ever. I was a pre-k teacher before my 17 years in business as a children’s photographer and I can tell you all about:
– Stupid games to play for real laughs and authentic expressions.
– Reverse phycology will win you points too
– Squatting down will get you good pictures and nice thighs
– Treating kids like real people, no baby talk here!
– You don’t have to resort to bribes.

How to stop stagnant sales and increase your income by incorporating IPS sessions, also known as In Person Sales. Wether you are coming from a shoot and download (or “burn”) business, or you’re feeling like your average sale has come to a halt, this class is for your . Over the years we have learned the true power of print and developed an IPS system to increase your sales and help you determine what your clients really want. This class will help you realize your clients want and need more than just digitals. They want tangible products they can cherish forever, and we are here to guide you to building your own IPS system that will not only leave your clients with your artwork, but heirlooms they will proudly displays and pass on for years to come. Turn your artwork into wall-art, albums, acrylic blocks, digital albums, and more. The time is NOW to unleash the true power of print and reach a higher average sale than you thought was possible!

What you will learn

• How to Get Over the Fear of IPS and Just Offering Digitals
• How and When to Start Your IPS Journey
• The Different Products You Can Incorporate To Get Your Clients Excited, and Showing Them The True Power of Print
• The Many Different Pricing Models You Can Try To Begin Increasing Sales Right Now
• How We Run Our IPS Sessions Efficiently and Effectively. With an Average sell of 7.5k per Client and How to Keep Your Average Rising

In this class you will learn how to use only one light in studio. You don’t need 5 lights to create interesting sellable work. I will show you how to create different light setups you can use in your own studio. Whether you photograph maternity, fashion or families. You will learn how to use various light modifiers to create soft or dramatic light.

-Learn how to use only one light to create different studio light setups
-How to use various diffusers to make your work standout
-How to create dramatic light using only one strobe.

Bring your camera and favorite portrait lens and I’ll show you how to get fun and creative portraits that both the bride and groom will love. I’ll demonstrate the same flow I use all over the world with luxury clients without ever having to remember a pose again. We’ll focus on 5 simple techniques that will get countless WOW images in a short period of time.

Forget boring poses
Implement 5 techniques that yield fun moments
Learn about fast shutter speed
Learn how to see and find light before shooting

If using multiple lights in portraits makes you nervous, this is for you! Jonathan will show you how to manage a large multiple light setup top create images that stand out from the rest. Starting with 1 light, we’ll build up a scene using many lights that have increase dynamic range, while maintaining a strong narrative in the image.

Bring your camera, so you can have a chance to shoot too!

If you’re not creating content in today’s fast-moving world, you’re going to be left behind! Learn the basics of what you need to get started creating amazing YouTube, Tik Tok, and Instagram videos that can help boost your sales and visibility no matter the market. You’ll learn about the gear and software needed, generating ideas, and many of the top tips Miguel has used to build a social media following of over 100,000 followers across various social media platforms.

If you’re looking to edit videos to market your business, or maybe create content for social media, you’ll inevitably have to edit those videos somewhere. Learn the workflow basics for how to do this using Adobe Premiere Pro in this class taught by Sony Artisan and YouTuber Miguel Quiles! You’ll learn step-by-step how to import your videos, set up your project for fast editing, and various other tips and tricks that will save you time and money.

If video did kill the radio star, then online learning content killed the “rockstar” photographer who could fill a $5000/seat workshop. Access to fantastic photography resources has never been more available, so why bother creating more content to share? Because you can do it better! Video can showcase your skill set to clients, and it can also start (or add to) an online shop specifically for like-minded photographers. Video is vital for social media, so we’ll cover recording for various platforms. It’s an excellent way to diversify your product offerings and help set you apart as an expert in the field!

Using a few Rent-A-Humans™ in this demonstration class, we’ll break down the necessary parts to create a logical and informative video. Without being a masterclass on videography, we’ll still highlight critical features essential for good audio and stable video using various rigs and stands. Once we create our content, we’ll walk through video editing with both basic and advanced software and consider primary settings for online distribution of your content.

Let’s take some hot photos the bride and groom CAN’T show mom and dad. Come and shoot some bridal boudoir where I’ll show you how to get classy and elegant sexy portraits that the bride and groom will cherish privately more than the wedding photos. You can make more money by selling an extra album, which when delivered may cause babies to be made. It’s about to get hot in St. Louis!

In a perfect world, we would have all day with our wedding couples to take portraits, well we all know that’s not happening. So how do you capture as many pictures as you can, in a short amount of time? Josh will show you how he navigates any location finding spots to create some amazing wedding portraits.

This class is for both OCF and natural light photographers as it’s more about the planning and landscape and less bout the technical side of things!

Ever felt tempted to explore the dark side of photography? Beyond light and airy portraits, there’s a world where you control the noonday sun, rainy weddings don’t bother you, and you use shadows to tell stories. So are you ready to create dimensional portraits that pop off the page–and make your business stand out, too? Join the Blumes for a Bohemian styled couple’s shoot (using flash and natural light), where you’ll invoke emotion through shadow-play. From techniques to tools, you’ll walk away feeling confident in your ability to shoot anywhere, anytime, with amazing results! From techniques to tools, you’ll walk away feeling confident in your ability to shoot anywhere, anytime, with amazing results in 1. light ratios, 2. off-camera light position/patterns, and 3. finding your style.

Like I’ve said above: It’s a secret. But if you come to this lecture, I will share a lesson I’ve learned from a surfing rockstar that you can apply to your workflow to bring you a BIG WAVE of new clients and followers!

In March 2022, The Department of Justice updated their guidance for web accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Not sure what ADA is and how it can negatively impact your photography business? Then this session is for you! During this session, we will discuss what ADA Compliance is and actions you can take to protect your business and create a digitally inclusive brand.

No longer squishy newborns, but not strong enough to sit on their own, 3 month olds can seem like a bit of a daunting assignment. But don’t let them scare you! 3 month sessions can be amazing and adorable if you know what to do with them!

The difference between photography being a hobby and a profession all comes down to how well you can execute your business plan. Come learn how our plan was put into implementation to grow our business over ten times in under 18 months.

Bring in your price lists, packages, and numbers and we will review them as a class to help make sure everyone in on the path to success and profitability!

Don’t be afraid of lighting! It’s not that hard if you take the right approach and thought process. Gary will break it down so you can understand it. Starting with the classic rules of lighting and progressing into how to break those rules creatively. Learn better light placement, how bright to make OCF and how to balance your OCF to the ambient so it doesn’t look too flashy. What??? Off camera flash that looks natural? Yes!

We are Artists, we are Creatives, but our Brand will become our legacy. It is not just about the art we create, but the brand we develop that will help us stand the test of time. We see companies who have lasted generations and are known worldwide like Porchse, Yeves Saint Laurent, Fiji Water, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany’s. These companies are universally known not just for the products they make, but the brand they are. People love the products, but it’s the brand everyone loves and comes to recognize. We as photographers/artists need to understand that we are no different. Our Brand we develop can make or break us as a company. We can become desired and sought after not for just our art alone, but the brand we build behind it. We are here to help you build your Brand that will become your legacy.

What you will Learn

• Why is becoming a brand so important
• You Are Essentiality Your Brand, So How can you develop your own unique brand clients will desire
• The many ways you can create your brand starting now
• How deeply understanding your ideal clients and that demographic helps you begin to develop your brand
• You represent your brand at all times, so we must live up to our legacy we want to create
• How your client experience, the way we speak, act, present yourself, will all add to your brand
• Once you have discovered who you are and shaped your brand, how to make sure you are reaching your ideal clients and leaving an impression because your brand is your legacy!

Too often do we as creatives get swept up in websites that focus on pretty pictures and nice whitespace while forgetting what’s most important: the customer experience. What type of photography do you offer? How much does it cost? How do I book you?

In this class we’re going to hit the core elements of creating a website that works for you:
Messaging that’s client focused
Navigation that makes sense
How much info is too much…or too little?

During the class, we’ll even be taking a look at real photographer’s websites, doing a full breakdown of the good and the bad…with permission of course.