Classes

Union Station provides the perfect backdrop for hands-on learning and spacious classrooms for lecture and live demo classes.
With over 100 classes, there’s something here for everyone!

How do I pick my classes?
You will be able to register for classes 
IN THE SHUTTERFEST APP two weeks before the event (first come, first serve). The app is released about a month before ShutterFest. READ THE FAQ and/or monitor the private Facebook group for more details.

SF26 Class Lineup

Class Search Form

Build a Badass Branding Portfolio

Speaker: Abbie Gowin (Website) (Social Media)

Hands-On   

Intermediate, Advanced   

Personal brand photography is a fast-growing niche, and you need to stand out from the crowd. The typical “type on your computer and smile at me” pose is a solid shot, but let’s be real, it’s not stopping anyone’s scroll. And confetti for celebration photos? Predictable. Boring. Overdone.

Your clients know they need to grab attention quickly and you’re going to be the expert who gets them there! It’s time to learn how you can spice things up for your clients and create WOW worthy photos to add to your portfolio. Each station in this class will focus on taking the basic branding photos/poses/props and ramping up the creativity.

I highly recommend using a 35 mm and/or 50 mm, anything else is a bonus. Come ready to get those creative juices flowing!
*This class is ideal for attendees who are comfortable changing their camera settings quickly and giving models direction.

Primary Topics: Commercial – Branding and Lifestyle

Put a Reel on It

Speaker: Abbie Gowin (Website) (Social Media)

Live Demonstration   

Beginner   

Is the thought of creating a Reel too overwhelming, too complicated, or just too time-consuming? Let’s banish that fear once and for all! This demo will show you how to take and organize your content for easy editing, navigate Instagram’s features, find trending audio, put together a Reel, and more. I’ll walk you through my entire process from start to finish. If you want to follow along and post your own Reel by the end of class (highly recommended), here is what you will need to bring:

-Your cell phone with Instagram installed and logged in
-10 or more of your favorite vertical images downloaded to your phone
-Optional: a vertical image of you or a short, vertical video clip of you doing something (BTS of a shoot, with your favorite snack/drink, waving, etc. Sky is the limit!)

You’ll walk away feeling confident and ready to build this workflow into your business and social media presence!
*This class is ideal for those who want to practice creating Reels and getting familiar with Instagram. This class will not cover strategy or other types of posts.

Primary Topics: Social Media, Video – Reels or Short Form Content

Shy to Social: A Beginner’s Guide

Speaker: Abbie Gowin (Website) (Social Media)

Lecture   

Beginner   

Does the thought of showing up on social media make you cringe, or worse, keep you from posting at all? You’re not alone. This beginner-friendly workshop is designed specifically for photographers who want to start building their online presence with confidence (without spending hours glued to your phone).

In this class, you’ll learn simple strategies to create authentic, engaging content that actually connects with your audience. We’ll cover what to post, how often, and how to use photos, Reels, and Stories without overthinking it. You’ll walk away with a simple content plan, posting workflow, and the confidence to finally put yourself, and those gorgeous images, out there!

Stop hiding behind the camera and start building the social presence your photography business deserves.
*This class is ideal for anyone who has not started or does not post consistently on social media because they’re unsure how to make the most of it.

Primary Topics: Social Media

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There's still time to get

Early Bird Tickets

April 22-25 2024 | St. Louis MO.

SKILL LEVELS

Beginner: Just starting out or relatively new to a given subject matter. Basics will be covered and the course will move at a slower pace. The instructor will spend a little more time trying to explain concepts to ensure everyone is following. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 1-3 on the given topic.

Intermediate: Has a grasp of some basic concepts. This course level will move at a faster pace and assume you have basic knowledge covered on the given subject matter. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 4-6 on the given topic.

Advanced: You have working knowledge of the given subject matter, but are looking for more fine-tuning and some advanced topics to take your work to that next level. DO NOT expect instructors to explain basic concepts in this course. On a scale of 1-10 consider this level a 7-10 on the given topic.

Class Types

Hands-On

These are shooting courses. You will be shooting and working. Bring your camera, gear, or whatever you need for the course and to create create images. Expect to have some level of shooting.

Live Demonstration

These are instructor-led courses where you will see a live demonstration of what the instructor is teaching. You can still bring your camera to these courses and you can photograph, but the goal of the course is NOT for you to shoot or to ensure you get a shot. The goal is for you to see how and why the instructor does what he/she does in order to get the final result.

Lecture

These are non-shooting courses. Typically classroom-based, bring your laptop and notepad and focus on learning!