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.

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ShutterFest 2027 Classes

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Emotionally Manipulative Portraiture

Speaker: (Website) (Social Media)

Live Demonstration   

Advanced   

This live demonstration is designed for advanced portrait photographers who already understand the technical foundations of photography, but want to create work that feels psychologically intentional, emotionally charged, and visually unforgettable.
In this class, we will break down how light, color palette, styling, posing, communication, visual tension, and human psychology work together to shape how your audience responds to your photography. Students will learn how to produce portraits that are guided by their creative intuition and supported by their technical knowledge.
Topics covered include:
Building and explaining cinematic and psychologically-driven color palettes via color theory
Using light direction and contrast to influence mood and perception
Creating visual tension and softness with simple elements
Directing subjects authentically without posing
Fine art portraits created with simple props and styling
Understanding the difference between aesthetic beauty and emotional resonance
How intentionality separates impactful work from technically correct “pretty” work
This will be a lecture-style class with a live shooting/demo component by the instructor. Attendees will observe the full creative process in real time, including explanations of each element on set, lighting choices, subject direction, and visual problem-solving.
This is not a beginner’s lighting or camera settings class. Attendees should already have a solid understanding of portrait photography fundamentals so they feel comfortable breaking those rules when appropriate.
No gear is required for attendees.

What to Bring to Class:

This is not a beginner’s lighting or camera settings class. Attendees should already have a solid understanding of portrait photography fundamentals so they feel comfortable breaking those rules when appropriate.
No gear is required for attendees.

Primary Topics: Lighting – Creative and Special Effects, Portraits – Fine Art, Portraits – Styling and Set Building

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Early Bird Tickets

April 22-25 2024 | St. Louis MO.
  • Learn from 80+ top speakers
  • Trade Show Access
  • Work with over 200 models
  • Save over 40% on tickets - for a limited time only!
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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!