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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Capturing Kiddos – Interactive Studio Sets Clients Can’t Get Enough Of!

Speaker: (Website) (Social Media)

  

Ever have kids running around your studio not wanting to sit for a photo? We’ve all been there! Turn your studio sessions into an interactive experience that your clients will talk about for years to come. This hands on class will show you how to use printed backdrops and a few simple props to design interactive sets that kids enjoy and will actually want to get their photos taken on. These themed activity sessions will capture authentic images which will result in higher sales for you! This class will be packed with tips and tricks for working with kids of all ages as well as resources for building up your studio collection.

What to Bring to Class:

Bring your camera and a Godox trigger if you have one. Attendees should be comfortable working with children.

Primary Topics: Babies, Children, Portraits – Styling and Set Building

Let’s Get Smashed – First Birthday Cake Smash Chaos!

Speaker: (Website) (Social Media)

Live Demonstration   

Beginner, Intermediate   

In true Shutterfest fashion it’s time to GET SMASHED! Only this time, we’re trading out your drink of choice with a sweeter option – CAKE! One year cake smashes are one of the most popular and profitable milestones to capture. Join me for a live demo showcasing a one year session from start to finish. We will start with traditional portraits followed by the popular cake smash and lastly, bath photos to clean up our messy birthday kid. With over 400 first birthday sessions under my belt I’ll be sharing my tips and tricks to get your subject to engage and successfully smash their cake, my do’s and don’ts for a successful and stress-free session, and how to efficiently capture a huge variety of images that sell. Whether you are just dipping your toes into cake smashes or you want to fine tune your skills and client experience, this will provide you with many things to take away and apply to your own business.

What to Bring to Class:

Attendees should feel comfortable working with 1 year olds and have basic knowledge of using studio lighting.

Primary Topics: Babies, Children

Simple Studio Posing For Kids

Speaker: (Website) (Social Media)

Live Demonstration   

Beginner, Intermediate   

Simple backdrops. Simple props. Classic studio images. Watch in real time as I demonstrate a complete studio session. We will cover posing styles and techniques for different age groups, posing siblings together and ways to use simple props like chairs, crates and stools to add visual interest to your images without overshadowing your subject. While this class will focus on studio photography, these techniques could easily be applied to outdoor sessions as well.

What to Bring to Class:

Attendees should be comfortable working with children.

Primary Topics: Babies, Children, Posing

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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
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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!