Classes

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.