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 register for a class?
You will be able to select classes 
IN THE SHUTTERFEST APP two weeks before the event (first come, first serve). READ THE FAQ and/or monitor the private Facebook group for more details.

SF25 Class Lineup

Class Search Form

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Specialty: Portraits

A Gym Life

Speaker: Zsa'nee Gaines (Website) (Social Media)

Hands-On   

Beginner   

Let’s jump into the dynamic world of gym photography – it’s more than just flexing muscles; it’s a versatile tool with a touch of fun and sexiness!
Capturing those moments of dedication, sweat, and transformation is like giving yourself a visual high-five for pursuing those health and fitness goals. Fitness clients love to photograph their achievements making this a huge market for increasing your client base.
On social media platforms like Instagram, gym photography stands out. It’s not just about flaunting fitness routines; it’s about boosting brands, cultivating careers, and sparking inspiration. These images aren’t mere scrolls on your feed; they’re potent marketing instruments. Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and been captivated by those motivating workout shots? Suddenly, you’re eager to hit the gym or get your hands on the latest fitness gear. That’s the best part of gym photography at play! Whether it’s showcasing top-notch facilities, exceptional services, or killer workouts, these pics exert a magnetic pull on fitness enthusiasts.
And here’s the kicker – for photography clients, gym photography isn’t just about business; it’s about forging personal connections too. By capturing the essence of dedication and transformation, gym photos can attract both business prospects and personal clients, elevating your photography game, their business marketing and your clients journey all at the same time.
We will discuss posing and lighting. You will need to have a base understanding of how to work your camera.
Bring your gear, this is a hands-on class that I will walk everyone through.

Specialty: Portraits

A Moment in Time: Couple’s Portraits

Speaker: Zsa'nee Gaines (Website) (Social Media)

Hands-On   

Beginner   

MOMENT BY MOMENT – TOUCH BY TOUCH
Have you ever found yourself lost in a cherished memory, reliving the way someone special looked at you, embraced you, or touched you? These moments linger in our minds, bringing smiles and warmth whenever we think back to them.
Think about those moments you revisit time and again. The ones that, no matter how much time has passed, always evoke a certain smile or a unique feeling within you. These are the moments we want to capture and preserve through photography.
In this class, I will teach you how to capture intimate couple’s portraits that emphasize touch and emotion. By focusing on cropping into the most special moments, you can create images that consistently bring about a tingle in the spine, a smile on the face, or a sparked memory for your clients. Don’t underestimate the power of the lips, the hands, the waist with the combination of a touch.
This is not the average couples portrait where you will see their full bodies, holding hands or hugging. This is very intimate and detailed with clothes on.
We will explore techniques to zoom in on the details that make these moments unforgettable. From the gentle touch of hands to the subtle embracing of love and affection, these detailed, cropped angles will help you capture the essence of intimate connections.
With the right approach, every photograph will tell a story, evoke emotions, and become cherished thoughts and memories for your clients.
Join me in this journey to master the art of intimate couple’s portraits, and learn how to create images that will be treasured for years to come.
We will discuss posing and evoking expressions. You will need to have a base understanding of how to work your camera.
Bring your gear, this is a hands-on class that I will walk everyone through.

Specialty: Portraits

Artistic Body Glitter Portraits

Speaker: Zsa'nee Gaines (Website) (Social Media)

Hands-On   

Beginner   

This is a time to experiment and explore.
Decorate your client with glitter in just the right places and amount to highlight their natural beauty. Glitter on their faces, shoulders, and collarbones adds a touch of fantasy and excitement to their portraits while combining the right body poses.
This class is for photographers who want to combine artistic expression with tasteful sensuality. You will develop new photography skills and learn to enhance your subjects’ beauty with a bit of sparkle.
Perfect for those looking to explore the blend of beauty and art, this class offers a creative and sexy experience without showing everything. This can be used for your Boudoir clients that want to show lots of skin as well as the client that only wants to share a little.
We will discuss posing and lighting. You will need to have a base understanding of how to work your camera.
Bring your gear, this is a hands-on class that I will walk everyone through.

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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!