SF+ // April 16, 2027
A Full Day of advanced classes
SF+ is an entire day dedicated to advanced business, marketing, lighting & editing classes, held the day after the general conference. Learn in smaller groups so you can get all your questions answered.
2027 Speakers & Topics
Advanced Lighting // Breaking All the Rules
Speaker: Sal Cincotta
Every photographer eventually hits the same wall: the shot looks technically correct but it just feels flat or uninspired. Typically, that’s not a gear or skill problem. It’s a complete lack of creativity. In this class, Sal takes you through a series of unconventional lighting and camera setups to help you break out of your normal pattern and get you thinking past the standard rules of photography. Rules are meant to be broken, right?
The core idea here is simple. Your photography is only ever as good as the creativity you’re willing to try. Sal built this session around that belief, using light, motion, and in camera effects to create portraits that feel dramatic and recognizable as a “Sal Cincotta image” instead of something predictable that blends in with everything else you see online. Nothing here relies on fixing it in post. These are choices made in-camera that force you to see light differently and react to it on the fly.
Scenarios covered include, but as always with Sal, aren’t limited to:
- Shutter drag
- Silhouette
- Backlighting
- Hard light
- Intentional camera movement
- Color gels
- Double exposure
- Use of projectors
- Use of prisms
- And more
By the end of this class, you will have the excitement to experiment and a better sense of when breaking the rules is exactly what a shot needs.
Are You Actually the CEO?
Speaker: Noella Andres
You refused to work a 9-to-5, only to build yourself a business that has you working 24/7. Somewhere between chasing the dream and growing the business, you became its busiest employee instead of its CEO. In this working session, we’re auditing the eight areas of your photography business that are keeping you stuck in the weeds. We’ll look at your time, tasks, team, systems, money, calendar, decisions, and future to figure out what you need to stop doing, delegate, automate, and finally let go of. You’ll leave with a clear plan to get things off your plate, reclaim your time, and start running your business like the CEO you were supposed to be all along.
The Experience Advantage: Building a Brand People Can't Stop Talking About
Speaker: Miles Witt Boyer
Your images may book the wedding, but the experience is what builds the brand.
In a world where everyone has access to great gear, AI tools, and endless education, the photographers who stand out are the ones who create unforgettable experiences.
In this class, Miles Witt Boyer breaks down the systems, conversations, and intentional touchpoints that have helped him build a referral driven business spanning more than 600 weddings across 15 countries and over 40 states. From the first inquiry to album delivery and beyond, you’ll learn how to create trust, eliminate resistance, build confidence, and turn clients into advocates who tell your story long after the wedding day is over.
This isn’t a class about being more organized. It’s a class about becoming unforgettable.
You’ll walk away with practical strategies for elevating every stage of the client journey while building a brand that grows through relationships instead of algorithms.
The Contract Clauses That Save Photographers Thousands
Speaker: Paige Griffith
Your contract shouldn’t just help you book clients, it should protect your business when things don’t go according to plan. From last-minute cancellations to chargebacks, reschedules, vendor mishaps, and changing client requests, this session dives into the contract clauses photographers rely on most when real-life situations arise.
In this session, attendees will learn:
- How to properly handle cancellations, postponements, and rescheduling requests
- The best way to address package upgrades, add-ons, amendments, and contract modifications
- How to protect themselves against payment disputes and chargebacks
- When and how third-party payments should be addressed in a contract addendum
- Clauses that limit liability for the actions of vendors, venues, guests, and wedding content creators
- Strategies for setting clear client expectations before problems arise
- The most overlooked contract provisions that can save photographers time, money, and unnecessary legal disputes
Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to build a stronger photography contract that protects their business from inquiry to image delivery, while creating a smoother experience for both themselves and their clients.
How to Break Into New Markets Without Losing Your Style
Speaker: Atiba Jefferson
For over thirty years, Atiba Jefferson has shot skateboarding the same way: fast, unscripted, and entirely on instinct. That eye is what eventually got him into rooms most photographers never reach, shooting campaigns for Nike, Vans, Jeep, and Red Bull, directing music videos, and building a body of work that brands seek out specifically because it doesn’t look like anyone else’s. In this class, Atiba breaks down how he carried his style from skate decks into the commercial world without sanding it down to fit in. You’ll learn how to identify what’s actually distinct about your own work, how to hold onto it when a client or a market pressures you to play it safe, and how to pitch your style as the reason a brand should hire you instead of hiding it to seem more “professional.” If you’re trying to move from portraits into commercial or content work and you’re worried that means becoming someone else behind the camera, this is the class that shows you it doesn’t.
Advanced Creativity and the Art of Pushing Yourself Past Your Comfort Zone
Speaker: Sanjay Jogia
Description coming soon
Level Up Your Media Day
Speaker: Dani Mack
School sports photography has evolved, and today’s athletes expect more than a traditional picture-day portrait. In this class, we’ll explore what’s driving the modern Media Day experience. From dramatic, creative portraits to personality-driven imagery, social content, and branding. Dani will break down how photographers can bring more creativity, direction, and efficiency to their shoots while developing a style that goes beyond the typical Media Day formula. Through a live shooting demonstration, you’ll see how to take these concepts from idea to final image while creating compelling portraits in a fast-paced, real-world environment.
Building a Photography Brand That Attracts Clients & Creates a Profitable Business
Speaker: Marta Ponsko
Beautiful photos alone don’t build a successful photography business. Your clients buy trust, experience, and connection long before they ever book a session.
In this inspiring business masterclass, Marta Ponsko shares the strategies that helped her build an internationally recognized photography brand, become a Nikon Creator, speak at conferences around the world, and create a business that consistently attracts dream clients without competing on price.
This session isn’t about posting more on Instagram or chasing algorithms. It’s about creating a brand that people remember, building genuine relationships with your audience, and designing a client experience that naturally leads to referrals, repeat bookings, and premium sales.
Whether you’re just starting your business or looking to reach the next level, you’ll leave with practical tools you can implement immediately.
What You’ll Learn
- How to define a photography brand that stands out in a crowded market
- Finding your niche without limiting your creativity
- Attracting your ideal clients instead of chasing every inquiry
- Building trust through storytelling and authentic marketing
- Using Instagram strategically without burnout
- Creating content that educates, inspires, and converts followers into paying clients
- Pricing with confidence and communicating your value
- How to increase sales through products, upselling, and premium positioning
- Marta’s business workflow—from inquiry to final product delivery
- The biggest mistakes photographers make that keep them stuck (and how to avoid them)
Whether your goal is to book more sessions, raise your prices, or build a business that supports the life you want, this class will give you the mindset, marketing strategies, and practical systems to make it happen.
FAQ/Schedule
How many classes will i be able to attend?
During each class time, two speakers will be teaching. You will be able to select which class you want to attend.
What will the schedule be?
9:00am – 10:30am
Class 1
10:45am – 12:15pm
Class 2
12:15pm – 1:15pm
LUNCH
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Class 3
3:15pm – 4:45pm
Class 4
Register For ShutterFest
Shoot. Learn. Party.
General Registration
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Access to all ShutterFest Classes on
April 13-15, 2027 -
Access to the Trade Show at ShutterFest
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Access to the ShutterFest model program
General Registration & SF+ Bundle
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Access to all ShutterFest Classes on
April 13-15, 2027 -
Access to the Trade Show at ShutterFest
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Access to SF+ Advanced Courses on April 16, 2027
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Access to the ShutterFest model program
Add On SF+ Only
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Purchase this if you have a General Registration ticket and want to upgrade & add on SF+
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Access to SF+ Advanced Courses on April 16, 2027 ONLY