Speakers

This year’s lineup of over 60 speakers, returning vets and newbies alike, are here to deliver an incredible experience for all ShutterFesters! 

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Shutterfest 2027 Speaker Lineup

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Josh Astor

Specialty: Drag, Editorial/ Fashion, Men’s portraits

Josh Astor is a photographer for entertainers specializing in working with professional actors, drag artists, and adult entertainers. With 15 years of experience in the photography industry, Josh creates dynamic images with skilled lighting and just a little bit of fabulousness. Josh’s work evokes and elevates nostalgia into bright, dynamic, and fresh portraiture. As a former teacher his biggest reward is inspiring others and bringing a little magic into work.

Follow Josh Astor:

Website | Social Media

Josh Astor’s Classes:

DTF: Dragged to Fabulous- photographing drag artists without being a drag

Live Demonstration   

Intermediate   

Class Description:

Drag photography is part editorial, part high-fashion, and a whole lot of FABULOUS! In this 90-minute live demonstration, Josh breaks down the unique creative rewards and technical demands of collaborating with drag artists while staying true to your authentic self. The session kicks off with essential prep work, industry etiquette, and how to slay a true artistic partnership with your subject. From there, Josh will conduct a live shoot showcasing two distinct lighting setups: a clean, industry-standard entertainer headshot, followed by a dramatic transformation into a high-impact, editorial look using creative lighting. The class wraps up by exploring a specialized post-processing and retouching workflow designed specifically to honor and elevate the distinct textures of drag artistry. This class is perfect for those wishing to tap into an industry that values intense creativity, learn how to maximize live session time, or simply want to collaborate with some incredibly talented performers.

Students will walk away from this class with:
-The knowledge and etiquette needed to connect and collaborate with local entertainers.
-The technical skills to execute a clean, professional headshot lit for a drag artist.
-The creative framework to “DTF” (Drag to Fabulous) a basic headshot into a dynamic, editorial image.
-A specialized post-processing workflow designed to elevate and respect heavy makeup artistry.

What to Bring to Class:

To get the most out of this class, students should have a basic understanding of camera settings, lighting setups, posing principals, and how off camera flash works. While I will be walking through my process, the technical instruction is geared for a more intermediate learner.
Not there yet? I get it! Come with an open mind, and just enjoy the fun.
Students may bring their cameras and if time permits, there may be an opportunity for some photos with the model.

Primary Topics: Commercial – Branding and Lifestyle, Editing – Retouching, Headshots, Portraits – Fantasy
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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!