Speakers
This year’s lineup of over 60 speakers, returning vets and newbies alike, are here to deliver an incredible experience for all ShutterFesters!
Shutterfest 2027 Speaker Lineup
Michelle Harris
Specialty: Weddings
Michelle Harris is an Atlanta-based luxury wedding photographer, educator, and the founder of M Harris Studios, Laila Chanel Studios, and the M Harris Hustler Community. Her work has been featured in Martha Stewart Weddings, People Magazine, and the New York Times, and she’s an ambassador for Sigma, Imagen AI, Fundy, CloudSpot, Westcott, and Cheetah Stand. Michelle is known for teaching photographers how to shoot faster, book bigger, and build six-figure wedding businesses without burning out. Her classes are high-energy, no-fluff, and packed with the exact systems she uses on every wedding. If you want to walk out with skills you can use on your next booking, you’re in the right place.
Follow Michelle Harris:
Michelle Harris’s Classes:
Class Description:
Michelle pulls back the curtain on the exact system she uses to deliver 48 stunning couple portraits in just 8 minutes on a wedding day. You’ll learn the 5 power poses that anchor every set, how to direct variations without thinking, the communication cues that keep couples moving, and the mindset shift that separates photographers who panic from photographers who produce. If you’ve ever felt rushed during couple portraits, this will change how you shoot weddings forever.
What to Bring to Class:
“Required Gear:
None. This is a live tethered demo. Just bring yourself, something to take notes with, and be ready to watch Michelle work in real time.
Prerequisites:
None. Whether you’re shooting your first wedding or your hundredth, you’ll walk away with a system you can use immediately.”
Class Description:
Bridal parties don’t have to be the chaos of the wedding day. In this hands-on class, Michelle teaches you how to capture stunning, editorial-level bridal party portraits in just 10 minutes flat. You’ll learn quick transitional poses that flow naturally from one setup to the next, the exact gear that makes the difference, and the verbal cues that command attention and keep 8+ people moving without losing energy. Walk away with a repeatable system that impresses your clients, wins over wedding planners, and gets you back on schedule every single time.
What to Bring to Class:
“Required Gear:
Camera body (mirrorless or DSLR)
A wide to mid-range zoom (24-70mm or 28-105mm recommended)
Extra battery and memory card
Prerequisites:
None. Michelle will walk you through the posing fundamentals from the ground up, so whether you’ve never posed a bridal party or you’re looking to speed up your current workflow, you’ll leave with everything you need.”
Class Description:
“Step into a fully staged mock wedding ceremony and shoot it like the real thing. From the processional to the dip kiss recessional, you’ll capture every key moment of the ceremony in real time, with Michelle Harris guiding you through exactly where to stand, what to shoot, and when to move.
The ceremony is the one part of the wedding day you cannot redo, and most photographers learn it by trial and error on someone’s actual wedding. Not here. In this hands-on class, you’ll work through the entire ceremony flow in a controlled environment so you can build muscle memory before your next booking.
You’ll learn:
Where to position yourself for every key moment, from entrances to the kiss
Which lenses to use and when to switch
How to handle backlit aisles, dim chapels, and harsh outdoor light
How to divide responsibilities between you and a second shooter so nothing gets missed
The angles and details that turn a standard ceremony gallery into a luxury one
How to anticipate moments before they happen so you never miss the shot
Walk in nervous about ceremonies. Walk out with a system you’ll use on every wedding for the rest of your career.”
What to Bring to Class:
Required Gear:
Camera body (mirrorless or DSLR)
A versatile zoom lens (24-70mm, 28-105mm or equivalent)
A telephoto lens (70-200mm strongly recommended – but not required for ceremony coverage)
Extra battery and memory card
All black attire (you may be acting as a guest during portions of the class)
Prerequisites:
None. Come knowing nothing about shooting ceremonies and walk out with a complete system you can use on every wedding for the rest of your career.”