Speakers

Class Description:

You might know me as the guy who shoots the first party every year at ShutterFest. I’ve taught an after hours session on it before, but this is the full class on how I actually pull it off, and the best part is you can take it straight to the party that same night and put it to work. I’ll be there too, so find me if you’ve got questions.

The dance floor is where most photographers play it too safe, and it’s where some of the best candids and real emotion of the whole night live. You can’t hang back at the edge of the room with a long lens and a blurry background and call it a dance floor photo. Bokeh isn’t emotion. If you want a frame that feels like the night felt, you have to be in it, close to the action, not holding back. GET UP IN THAT SH*T!!!

We always lock clean coverage first, that’s always the rule, then spend our time where it counts. I’ll show you how I switch on the fly between bounce flash, direct flash, and the shutter drag, and when each one is the right call. We’ll cover shutter speed, flash power, the settings I’m running, and the gear that matters versus what you don’t need to buy.

And this isn’t just a reception trick. Once you understand how ambient light, flash, and a slow shutter work together, the same thinking opens up creative portraits and plenty of other work. You’ll leave able to own a dance floor, and understanding light in a way that follows you everywhere.

WHO IT’S FOR: Intermediate shooters. You should already be comfortable in manual and know your way around a flash. Beginners are welcome but this isn’t a class on “how to turn your flash on”. Get at least slightly comfortable with that before coming.

FORMAT: Hands-on. After a quick demo I’ll split everyone into small groups and get you on the floor with the models, so you leave having shot it yourself, not just watched me do it.