Flash photography workshops – New Jersey / NJ
These one-on-one personal workshops on lighting and flash photography, are held at my studio in Fairfield, NJ. There is a specific curriculum that I cover with you to make sure we go over the essential stuff – but with this personal workshop we will also discuss and work with whatever gaps you may have in your understanding of photography and lighting / flash photography. In that way, these workshops are individually shaped to your needs. At the end of the workshop, I am sure you will be more confident in your photography technique with flash photography.
It will be just you and me, and a model, and an assistant. With the full-day workshop it will be two models – one will be with us earlier in the afternoon, and the other will join us later in the late afternoon. This way you get the additional benefit of working with different models.
The workshop will held at my studio in Fairfield, NJ and the surrounding areas for the on-location work.
Individual photography workshop – New Jersey / NJ
Half-day workshop: $950
- 10am to 11am: During the first part of this workshop, we’ll briefly go over the theory and we’ll discuss the techniques and the stuff-we-need-to-know.
- 11am-3pm: A model will join us so that we can test what we have learned so far, and also practically go over some of the material.
- If you’d like to team up with a friend, the fee would be $550 each.
Full-day workshop: $1700
- 3pm-7pm: If you would like to extend the workshop for the full day, then a second model will join us (relieving the first model). Then we continue with the new model.
- With the full workshop, we will break for a short lunch around 2pm or 2:30pm, which is included in the cost of the workshop.
- If you’d like to double up with a friend, then the fee is $850 each.
There will be an assistant with us with the logistics, and to hold up a softbox for us as necessary.
A non-refundable retainer of $1,000 is required to secure the date.
Should you cancel, $500 can be re-applied to another date.
The focus with these workshops are on using speedlites indoors and on location. With this workshop, I want you to be much more confident in using your speedlight, with a full grasp of all the technical stuff you need to know. I want to show you that your speedlight and flash photography are not as formidable as you think.
These workshops are full-day events – and are a mixture of seminar presentation and practical shooting. The workshops will be held at my studio in NJ. There is free parking, and it is easily reached from the main highways in the area. There is also regular bus transport from New York. (We can fetch you from the local bus terminal.) Lunch and refreshments are included!
Photography workshop program
Discussion of techniques
The day will start with a slideshow presentation, covering the technical stuff we need to know. I will answer all questions, and thoroughly cover a variety of topics, which will include:
- TTL / Auto flash .. vs .. manual flash
- Exposure metering for ambient light
- Maximum flash sync speed
- High-speed flash sync
- Adding fill-flash to available light outdoors
- Flash indoors
- Directional bounce flash
- Dragging the shutter
- Tungsten light & flash
- Dealing with harsh sunlight
Practical Application
Much of the workshop will be with your camera in your hands – with shooting indoors and outdoors, we get to reinforce the information presented during the seminar portions. There will be 2 models available during the photo sessions, and each attendee will be given the opportunity to work with the models, together and individually.
Several different lighting situations will be set up and each participant will get to practice the concepts we covered in the morning. For the on-location part of the workshop, we’ll find interesting backgrounds and set-ups, and use and practice what we had learnt. Radio triggers will be available for each attendee to use for the off-camera lighting / studio setup. The practical exercises will include:
- Metering for ambient light and fill flash
- Using TTL flash and manual flash
- Off-camera flash and a softbox (manual and TTL)
- Posing!
What you need for the workshop:
- Be prepared:
You will get the most out of the workshop if you are familiar with your camera’s basic operations. Make sure you know how to manually adjust your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. Know where your in-camera metering display is, and how to read it. You need to be familiar already with concepts such as depth-of-field, as well as how choice of shutter speed would have on the sharpness of the photo. Break out the manual and review these things before the workshop, if necessary! - Equipment:
Your camera, a medium range zoom (hopefully f/2.8 max aperture), but if you have them, also bring a 50mm and/or an 85mm lens, your flash, whatever flash modifiers you normally use, and (of course) a CF card. If you have a battery pack for your flashgun, it would also help. Bring a 70-200mm lens as well if you have one. - I will have the softboxes and other lighting equipment and enough wireless triggers for the group.
Workshop cancellation policy:
- Note that no refunds will be issued for cancellations inside 30 days from the date of a workshop for any reason. However, you are welcome to sell or gift your spot to someone else.
- Also note that Paypal only allows a full refund within a 60 day window. Outside of that period Paypal fees are incurred, and I won’t be able to refund the full amount.
- No refunds will be given for cancellations of workshops that have been announced as being fully booked. Once a workshop is announced as being fully booked, it stops others from bookings those spots. Therefore it would simply not be possible to refund your fees should you cancel a workshop which has been announced as being fully booked. And again, you are welcome to sell or gift your spot to someone else.
Contact me
Please feel free to e-mail me or phone me at 862-485-7276, for more information about the workshops. If you’d like to be updated about upcoming workshops (and other photography news and info), then there is the monthly newsletter that you can subscribe to.
thank you
Neil van Niekerk
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Thanks for a great workshop! I learned so much that I can put into practice immediately.
I haven’t gone through all of the files yet but here are three that are pretty much SOOC, except for slight cropping and contrast adjustment. I’ve never been able to nail everything consistently like this, especially in the harsh sun, so I must have learned something! Your teaching methods are excellent.
In addition, everything was great from the studio, equipment, food, etc.
I liked going on location at the meat packing district. I had never been there before; I can see how it would be a great place to do engagement sessions, senior portraits, etc.
I was lucky enough to be a part of one of Neil’s lighting workshops this last weekend and I have nothing but good things to say about it… Neil taught us his simplistic yet effective lighting strategies which gave me the knowledge to light any scenario… 5 days later and i feel refreshed, confident, excited, and not afraid of any lighting situation that might come my way… I feel like my photography has grown so much this month and I have Neil to thank for that!
Drove all the way from Maryland for Neil ‘s workshop. Worth everything! Even the exhaustion I feel today at work. Can’t thank him or Eric enough! Now to put it all into practice.
I attended a Flash Photography Workshop with Neil in March 2016. I had a GREAT time and learned a lot from it. This was my first photography workshop and it was well worth it! I feel much better about setting the flash and find it much faster to nail the exposure and skin tones now.
The models, Anelisa and Claudia, were FABULOUS! They made it very easy to practice and apply what Neil taught us. Many thanks!
Neil is not only an amazing and patient teacher, but he rekindled my passion for photography. Life has been hectic, and I have not spent as much time on my photography as I would have liked this year. I was looking for an intensive photography workshop that would help get me back on track. Since flash has always scared me, I thought Neil’s flash photography workshop would the perfect challenge.
Neil walked us through the basics of flash photography – TTL, manual, on camera, and off camera flash. He broke everything down into very easy to understand steps. Once we had the basics down, we went outside and shot on location. The models at the workshop were great and extremely professional. The entire class was very enjoyable. I couldn’t believe how fast the day went! I am so eager to use the on camera and off camera flash techniques that I learned during class.
I just participated in Neil’s Flash Photography Workshop, and all I can say is that it was a terrific experience. Six participants (from as far away as Texas and the U.K.), two indefatigable models, two instructors and 11-and-a-half hours of workshop during which so many things fell into place made this a very valuable and memorable day of learning.
Neil starts the workshop with a couple of hours of instruction, punctuated by lots of interaction and Q&A with the participants. The whole thing is very conversational. It is quickly followed by exercises and LOTS of shooting, where participants are encouraged to try things out to learn what works and what doesn’t, with the focus on getting technique right. We weren’t copying Neil’s settings, rather we were all experimenting with the methods he explained. This approach has certainly allowed me to come away with a better understanding of how and why to effectively use flash in changing situations, and will allow me to get the same kind of great results again outside of the workshop.
A big thank-you to Neil, Eric and our two models, Anelisa and Anastaysia, who were fun, friendly, patient and above all, consummate professionals.
Highly recommended – you will not be disappointed with this workshop!
A comment on FB from Devon, who attended the May 28, 2017 workshop at my studio:
“I honestly can’t thank you enough for today’s workshop… you’ve opened my eyes to things I couldn’t see before, and helped me understand so much I was lost on. I feel like I can walk into a meeting with a couple now and accept the job as their wedding photographer without being terrified of how my images might* come out.”
Had a great time!
A real workshop ! Hands-on training for the entire class; not talking and wasting time. Truly a top professional trainer and model to bring you full circle.
Thankyou Neil !!
Thank you! It was just what I needed to refresh and refocus! And learned new stuff! Neil does a great job explaining, and explaining again. He won’t move on to the next part until we all ‘get it’. He has a knack for taking a very complex subject and making it accessible and easy to understand. It is reinforced with hands on learning with personal attention. The model was spot on! The location was great! Bottom line: He takes a complex concept and breaks it down into easy understandable pieces and reinforces it with practice until we all ‘got it’.
I was privileged to paricipate in Neil’s workshop last weekend and was amazed at how much I took away in one day! I honestly had no idea at the beautiful quality of light that is possible from speedlights when used properly and with know-how. Thank you for getting me on the right track with the know-how!!