Studio Photography Workshops – Lighting Techniques

If you’ve been curious about getting to know more about studio lighting for portraits, but it all seems too daunting or technical, then this workshop is for you. This workshop program is aimed at being is a learning experience where you get to use studio lights and light modifiers, and setting these up for portrait photography.

The workshops are held at my studio in NJ, which has a wide range of studio lighting gear! It is easily accessible from New York as well, and we can fetch you from the local bus terminal. There is also free parking at the studio. Directions to the studio.

The intention with this workshop is to help other photographers understand the essentials of studio lighting, and how to achieve what they want to. After this workshop, I want you to feel comfortable next time you step into a studio, knowing you have a solid place to start from, and have the confidence to experiment further.

If you prefer, there is also the option of an personal workshop, with just yourself and two models.

 

Workshop syllabus

The day’s program is built around these points:

• Using a light meter
• Posing!
• Working with a single light, and building up to multiple lights.
• Hard light sources and softer lighting
• Basic lighting patterns – butterfly / loop / Rembrandt lighting. Split lighting. Clamshell lighting.
• Using a beauty dish, and how this compares to other light modifiers
• Gridded stripboxes vs larger softboxes.
• Reverse-engineering photographs to decipher the lighting used.

Please note – this isn’t one of those “glamor photography workshops” where a photographer merely rotates between different lighting setups / stations. This workshop is intended to be a learning experience for you in becoming confident in using a studio and studio lighting.

 

Workshop fees and details

$1,600 for the day, including working with two models.
If you’d like to double up with a friend, then the fee is $900 each.

Time:  9am to 6pm

The day will start at 9am at my studio in Fairfield, NJ. During the first hour of this workshop, we’ll briefly go over the theory and we’ll discuss the techniques and the stuff-we-need-to-know.

1st model: 10am – 2pm
2nd model: 2pm – 6pm

If you would prefer a more shorter workshop with only one model, consider a tutoring session with a model.

 

How to book workshop

• $400 non-refundable reservation fee to secure your date.

Check the Studio Calendar to see if the date of your choice is available.
Then confirm the date with me before paying the reservation fee!
This fee will count towards your final fee payable on the date.

Please note: in paying this fee, the time is blocked out exclusively for you. This means that I can’t book other work the same period. Hence, this fee is not refundable.

 

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, f-stop, and ISO. You need to be familiar already with concepts such as depth-of-field. Break out the manual and review these things before the workshop, if necessary!
• Equipment – you only need your camera, and a lens or two. The best lens options would be a medium-range zoom (24-70mm), a telephoto lens (85mm or longer) or a 70-200mm zoom.
• The studio is well equipped with a wide range of lighting gear, so no need to bring anything else. Just your camera and a few lenses. And, if you want, your laptop.

 

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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photography books by Neil vN

 

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