I just got back from teaching at my big one-week hands on lighting event, Texas School. It’s where photographers can sign up to spend an entire week with one instructor and learn hands on with equipment and models. It’s a mix of both classroom instruction and actual shooting.
I demo various techniques in order to give challenges for photographers to each try. I like starting in a studio, then adding lights and complexity, then moving out on location with lighting gear to tackle common lighting problems.
One of my wranglers, Bob Ray, shot video and behind the scenes footage of me and created this cool video.
A big thank you to my sponsor WHCC for all their support for both me and the event, and thank you to my friends at Arlington Camera for supplying us with demo gear and Profoto lighting equipment. And if you want to attend this event next year, here’s a link to the event’s page, Texas School.
One of the key things I like to emphasize is doing as much in camera and with lighting as possible. That way the images look as if they’re already retouched before you’ve even edit them. Knowing how to light a woman really well saves time in Lightroom because nothing really needs adjusting. All the time others may spend fixing images can instead be spent choosing favorites, and working up and retouching a few key portraits that really stand-out.
For instance, I loved this image of this model twirling in her red dress, so I created this painting.
I only shoot each model for a few moments in order to demo ideas and get some good sample images for the models. The rest of the time is for the photographers in attendance to shoot. But here’s some of my favorites that I created in these short moments.
If you’d like to attend one of my future live teaching events, check out my upcoming schedule. Just know that lots of events have been cancelled this year or are still in the air due to covid restrictions in various states.
However you can also learn right here online. I have many courses from lighting, getting expression, creativity, even workflow in Lightroom and Photoshop. All those are available here for members. (Click here for a trial membership.)
And until next time, America.