ADVANCED PORTRAITURE WORKSHOP FOR HEADSHOT PHOTOGRAPHERS
A portrait workshop designed to help headshot photographers increase revenue by adding variety to their headshot sessions and on-location corporate shoots.
Date: February 1st and 2nd 2025
Location: Chicago, IL
Price $1500
Spots left: 4
PORTRAIT WORKSHOP SYLLABUS
EMBRACING NATURAL LIGHT
Make natural light your friend whether you’re on-location or working in your personal studio space.
INDIRECT LIGHTING
Indirect lighting techniques to create a softer look and add visual diversity to your portfolio.
ONE LIGHT PORTRAITS
Efficient lighting techniques for getting the job done with minimal gear.
CLEAN UP ARTIST
Easy editing solutions for fixing the inevitable problems that come from using mixed light and pulling back from a headshot into a wider portrait.
ZOOMING OUT
Transitioning from a headshot to full body portrait and everything in-between.
POSITION YOUR CLIENTS FOR SUCCESS
Directing your clients to accentuate body type, create visual interest, add variety to your portfolio, and avoid retouching pitfalls.
QUICK COMPOSITES & GROUP PORTRAITS
Lighting techniques and photoshop shortcuts for replacing headshot backgrounds and compositing teams of people together for group portraits.
APPLIED LEARNING & TEAM MANAGEMENT
Each participant will recreate an iconic image using their newly acquired skills while the other particiapants will act as their crew. As team leader, you’ll have 90min to build your set, dial in your lighting and work with your subject to create something special.
Day 1
10:00am-12:00pm Introduction
The first 2hrs is designed to get everyone on the same page. We’ll get to know one another a little bit and set the foundation for which the rest of the workshop will build upon.
12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch
There’s a cool spot across the street from the studio called “Time out Market”. Think of it as an upscale cafeteria where there’s something for everyone and they cater to a variety of different dietary restrictions.
1:00pm-7pm Skills based learning
This is hands-on learning of the basic skills required to move beyond the headshot into portraiture.
1. Using ambient light as a light source.
2. Using ambient light as fill light (mixed lighting)
3. Portrait Lighting techniques
4. Shooting full length portraits on a solid background.
5. Small group portrait lighting
6. Compositing full length portraits and 3/4 shots into group shots.
7:00pm-10pm Social Time
We’ll order pizza and hang at the studio. We’ll even invite some local legeonds… I mean friends.
Day 2
9:00am-10:00am Shoot Planning
In day 2 we will recreate 4 different iconic images of your choice. Each photographer gets a chance to run the show from concept to execution. The other photographers will be your assistants and/or the subject(s) of your image. You come up with the idea and the rest of the team helps you execute your plan.
10:00am-11:30am
Shoot 1
11:30am-1:00pm
Shoot 2
1:00pm-2:00pm
There’s a cool spot across the street from the studio called “Time out Market”. Think of it as an upscale cafeteria where there’s something for everyone and they cater to a variety of different dietary restrictions.
2:00pm-3:30pm
Shoot 3
3:30pm-5:00pm
Shoot 4
5:00pm-6:00pm
Recap and Q&A
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Hotels within walking distance
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
What gear should I bring
You need your laptop, your camera, and a tether cable for tethering. Bring your headshot lens and something wider. If you have something between 24mm and 50mm you’re golden (24-70 would be great too).
Bring a tripod (this is important). All of my tripods use arca plates. If you have an arca style plate, you can use one of my tripods.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Will there models?
There will be no models. We all take turns assuming the roll of model. The first objective of this workshop is to teach you tangible skills that you can use in your own home, studio, or on location in an office. These specific skills will empower you to increase your product offering and have the confidence to say yes to assignments you’d feel otherwise unqualified to accept. You’re probably going to end up with a couple of portfolio shots and maybe even a few shots of yourself that you like, but these are both secondary objectives.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Public Transportation from Airport
From O’Hare (ORD)
Take the Blue Line East towards Chicago and get off of the train at Grand Ave.
Head west on Grand Ave to Green Street. Turn left on Green Street. Turn right on W Fulton Street. Turn Left on Sangamon. (.5 mile walk from subway station)
From Midway (MDW)
Take Orange Line towards “The Loop”. Transfer to Green Line at Roosevelt. You want to get on the Green Line headed to Harlem/Lake. Get off of the train at the Morgan Stop. Walk East on Lake Street for 1 block. Turn left (north) onto Sangamon Street and the building will be on your left.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Prerequisites
This isn’t a class for beginners. If you’re not comfortable with the idea of shooting in manual mode or the relationship between aperature, shutter speed, and ISO, I think you’re probably going to struggle.
If you enjoy shooting headshots and you’re looking to take that knowledge and expand upon it, then I think this is the right class for you.
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Refunds
Given the nature of these small intimate classes, refunds will not be offered. If you sign up for the class and for whatever reason can’t make it, you’re welcome to transfer your “ticket” to someone else.