I've been a professional photographer for well over a decade now, shooting images all over the world - from Australia to Ukraine, all over the US, and probably Middle Earth at some juncture.  The point is... I’ve learned everything the hard way so that I could teach you.  (Translation:  I've cried a lot so that you needn't shed a tear.)

Because photography can be complex and oh so variable, we’ll cover those things that are specific to your type of art, but also begin with the basics which will set you up with a firm foundation for life long success.  We'll discuss the trinity of light wrangling:  ISO, shutter speed, and aperture - and then learn how to combine these three elements to handle any situation in photography.  Once we have those bricks firmly in place, we'll work on the portraits that you've always wanted to create.  We'll explore a variety of lighting techniques, posing methods, and even positive ways to work with people - as they bring a whole hosts of variables to your photography.  Then, with a full 'roll of film,' we'll begin looking at ways to add life and vigor to your art in post production - this will include some demonstrations of digital filters, highlighting, and remastering your photographs, though it will not require you to have any external software.

Additionally, if students are interested in pursuing a career in photography, we can interject this into our discussion as well.  85% of new studios never make it past their first year - we can talk about the checklist of items that will help make your entry into the profession both profitable and enjoyable.

In the end, the fundamentals of photography are the same for us all - so everyone is welcome to participate no matter their experience level or future ambitions.  Some students are brand new to the medium whereas others may feel very experienced, but photography is that rarest of arts where you never truly master being a 'light wrangler.'  There is always something to learn.

We’ll do a lot of shooting outside of class (and some during class as well), and then examine the product of our learning with constructive feedback during each session. I have more than a decade of teaching experience, the majority of which was spent as an instructor in a lock-down rehabilitation facility for at-risk children (translated: gang kids who were struggling with substance abuse).  This allowed me to teach a wide variety of subjects, from second grade reading to college level physics, often in the same day in order to meet the needs of my students. 

We will demonstrate and refer to a number of outside sources including, but not limited to, software, lenses, cameras, and techniques.