Studio Lighting for Portraits

Learn lighting and posing in Singapore.
4 sessions, 2–2.5 hours each, S$360 (includes model & studio fees)

See discount, course outline or sign up now

Commissioned by One on the Bund restaurant at Clifford Pier, Singapore, for a fashion shoot of their designer range Chinese qipao

Good posing, strong rapport, clear communication and great lighting are just some of the key ingredients to a good studio portrait.

Although lighting setups are everywhere, not everyone understands why a light was placed in a certain position or aimed at a particular angle. Copying setups without a strong understanding of the hows and whys often results in disappointing portraits.

By giving you 5 out of 8 hours of hands-on training with in-class projects and a final model shoot, our Studio Portraiture workshop aims to equip you with a strong foundation in two key areas:

lighting concepts so you’d be able to modify an existing setup to achieve your own creative ideas, troubleshoot lighting problems, and create your own setups that others will be wanting to follow,
posing, directing and communication techniques that help to make your model look as good as possible

All studio lessons take place at our partner studio located in central Singapore near Clarke Quay and City Hall.

In Studio Portraiture, you spend 5 out of 8 hours of your workshop setting up lights, making adjustments to improve your setup, shooting in-class portraiture projects, and putting all that you’ve learnt into a final model shoot. By the end of it, you would:

Lighting nightmare no more. Learn how to tackle challenging lighting from white-on-white to black-on-black

be able to handle a shoot on your own in any studio environment,
know how to fully utilise a studio environment, its lighting supports and modifiers,
know what to look out for in a good studio portrait, and how to maximise your number of keepers,
be proficient with various light modifiers from softbox to reflector to snoot to achieve your desired creative direction,
be able to troubleshoot lighting problems on your own,
have a strong understanding of lighting concepts to be able to get the job done with minimal equipment (and how you can do all of what you’ve learnt at home too),
learn about the classic portraiture lighting setups, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to modify from there to your liking,
have hands-on experience as an art director, photographer and lighting assistant,
have planned, executed and shot at least two different portraiture projects
know what flatters a woman and a man, and how to make them look good in your portraits,
and most importantly, have lots of fun!

We keep our class small (4−6 persons max) so you can be sure you’ll get individual attention from our instructors. For a class of 4 students, each session will be 2 hours long. For a class of 6 students, each session will be 2.5 hours long to ensure every student has sufficient time for hands-on practice.

Click here to sign up now

Course Outline

Lesson details	Topics covered and learning objectives
Lesson 1 Introduction Location: Studio 7.30–9.30pm	Lesson Introduction to Studio Environment Exposure Techniques for Studio/Flash photography Zero-ing the camera Maximising use of the Studio: what and who goes where Digital Workflow in Studio Practical Hands on setting up lights and backdrops Setting up a digital workflow
Lesson 2 One Light, Multiple Lights Location: Studio 7.30–9.30pm	Lesson Understanding the Variables in Studio Portraiture and controlling them Quality of Light One Light Setups Shadow Management Building on the One Light setup Light Shaping Modifiers Practical One Light Setups Controlling the Quality of Light Expanding One Light setups into Classic Portrait Lighting
Lesson 3 Classic Setups Location: Studio 7.30–9.30pm	Lesson Lighting Patterns Classic Lighting Setups Understanding the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Classic Lighting Facial and Feature Analysis Classical views of the Face Knowing what Flatters your model Remedying Facial Problems, from double chins to large ears Practical Team Project: Portraits in Classical Lighting Review and critique of portraits project
Lesson 4 Model Shoot Location: Studio 7.30–9.30pm	Lesson Directing and Posing models Practical Model Shoot: Facial analysis, planning and execution of model shoot Review and critique of model shoot

Course Requirements

Participants must bring their own camera (DSLR or compact with manual exposure modes). A tripod and laptop is highly recommended for this workshop.

Course Schedule

Thursday Class (Starting August 12, 2010)

August 12, 2010, 7.30–9.30pm
August 19, 2010, 7.30–9.30pm
August 26, 2010, 7.30–9.30pm
September 2, 2010, 7.30–9.30pm

For a class of 4 students, each session will be 2 hours long. For a class of 6 students, each session will be 2.5 hours long to ensure every student has sufficient time for hands-on practice.

Click here to sign up now

Promotions & Discounts

Early Bird Promotion — $10 off

Bring-a-friend Promotion — $10 off

Bring a friend along and enjoy $10 off your course fee.

Phocus Student Card — $10 off

Students of Phocus Academy with a valid student card enjoy $10 off the course fee.

Sign up for Studio Portraiture

Name

Phone

Camera Make and Model (Optional)

Session

Payment Method

Remarks (Optional. If you’re bringing a friend, let us know the name of your friend here.)

By clicking on the ‘Register’ button below, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

Fees must be paid in full—by bank transfer, credit card or cheque—before the start of the workshop to ensure your enrollment.
You have read and agree to our full sales & refund policy with regard to payments made for workshops.
You are able to attend the classes of your chosen session as listed under Course Schedule.
Make up lessons for missed lessons can be arranged by joining the next running workshop subject to vacancies. Priority will be given to students who have signed up for their given session and you’re strongly encouraged to attend the sessions that you have signed up for.
You are responsible for the safety of yourself and your equipment during the workshop, and will not hold Phocus LLP liable for any injuries or damages incurred during the course of the workshop.