The Advanced Photography Workshop is designed for experienced photographers eager to elevate their skills in specialized areas, including strobe photography, advanced camera settings, and sophisticated photo editing techniques. This intensive workshop provides in-depth knowledge and hands-on practice to refine your craft and push creative boundaries.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Strobe Photography:

   • Understanding strobe lighting and its applications in portrait, fashion, and commercial photography.

   • Techniques for setting up and modifying strobe lights to create dynamic lighting effects.

   • Using light meters and syncing strobes with your camera for precise exposure control.

   • Practical exercises on positioning and balancing multiple strobe lights in various setups.

2. Advanced Camera Settings:

   • Deep dive into manual mode mastery, including complex exposure settings and ISO manipulation.

   • Exploring advanced focus techniques like back-button focusing and focus stacking.

   • Leveraging custom camera functions and profiles to optimize performance and achieve specific creative results.

   • Practical shooting scenarios to apply advanced settings in challenging conditions.

3. Advanced Photo Editing:

   • Advanced techniques in Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom for professional-level image enhancement and retouching.

   • Detailed guidance on high-end editing processes, including frequency separation, dodging and burning, and color grading.

   • Integrating multiple editing tools and layers to create polished and compelling final images.

   • Real-time editing demonstrations and hands-on projects to apply advanced post-processing techniques.

Through a combination of expert instruction, live demonstrations, and interactive exercises, participants will gain the skills and confidence to tackle complex photography projects and produce visually stunning images. This workshop is ideal for those looking to expand their technical prowess and unleash their creative potential in the realm of professional photography.

For Strobe Photography:

1. Camera:

   • A DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual mode capabilities.

   • Ensure the camera supports external flash or strobe sync.

2. Lenses:

   • A variety of lenses, including prime and zoom options, preferably with fast apertures (f/2.8 or lower) for low-light and creative control.

   • Recommended focal lengths include a 24-70mm for versatility and a 50mm or 85mm for portraits.

3. Strobes/Flashes: (Optional)

   • At least one or more off-camera strobes or studio lights.

   • Compatible with your camera system and capable of manual adjustments.

4. Light Modifiers:(Optional)

   • Softboxes, umbrellas, or beauty dishes to diffuse and shape light.

   • Grids, snoots, and gels for creative lighting effects.

5. Light Stands and Boom Arms: (Optional)

   • Sturdy stands to support strobes and modifiers.

   • A boom arm for positioning lights above or around the subject.

6. Triggers and Sync Cords:

   • Wireless triggers or sync cords to remotely fire strobes.

   • Ensure compatibility with your camera and strobe system.

7. Reflectors and Flags:(Optional)

   • Reflectors to bounce light and fill shadows.

   • Flags or cutters to block or shape light.

For Advanced Camera Settings:

1. Camera:

   • A DSLR or mirrorless camera with full manual controls.

   • Should support custom settings and profiles.

2. Lenses:

   • A range of lenses from wide-angle to telephoto, depending on the shooting scenarios.

   • Lenses with manual focus capability are beneficial.

3. Tripod: (Optional)

   • A stable tripod for precise composition, long exposures, and bracketing shots.

   • A tripod with a ball head for flexible positioning is ideal.

4. External Shutter Release: (Optional)

   • A remote or cable release to avoid camera shake during long exposures or multiple shots.

5. Filters: (Optional)

   • Neutral density (ND) and polarizing filters to control exposure and enhance image quality.

6. Memory Cards:

   • High-capacity and high-speed memory cards to handle RAW shooting and rapid sequences.

7. Extra Batteries:

   • Spare batteries to ensure uninterrupted shooting during the workshop.

For Advanced Photo Editing:

1. Laptop:

   • A powerful laptop or desktop with sufficient RAM and storage to handle large files and complex editing.

   • Ensure it is equipped with the latest versions of Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

2. External Hard Drive: (Optional)

   • A reliable external drive for backing up images and transferring large files.

   • Consider a drive with fast read/write speeds for efficient workflow.

3. Graphics Tablet: (Optional)

   • A graphics tablet (such as a Wacom) for precise editing and retouching.

4. Color-Calibrated Monitor: (Optional)

   • A monitor with accurate color calibration for consistent and true-to-life image editing.

5. Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription: (Optional)

   • Active subscription to access Photoshop, Lightroom, and other Adobe tools.

   • Ensure all software is updated to the latest version.

6. Sample Images:

   • A collection of RAW images to work on during the editing sessions.

   • Include a variety of lighting conditions and subjects to practice different editing techniques.

General Recommendations:

1. Notebook and Pen:

   • For taking notes during the workshop and jotting down creative ideas.

2. Comfortable Clothing:

   • Dress comfortably for a full day of shooting and editing, considering the workshop may involve moving and setting up equipment.

3. Water and Snacks:

   • Stay hydrated and energized throughout the workshop sessions.

By bringing this gear and equipment, participants will be well-prepared to engage in advanced photography techniques, both in capturing stunning images with strobe lighting and refining them through meticulous editing.

Lesson 1: Mastering Strobe Photography

Objective: Equip participants with the knowledge and skills to use strobe lighting effectively for various photography styles.

Activities:

1. Introduction to Strobe Photography:

   • Overview of strobe lighting and its advantages over continuous lighting.

   • Discussion on types of strobes, including speedlights and studio strobes, and their applications.

2. Understanding Light Modifiers:

   • Explanation of different light modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, beauty dishes) and how they shape light.

   • Practical demonstration on how modifiers affect the quality and direction of light.

3. Setting Up Strobe Lighting:

   • Hands-on demonstration of setting up a basic strobe lighting kit.

   • Positioning strobes and adjusting power settings for different lighting scenarios.

4. Balancing Ambient and Strobe Light:

   • Techniques for balancing ambient light with strobe light.

   • Using light meters to measure and control exposure in mixed lighting conditions.

5. Activity: Strobe Lighting Practice

   • Participants set up and experiment with a single strobe light and various modifiers.

   • Practice creating different lighting effects (e.g., high-key, low-key, rim lighting) on a model or still-life subject.

6. Advanced Lighting Setups:

   • Introduction to complex lighting setups using multiple strobes.

   • Demonstrating lighting ratios and how to create dramatic or natural-looking effects.

7. Activity: Multi-Strobe Setup

   • Participants set up a multi-strobe lighting arrangement.

   • Practice balancing and positioning lights to achieve a specific creative look, such as a three-point lighting setup.

Lesson 2: Advanced Camera Settings and Techniques

Objective: Teach participants how to leverage advanced camera settings and techniques to capture high-quality images in challenging scenarios.

Activities:

1. Deep Dive into Manual Mode:

   • Advanced understanding of ISO, aperture, and shutter speed and their interplay.

   • Techniques for controlling depth of field, motion blur, and noise in complex lighting environments.

2. Custom Camera Settings:

   • Using custom modes and settings for specific photography styles (e.g., portraits, action, landscape).

   • How to set up and save custom profiles for quick access during shoots.

3. Advanced Focus Techniques:

   • Exploring back-button focusing and its advantages for action and portrait photography.

   • Introduction to focus stacking for increased depth of field in macro and landscape photography.

4. Activity: Focus and Exposure Challenge

   • Participants practice advanced focusing techniques, including focus stacking and tracking moving subjects.

   • Exercise in capturing a series of images with varying exposure settings to understand the effects on final images.

5. HDR and Bracketing:

   • Techniques for shooting High Dynamic Range (HDR) images and exposure bracketing.

   • Practical guide to capturing multiple exposures and merging them in post-processing.

6. Activity: HDR and Bracketing Practice

   • Participants capture a series of bracketed exposures for HDR processing.

   • Practice manual and automatic bracketing to handle high contrast scenes.

7. Shooting in Challenging Conditions:

   • Strategies for shooting in low light, high contrast, and fast-action environments.

   • Using filters and accessories to manage difficult lighting and environmental conditions.

8. Activity: Challenging Conditions Shoot

   • Participants apply advanced camera settings in a simulated challenging environment.

   • Experiment with low light, fast action, or high dynamic range scenes.

Lesson 3: Advanced Photo Editing Techniques

Objective: Enhance participants' skills in advanced photo editing using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to achieve professional-level results.

Activities:

1. Advanced Lightroom Techniques:

   • Deep dive into Lightroom’s Develop module for fine-tuning images.

   • Techniques for advanced color correction, tonal adjustments, and detail enhancement.

2. Creative Editing in Lightroom:

   • Using Lightroom’s local adjustment tools (Brush, Gradient, Radial) for selective edits.

   • Creating and applying custom presets to streamline workflow and maintain consistency.

3. Activity: Lightroom Mastery

   • Participants edit a series of photos in Lightroom, focusing on advanced corrections and creative adjustments.

   • Practice using local adjustments and presets to achieve specific editing goals.

4. Photoshop for Advanced Retouching:

   • Introduction to non-destructive editing with layers and masks.

   • Advanced retouching techniques, including frequency separation for skin, dodging and burning, and high-end photo manipulation.

5. Activity: Advanced Retouching Project

   • Participants work on retouching a portrait or complex image in Photoshop, applying advanced techniques learned.

   • Emphasis on achieving natural and professional results.

6. Compositing and Special Effects:

   • Basics of compositing multiple images into a single frame.

   • Techniques for blending and integrating different elements seamlessly.

7. Activity: Compositing and Effects

   • Participants create a composite image using multiple photos and layers.

   • Experiment with blending modes, layer masks, and special effects to create a cohesive final image.

8. Exporting and Finalizing Images:

   • Best practices for exporting images for print and web.

   • Using color profiles, resolution settings, and sharpening techniques to prepare images for final output.

9. Activity: Final Edits and Export

   • Participants finalize and export their edited images in different formats for web and print use.

   • Review of best practices for maintaining image quality and consistency across different media.

Wrap-Up and Open Lab

Objective: Provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions, receive personalized feedback, and continue working on their projects with guidance.

Activities:

1. Q&A Session:

   • Open floor for participants to ask questions about any of the workshop topics.

   • Discussion on troubleshooting common issues and tips for ongoing improvement.

2. Open Lab Time:

   • Participants work on their individual projects or revisit workshop exercises.

   • One-on-one assistance from the instructor for personalized support and feedback.

3. Final Review and Feedback:

   • Summarize key concepts and skills learned throughout the workshop.

   • Collect participant feedback to refine future workshops and address any remaining queries.

   • Sharing additional resources for continued learning and practice.

This detailed lesson plan ensures participants gain comprehensive skills in advanced photography, from mastering strobe lighting and complex camera settings to achieving professional-level photo editing and retouching.

1. Face-to-face / Hands-on sessions at KEYEM Photography Studio, Cauayan City, Isabela.