Upcoming PPA Workshop: The Complete Portrait Workflow, From Concept to Final Edit
On Sunday May 18, 2025, join me in my Westport studio for an immersive, hands-on workshop designed to give you the tools and confidence to master studio portraiture. Whether you're looking to refine your lighting techniques, improve your client interactions, or enhance your editing workflow, this full-day experience will walk you through every step of the process. If you've ever wanted to create striking, professional portraits with ease, this workshop is for you!
In this all-day class, attendees will experience the full process of Studio portrait photography, from lighting to final editing. The day begins with an introduction to essential studio lighting techniques, where you'll learn how to set up lighting and tether your camera to a computer for real-time feedback. You’ll also gain insights into client preparation, including how to create a comfortable environment and build rapport for a successful session. A live portrait photography demonstration will illustrate best practices in posing, directing, and capturing compelling images. After observing these techniques, you'll have the opportunity to put your new skills into practice during the hands-on shooting portion of the workshop. Each participant will get time to work with a live model and refine their approach to portraiture.
The learning continues with a comprehensive workflow demonstration, covering image culling and retouching using CaptureOne/Lightroom. You’ll see how to integrate AI tools to enhance efficiency while maintaining a high level of quality in your edits. Finally, the workshop concludes with an open Q&A session where you can ask questions and deepen your understanding of the complete portrait process. By the end of this workshop, you will have a thorough grasp of the portrait photography workflow and the confidence to apply these techniques to your own work. From setting up the studio to delivering polished final images, this course ensures you’re ready to create stunning portraits every step of the way.
Workshop Schedule:
9:00am: Arrival and let’s get to know each other
9:30am: Learn how to set up Studio lighting for portraits and computer for tethering
10:30am: We’ll go through how to prep your client before the session and how to make them feel comfortable in the Studio
11:00am: Portrait photography demonstation
12:00pm: Break for lunch
1:00pm: Everyone will get a turn to take photos (hands on portion)
2:00pm: Follow along as we bring the images into CaptureOne/Lightroom and go through the culling and retouching workflow that utilizes AI for efficiency
3:30pm: Question and Answer portion
4:30pm: End
As a PPA Continuing Education workshop, this class not only offers valuable insights but also counts toward your Professional Photographers of America (PPA) merits — helping you grow both your skills and your credentials. By the end of the day, you'll walk away with a deeper understanding of studio lighting, posing, and editing — plus the confidence to create impactful portraits.
If this sounds like the kind of learning experience you’ve been looking for, I’d be thrilled to have you join us. Please note that this is a small class with limited spots, so don’t wait!
