So I tried something completely new and took a lighting and posing workshop from Procam. Normally when I go and shoot I pick and event and wander aimlessly with my camera shooting things and people that look interesting to me. So working in a studio with controlled lighting and a model was a first.

So the first half of the workshop was lecture, I expected it to focus on posing and using a light meter, but it instead focused on how to find models and build a models portfolio. Still good information, but not what I went there expecting to learn. Personally if there was not enough lecture material prepared to discuss lighting and posing then I would have preferred to extend our shooting time for a more hands on learning experience (or for the lecture to focus on lighting and posing).

The last hour involved working with the model and measuring lighting. I’m very much a hands on learner so that’s where I found the most value. Our model Shamia ran through a few poses and the instructor showed us how to adjust lighting ratios using a meter. A useful skill that I had no hands on experience with prior to today.

I think if I had one issue with the shooting portion of the workshop it would be that all the students used the same setup and camera settings. Which is understandable though given that workshop format – you are trying to teach lighting and the best way to ensure the students have learned the material is to control as many of the variables as possible so that you have a consistent output to measure the students against. The downside is that there is little room for experimentation and trial and error.

But at the end I did get a few good shots and got to try a totally new type of photography. Would I go back? I think so. But I think I’d try a different instructor to find one that more matches my learning style. Or I might try to find a workshop that’s more hands on shooting. But for $35 I think it was a afternoon well spent.

A big thank you to Shamia for being such an excellent model!!!