A deep dive into how to bring your passion and purpose in photography into any session. Photographing with intention to help convey the message of the moment in each shot.

It is often said in many creative fields that we stand on the shoulders of giants. This is without a doubt true of photography as an art form. Many photographers expend a great deal of effort trying to develop a personal style. One of the most effective tools for development as an artist and photographer and developing a style that separates us from the competition is to study the work of the great master of fine art and photography. In this presentation, we delve into the creative process from concept to execution. Just where do the ideas come from? How to find inspiration and direction for the creative process. We will study the work of some of the great masters of portraiture, investigate what makes them great, and then deconstructing the portraits to determine how they were created. We will know what camera, lens choice, light modifier, and the auxiliary equipment will be needed to duplicate their results. In the process, we will learn to incorporate these techniques into our present work. We will then chose one series of techniques and attempt to duplicate them in the studio. We will create portraits of each other learning how to incorporate these new techniques into our personal style.

Natural light, strobes, constant? I shoot with them all and they all have a place in boudoir. I will be demonstrating various lighting techniques to achieve soft looks and dramatic looks. If you rely on ONE type of light you will always find yourself struggling when that particular lighting isn’t available or it’s not giving you the look you want, you have to be flexible to handle situations thrown at you that you were not expecting. After the demonstration we will be shooting models hands on.

In this class, Michael is going to show you the process of creating cinematic portraits using multiple different sources of light. We will be working with models and showing you how to use 2-3 lights quickly to bring your visions to life.

Learn how to create a dramatic sports/action portrait that brings out the emotion, and intensity of an athlete. If you want to learn how to capture and edit dramatic, unique sports portraits, this class is for you. This hands-on session is designed to give you the tools you need to create a successful shoot from capture to print. What you’ll learn:

• Tips to effectively communicate with the subject to capture their personality
• What’s needed to style and light the shoot
• How to create the popular “grit” look that everyone loves
• How to design affordable print packages

Whether you’re a hobbyist photographer volunteering for your team or a professional photographer looking to offer more for your clients, sports portraits are a great way to create memories that last a lifetime.

Sponsored by Skylum / Luminar AI

Eric will demonstrate his lighting & posing techniques with different modifiers that will help you enhance your own work.

Sponsored by ToCAD

In this class, participants will learn the fundamentals of using provided light sources to create bodyscape lighting, which works well in a fitness or boudoir shoot. The basic setup, posing and camera settings for optimum results will be demonstrated then each participant will have an opportunity to shoot several models in slightly different setups to gain confidence in posing and shooting to obtain optimal results and create images that your clients will love. This class is about using light and shadow to create dramatic beauty – it is not about doing “sexy” poses but with the knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently shoot anyone in any state of dress.

Shooting outdoors in bright conditions with off camera flash and strobe can be demanding. Add moving subjects with shallow depth of field, and it can be even more challenging. Learn with Master Photographer, triathlete, and fitness photographer, Pierre Stephenson, how to create stunning portrait, sports, and action images on location with available light, flash, and strobes. Work hands-on shooting athletes with a variety of techniques and gear. Although this program is focused on action, the skills shared will have a direct correlation with many other areas of location photography, including weddings and seniors. Pierre will share: • The Fundamentals of Light • Off Camera Flash and Strobe • Balancing Ambient Light and Strobe • Flash Sync, High Speed Sync, and alternatives • Using Motion • Transitional Light • Key Shifting and more…

In this class, Tonya will run through up to 30 different poses she uses for every senior portrait session she shoots. She does not follow trends of posing. She simply makes pretty pictures of my clients’ kids that she knows they will not be able to live without! Variety results in parents buying more images to be included in the portrait album purchased.

Not booking clients for your boudoir business? Learn the skill and concepts of photographing high-end boudoir images that your future clients will love! In this class, you will master the technique to light & pose for photos that women would be drawn to versus images men would find appealing. Gain the knowledge to approach your boudoir photography from the perspective of your first potential clients who have never done a boudoir session. Learn to shoot for them!

You don’t need a moving truck full of lighting gear to make something magical for your clients! Join Chicago-based wedding and bridal fashion photographer Collin Pierson out on the streets of Chicago and find out how to shoot quickly, effectively, and most of all, beautifully, with less lighting equipment than you might think!

Sponsored by Bay Photo

Learn how to envision and capture amazing street photography. From composition to lighting, learn how to assess a street scene, anticipate the action and use the best elements of what’s around you to create awesome street photography!

Discover the wonderful world of Ballet Photography. In this class you will learn how to capture movement in your imagery and bring excitement and passion to your work. Whether you photograph, animals, birds, sports, weddings, portraits and in my case dance, primarily Ballet, movement, along with light and composition are the elements that draw the viewer to your work and holds their attention. There are several ways to capture movement in your imagery and this class will cover many of those along with understanding some of the photographic artistic elements of Ballet such as Fashion Ballet, Environmental Ballet, Classic and Interpretive Ballet.

The photography industry is more competitive than ever before. In this course, I am going to show you how to attract, retain, and book your ideal clients. I will show you the exact formula we have used to create a business that stays consistently booked year long, with very little advertising expense. We will be in a live environment, so you will have the ability to ask questions, get feedback, and go over different strategies with me. The strategies we will discuss here will work for any genre of photography business.

Understanding the human form is an essential skill for photographers. The best photojournalists know how to use this without ever having to interact with their subject. Pierre will share numerous techniques from his book “Foundations of Posing” for hiding weight, toning and melding form with lighting to complete your vision. So, stop memorizing poses! Regardless of your style, this class will give you a solid foundation from which to work.

Pierre will share:

• Facial Dominance and Body Language
• Use of Compositional Flow, Angles, and Line Energy in Posing
• Shifting Weight and Subject Facing
• Toning and Elongation
• Hands-Off Posing in Your Candid Work

Everything is in the details! In this class, you will be trained to look for all the errors in your images, posing and lighting. Learn to pay attention to details. See the stray hairs and clumps of mascara. Gain the skill to achieve “catch light” in your client’s eyes using the reflector. Here, you will understand the best framing and how to maximize the pose for your client’s album. Most importantly, how to photograph all the beautiful body types by avoiding unflattering posing. Learn to take your time and craft truly stunning images!

Learn to create self-portrait conceptual art with deep meaning and story. Let’s lean into creating from your own journey and what the world needs to receive from you. Become the most authentic version of yourself as a photographer and artist… YOU!

As businesses develop and find it a necessity to promote both the business and their executive across many platforms from print to web including websites, social media, and email campaigns the demand for quality business headshots and executive portraits keep growing. I have spent the last twenty years as a business and corporate photographer in the fast-paced business environment of Los Angles. Over the years I have put together a quick and effective gear kit that allows me to provide the client with excellent work while being nimble and portable. Time is always of the essence in the business environment. Most executives only have a few minutes that they are willing to give you so you must make the most of every option available. From the single executive environmental portrait done in their office or around the plant to a thirty-member law firm speed and convenience are paramount. In this course, you will learn, lighting setups for effective headshots and lifestyle-type portraits. I’ll share with you the gear I use and the setups I have found the most effective. We will work with portable strobes and mixed available light and artificial light. We go step by sept through how to put together a location shoot that you can put to work in your town. In the second half, we will apply these techniques by photographing each other under real work conditions.

In this class, participants will learn the fundamentals of using provided light sources to create bodyscape lighting, which works well in a fitness or boudoir shoot. The basic setup, posing and camera settings for optimum results will be demonstrated then each participant will have an opportunity to shoot several models in slightly different setups to gain confidence in posing and shooting to obtain optimal results and create images that your clients will love. This class is about using light and shadow to create dramatic beauty – it is not about doing “sexy” poses but with the knowledge, you’ll be able to confidently shoot anyone in any state of dress.

Couples boudoir was a very popular and fun class at the last Clickcon. It is one of my favorite sessions because the couple’s always have a blast! I will demonstrate how to pose couples, what they should wear, and how to set boundaries for your sessions to make them work for YOU. After the live demonstration with a model couple, you will be given time to practice posing and photographing hands on. Warning, this class will have you rolling with laughter, it’s the same way I make my clients feel comfortable.

For those that have ventured into wedding photography, lighting can be one of the most challenging aspects of the job. We will discuss and demonstrate lighting for details, portraits and receptions.

We will be hitting the park area to shoot fashion and swimwear outdoors. Weather permitting, I will demonstrate how to shoot in direct sunlight. I will be turning you loose to get creative with the models to create fun and fashionable images in the city.

This photo walk will cover how Tonya gets her seniors ready for their session day, and she will demonstrate exactly what she does during a typical shoot. Styling and wardrobe selections will also be discussed so as to advise clients on how to dress for the day.

Portraits at nighttime do not have to be difficult! In this class we are going to show you how to pick and choose modifiers and utilize the control that the cover of night brings us. We will be working with gels, and creating portraits that will help make your clients say WOW.

Discover the soulful world of natural light portraits. Judy will take you through her journey of learning how to disarm your subject to find the beauty within their soul and then use natural light to highlight their story. In this class we will discuss how to Find and Control light and then use it in your portraits to emphasis all kinds of emotions such as, drama, happiness, wonder, and insight. It’s a spiritual path to become aware of your surroundings and your subject’s response to it. Recognizing and using the light to its best advantage is only part of the package. Combining the light with the capture of the emotion and the composition along with your subject’s expression is the magic. Discussions will include how to style the image, coming up with concepts, storyboarding, scouting locations and using a small studio. Allow yourself to think differently by creating unique portraits. For those who are in Business or starting a Business, this is the kind of image that becomes a Wall Portrait. For those who have a passion for photography, (not in Business) but want to create a portfolio of Fine Art Photography, this is a good place to start.

If you are struggling posing clients, or coming up with a flow system to move your sessions along smoothly, this class is for you. I will be showing you tips and tricks to show off what ladies want to see, and how to hide the things they don’t. I will also be demonstrating my flow posing method I use so I don’t forget key poses my clients love, and make the sessions flow faster. It will cover poses that make a client comfortable to get them less nervous in the beginning and work up to more intimidating ones. After my demonstration, you will be shooting hands on with several models to practice what was demonstrated.

Posing can be one of the greatest challenges of wedding photography. This class teaches how to create multiple poses for couples within a short period of time.

Light does more than reveal and illuminate. Light has a story to tell, a tale that is inherent in its’ characteristics. Light carries with it meaning, mood, and message. A photographers’ ability to first recognize and use lights inherent message, and then control and alter that message to match the story is the difference between luck, competence, and mastery.

We Will Explore:

• How Light Communicates and Matching Intent
• The 5 Quality-Characteristics of Light
• Controlling Shadow Line Transition Rates
• Harnessing the Inverse Square Law
• Visible vs Invisible Lighting
• The Truth About Specularity
• Using Modifiers

This class will cover the entire process for those that want to offer a full service experience for their portrait clients and reaching higher sales averages without being sales-y. We will discuss questions like: What does In-Person Sales involve? How do I start? Am I ready? Is my work good enough? Do I have to have a studio? What kind of products should I use? What vendors will best support this way of business?

After a shoot, are you frustrated because of a lack of image organization? Having your images scattered across multiple hard drives makes it difficult to locate them for editing and makes it more challenging to keep them safely backed up! In this class, Vanelli will show you how to build a best practice workflow to import, organize, edit, and backup your images. If you want to learn how pros become proficient, then this class is for you! What you’ll learn Developing an organized folder and file structure for storing images How to quickly edit images creatively Build a bulletproof backup plan for photographers Who should attend Photographers that want to organize their images, develop creative editing techniques, and learn how to safely backup their images so they will never lose another image again.

Sponsored by Skylum / Luminar AI

Learn to create self-portrait conceptual art with deep meaning and story. Let’s lean into creating from your own journey and what the world needs to receive from you. Become the most authentic version of yourself as a photographer and artist… YOU!

Demonstration on how to use both hard and soft lighting to create a dramatic style of portraiture.

Utilize the correct modifier to create that high-fashion or glamour look.

Sponsored by ToCAD

At some point, you’ll be asked to do someone’s headshot. In this class, you will learn the basic techniques, lighting, and posing to ensure you get great and consistent results every time. With some standard equipment and lighting that you can carry and set up easily, you’ll gain the confidence to take anyone’s headshot in their home, office, or even on location. In addition to the classroom presentation, I will demonstrate the skills you need to take someone’s headshot then allow time for you to practice on real models or your fellow participants.

In this class, you will work on tips and tricks to achieve an authentic and genuine expression from your Bride & Groom. Your photography has to be more than just well lit, posed and framed. Master the skills to capture their emotion and to tell their love story through your lens. Here you will shoot side by side with Yuma to see how he breaks the ice, communicates, poses, lights, frames and most importantly, ensures the Bride and Groom are having a great time on the day of their wedding!

Take a walk around the neighborhood with Judy while she sets up several different posing ideas for a Steampunk Ballet look. More of a funky and fun look with dancers in other worldly fashion and point shoes or barefoot with a stylized vibe to it. Steampunk will set the mood for a different and exciting look to your work using different lens perspectives to set your work apart from everyone else. Wide angle is the name of the game here. Let’s get crazy!!! Do something different. Show your clients/friends what you’re capable of. This will be all about the light, the location and posing and our gorgeous dancers.

Join Pierre and delve into a world of mood, color, texture and diminished lighting. Learn to how to match the quality and characteristics of the alternative light sources with your intent to create stunning imagery. From high ISO and LED lighting, to nighttime gorilla lighting – we will explore creating powerful imagery in even the darkest environments.

Pierre will share:

• Alternative and gorilla lighting
• Extreme ISO’s
• Controlling dynamic range
• The power of one light
• Hand holding shutter speeds of 1⁄4 sec and slower
• Lighting Fundamentals and Trade Offs

No one knows the business side of Senior photography like Tonya Bolton! Join Tonya as she teaches how to get to the top of your market! This Max Day will have three parts.

Part 1: Senior Model Teams: Getting Started and Keeping Them Profitable

This part of the class will focus on why senior model teams work so well and how to get started. We will also discuss how to market for it and run it as a money-making machine!

Part 2: Creating Senior Packages

What goes in a package? What do clients want? Seniors and parents want something different. Packages will help please everyone. We will discuss how to create and present packages to the client. Psychology of the consumer process comes into play a lot in this step. I will demonstrate how I present my packages at my consultations so that I sell the one I want.

Part 3: Hands-ON!

Let’s go shoot! I’ll show posing and how I keep the girls comfortable during the entire process to get the most natural expressions.

Misha Wynn is one wedding photographer that is at the top of her game in Dallas Texas. She’s ready to teach you how to make it in a big city filled with tons of competition. Spend the morning figuring how to get your business model out of the muddy middle and into the top tier. You aren’t finished there. After lunch, Misha will grab some ClickCon bridal couples and head out on the streets of Chicago to portfolio build wedding images like you’ve never imagined!

Join the gods and goddesses of this stark-white community. Set in a special Chicago location, it’s time to get creative in this extreme-themed portfolio-building excursion to utilize what you have learned over the last three days. This will be mentor-led, not speaker-taught. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions on how to improve your style, lighting and posing in this 3 hour shoot-out. Be at the Monroe Street Lobby Exit by 8:35am/1:35pm to check-in! Buses depart at 8:45am/1:45pm and WILL NOT WAIT IF YOU’RE LATE!

What will hot and cold combined look like in a futuristic world? Beauties & Beasts is an extreme-themed portfolio-building excursion to utilize what you have learned over the last three days. This will be mentor-led and not speaker-taught. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions on how to improve your style, lighting and posing in this 3 hour shoot out. Be at the Monroe Street Lobby Exit by 8:35am/1:35pm to check-in! Buses depart at 8:45am/1:45pm and WILL NOT WAIT IF YOU’RE LATE!