Aperture Academy offers all sorts of "hands on" learning opportunities. Our Natural Light Portrait Class is one of the most popular. If you learn how to work with natural light, you can photograph anywhere, anytime. Who wouldn’t want to learn more about that?

Alicia and I met and instructed two awesome groups of photographers this past weekend. We always enjoy getting to know everyone, via a little orientation session. Afterwards I went over some foundational basics. Covering the basics of the exposure triangle. Addressing specifically aperture, and its relation to depth of field. Also, why depth of field is so important in portrait and lifestyle images, in order to create isolation, which can often times create a wonderful, story telling image.

Alicia and I had 2 models lined up for our Natural Light class, one male and one female. This was the perfect combination, to demonstrate the differences between working with different genders, on posing etc. We worked on finding the best light and positioning our models to maximize the catch light I their eyes. When there was no catch light to be found, we demonstrated the use of a small reflector to bounce some light into their eyes. It works so nicely and the small 5-in-1 can be purchased online for less then $30 dollars.

Sometimes we had to deal with a small amount of harsh light on our models. In this instance we took the cover off of our 5-in-1 reflector, and utilized its 5th function, as a diffusor. It allows the light to pass through, minus the harsh unflattering shadows. During class we through many lighting challenges with the students, low light, harsh backlight, and even some artificial light. Learning to deal with the many scenarios will teach everyone new skills, helping them understand know how to deal with these tough lighting situations in the future. After making our way around the Pruneyard shopping center, pointing out all the hidden background treasures along the way, our class time seemed to literally fly by. We gathered for one last shot, our class group shot. The group shots are always fun, and it’s a great way to cap off our time spent with the fantastic students.

Alicia and I enjoyed our time with all of you, and hope to see you on another one of our Aperture Academy workshops in the future!

Thank you and Happy Snapping from Ellie, Alicia, and the entire Aperture Academy Team!

If you'd like to join us at one of our workshops, you can find the schedule/sign up here.

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