2018 Workshops

Here is our schedule of workshops and classes for 2018 (more coming soon). This year we will concentrate on OCF (off camera flash), Beginning and Advanced Studio Portrait Lighting, the Wedding Workshop and a new Digital Workflow class designed for wedding, portrait and event photographers.  Below are brief descriptions of each class or workshop, including the best experience level you should have to take advantage of the information presented, and the gear you should bring.

We will have models to photograph at our workshops; these will be couples, for the wedding workshops, and individuals for the OCF and Studio Portrait Lighting workshops. You will photograph the models, and come away with nice images, but these workshops are not meant to be “Portfolio Building Events”, they are meant to teach you how to recreate each situation and give you a better understanding of lighting, posing, photo and lighting gear, and the photographic process.

If you are considering attending one of our workshops but have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email or call us. We’re always happy to chat with you to make sure you attend and benefit from the right workshops for you.

Email: joe@barnetphotography.com     Phone: 714.549.4900

OCF Workshop (Off camera flash):

Investment: $89.00

This 4 hour class will have you using your speedlight like a pro, and if you are a pro, you’ll pick up a few pointers. We will teach you how to get the most out of your speedlight (hot shoe camera flash) by taking it off the camera. When you master off camera flash, your photographs won’t look “flashed”. You’ll have the skills necessary to produce beautifully lit images in a much wider range of environments.

Topics covered: We’ll use modifiers like shoot through panels for soft light, different kinds of umbrellas, soft boxes and reflectors. We’ll show you how you can use multiple speedlights to create truly professional studio and environmental portraits using modifiers you can make yourself. TTL metering, wireless flash, exposure compensation, and rear curtain sync will be discussed. We will also touch on more powerful self contained, off camera flash units like the Profoto B1 and B2. There will be a model for everyone to photograph, and PocketWizard triggering devices will be provided,

Best Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate. You should be familiar with the basic functions and menus of your camera and on-camera Speedlight.

What to bring: Please bring note taking material, your DSLR camera and your external Speedlight (flash). Make sure your battery is charged and you have room for photos on your memory card.

For the type of images we’ll create in this workshop, a 50mm lens will work, but we recommend a portrait lens; 85 mm or longer. The ideal lenses would be in the range of a 24 to 70 mm zoom or a 70 to 200 mm zoom. The 70-200 being our personal favorite. Wide angle lenses are not recommended. If you own a PocketWizard bring that too.

Suggested pre-workshop homework: Please review your camera and flash owner’s manual as much as you can before the class.

Investment: $89.00

Sunday, January 28th

Saturday, June 16th (at Petersen Museum)

Sunday, September 1st (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Saturday, October 13th-Pasadena (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Beginning Studio Lighting and Posing (Portrait and Fashion):

Investment: $79.00

In this 3 hour hands on workshop we’ll cover the principles of studio lighting and posing, using professional studio gear. We will create several, one and two lighting set ups. We will explain and demonstrate in very simple terms distinctive lighting patterns, ratios and metering. The studio can be intimidating, but after this class you’ll feel very comfortable in this environment, where once you understand a few basic principles, your creativity won’t be limited by weather, bad backgrounds or time of day. You will think of the studio as the fun playground it is for us. this workshop will take the mystery out of working with professional studio lighting, modifiers and metering. We will slowly build each lighting set up, explaining how everything comes together to bring our vision to reality. That’s the beauty of studio work, it’s a control environment  where we are free to create! We’ll have a model for this workshop, and PocketWizard triggering devises will be provided.

Topics covered: We will work with self contained AC and battery powered Profoto D1 and B1 monoblocks, as well as power packs and heads. We’ll use reflectors, umbrellas and soft boxes. We will also talk about posing to make your subjects look their best, depth of field choices, positive and negative fill, using a light meter for fast accurate exposures and setting up your own portrait studio.

Best Experience Level: Low intermediate and above. You should have a good understanding of F-Stop, Shutter Speed, ISO, and be able to operate your camera in manual mode. A basic understanding of hand held light meters is recommended but not a must.

What to bring: Please bring note taking material, your DSLR camera, a fresh battery, memory cards and a portrait lens. An 85 mm lens or a zoom is best for portraiture, but a 50mm will work. The ideal lens would be a 70 to 200 mm zoom. If you own a PocketWizard bring that too.

Investment: $79.00

Saturday, February 17th

Saturday, July 7th (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Saturday, September 15th-Los Angeles/Fairfax (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Advanced Studio Lighting and Posing (Portrait and Fashion):

 Investment: $99.00

If you don’t have any experience working in the studio, or with off camera flash units larger than speedlights, attending our Beginning Studio Lighting and Posing (Portrait and Fashion) before this workshop is highly recommended. This 3 hour class, using professional studio gear will deal with more complex lighting, using three, four, or more light sources. Students will photograph the model with provided PocketWizard triggering devices. In a controlled studio environment, your creativity is the only limit to what you can achieve. This workshop will take the mystery out of working with professional studio lighting, modifiers and metering.

Topics covered: We will work with self contained AC and battery powered Profoto D1 and B1 monoblocks, as well as power packs and heads. We’ll use umbrellas, soft boxes and reflectors, as well as a beauty dish and a ring flash for more edgy and fashion oriented lighting and posing. We’ll set up kickers, background lights, high-key, gobos and color gels. Background selection and posing techniques will be discussed. We’ll talk about different lighting patterns and styles and work with hand held light meters for consistent accurate exposures.

 Best Experience Level: Low intermediate and above. Having attended our Beginning Studio Lighting and Posing, a big plus! You should have a good understanding of F-Stop, Shutter Speed, ISO, and be able to operate your camera in manual mode. A basic understanding of hand held light meters is recommended but not a must.

 What to bring: Please bring note taking material, your DSLR camera, a fresh battery, memory cards and a portrait lens. An 85 mm lens or a zoom is best for portraiture, but a 50mm will work. The ideal lens would be a 70 to 200 mm zoom. If you own a PocketWizard bring that too.

 Investment: $99.00

Sunday, March 11th

Sunday, August 5th (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Saturday, October 27th-Los Angeles/Fairfax (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)

Digital Workflow for event and portrait photographers.

Investment: $49.95

This 3 hour class covers everything from capture to end product. We believe that what wedding and event photographers need most, especially those starting out or with a “day job”  but have the least, is time. Time to find new clients by networking with other vendors, meeting wedding planners, marketing, and of course, shooting. Learning an efficient, time saving, safe and secure workflow can be the difference between becoming successful at your new career / passion, or being overwhelmed by it.

Topics covered: In-camera RAW capture and backup, digital filing system set up, downloading, redundant backup, culling with Photomechanic, correcting and enhancing in Lightroom, creating “finished art” with Photoshop and building online galleries. We will also touch lightly on in-person sales and album design.

Best Experience Level: Beginner and Intermediate photographers. Basic knowledge of Lightroom and Photoshop is recommended but not a must.

What to bring: Note taking materials. Cameras are not necessary. You may bring your laptop, but only to take notes if that’s how you like to take notes. Because this class covers a great deal of information and not all students are at the same level of proficiency with the programs discussed, it is a lecture and demonstration style class, not a “follow along on your laptop” workshop.

Suggested pre-class homework: The more you can familiarize yourself with the programs we’ll be using before attending, the more you will get out of this class. 

Investment: $49.95

The Wedding Photography Workshop.

Investment: $125.00

This jam-packed, intensive all day (including a lunch break) workshop covers every aspect of wedding photography. It’s designed for photographers who are considering or starting to shoot weddings, those seeking to revamp their business in one or more areas, and those who simply want to kick their operation to a higher level. Our day will start with an info-packed session covering the business side. Then, after lunch, students will learn posing and lighting techniques. We will have a couple as the models, in “engagement session” wardrobe. After the shoot, we will cover post-production, retouching and album design.

Topics Covered: Marketing, websites and blogs, social media. Networking with venues, vendors and wedding planners. Pricing, contracts, 2nd shooters. Shot lists. Photo and lighting gear, off camera lighting for higher quality images. Post production with Photomechanic, Lightroom and Photoshop. Album design and sales. Posing directions and client communications. Our OCF Workshop (Off camera flash) and the Digital Workflow for event and portrait photographers classes are great follow up classes to this, all day wedding workshop.

 Joe and Mirta have taught a wedding business Master Class at WPPI in Las Vegas for the last 5 years. This year will be their 6th. They also serve as international print and album competition judges at WPPI. The Wedding Photography Workshop is a greatly expanded version of their WPPI Master class with much more material covered. Joe and Mirta want every wedding photographer to reach their full creative and financial potential. They believe that if more photographers improve their craft and their bottom line, the entire industry benefits. 

Best Experience Level: Intermediate. You should have a good understanding of F-Stops, Shutter Speeds and ISO, You should be able to operate your camera in manual mode. Basic understanding of flash photography is also important. Please review your camera and flash owner’s manual as much as you can before the class.

What to bring: Please bring note taking material, your DSLR camera and your external Speedlight (flash). Make sure your battery is charged and you have room for photos on your memory card.

During a typical wedding coverage we use primarily 3 lenses; A “short” zoom, 14-24mm, a “medium zoom”, 24-70mm, and a “long zoom”, 70-200. The 3 amigos! Our favorite lens to work with is the 70-200 zoom, but If we could only have one lens to photograph an entire wedding it would have to be the 24-70 medium zoom. I would suggest bringing  something in the neighborhood of a medium zoom if you have one and anything other lenses you like to work with.

Suggested pre-workshop homework: Visit, and study, several local wedding photographers’ websites and blogs, including barnetphotography.com and blog.

Investment: $125.00

 Saturday, May 26th

Saturday, November 17th (Contact Samy’s Camera to register)