Lighting is one of the biggest gaps between taking a good photo and creating an image that feels controlled.

You can have a great camera, a sharp lens, a strong subject and a good idea, but if you do not understand what the light is doing, you are still guessing. That becomes a real problem when you are shooting for yourself, building a portfolio, working with talent, or trying to deliver work for a client.

A softbox does not have one look. A beauty dish does not have one look. An umbrella does not have one look. A snoot does not have one look. Every modifier changes depending on where it is placed, how close it is, how large it is relative to the subject, how much fill is in the room, how much spill is being controlled, and what the image actually needs to feel like.

That is why lighting is difficult to learn properly online. You can watch someone else create a result, but you do not always understand what is happening in the physical space. In person, you can see the distance, the angle, the shadow edge, the wrap, the spill, the bounce, and the tiny changes that make the image suddenly start to work.

This workshop slows all of that down.

We will compare modifiers, build setups, shoot with models, look at what changes in real time, and unpack the practical reasons why one lighting choice works better than another.

Limited to 15 people

This class is capped at 15 attendees.

That is deliberate.

Lighting is not something you learn properly from the back of a crowded room. You need to be close enough to see what is happening, ask questions, compare results, and understand why the light changed when the modifier moved, the fill dropped, the flag came in, or the source moved closer.

With a small group, this can be practical, focused and genuinely useful. You will have time to see the setups clearly, shoot, compare results, and ask questions as we work through the session.

What we’ll cover

This workshop is built around the fundamentals that make lighting finally start to make sense.

We will look at how hard light and soft light behave, how modifier size and distance change the result, how to create shape without making the image harsh, and how to soften light without making the image flat. We will also look at how to combine multiple sources without making the frame messy, and how to use control tools like grids, flags, bounce and negative fill to keep attention where it belongs.

Throughout the session, we will demonstrate a wide variety of lighting tools and the practicalities of each source, including beauty dishes, snoots, softboxes, umbrellas, overhead lighting, bounce, diffusion, grids, flags and negative fill.

The point is not just to show what each modifier looks like.

The point is to understand when you would use it, why it works, where it falls apart, and how it changes depending on the subject, the room and the image you are trying to create.

Practical shooting with models

This is not just a presentation.

You will shoot.

We will be working with two commercial models and building practical lighting setups throughout the workshop. You will see the difference between modifiers, compare results, and get the chance to apply the ideas in the room.

The focus is not on rushing everyone through one perfect hero image. The focus is on understanding the decisions behind the image, so you can walk away with a better sense of how to control light on your own shoots.

The lighting quiz

As part of the class, we will run a lighting quiz designed to sharpen your eye and test whether you can tell the difference between different lighting tools, setups and modifiers.

This is not there to catch anyone out.

It is there to help you start recognising what light is doing. Can you tell when something has been gridded? Can you see when the source is harder or softer? Can you recognise when fill has flattened the image? Can you tell when negative fill has been used? Can you identify why one image feels more controlled than another?

The quiz results, answers and reasoning will be included in the course notes after the workshop, along with the setup breakdowns and sample images.

Dinner included

Dinner is included as part of the workshop, with a 30-minute break built into the session.

If you have any dietary requirements, please email events@georges.com.au after booking so we can do our best to accommodate you.

Contact the host of Practical Photography Lighting: Shape, Modify and Control Light with OfOliver

There were 0 errors found in the information you submitted: