Lighting I (Jul 23-Aug 1)

Dates: July 23 - August 1, 2024 (no class on July 30)

Meetings: Tuesday - Thursday, 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM CST (5 sessions)

Location: Houston Center for Photography

Cost: $480 Tuition + $30 Materials (HCP members receive a 10% discount)

Instructor: Mark Chen

Skill Level: Intermediate

This interactive course expands photographers’ creative capabilities by providing them with the principles, tools, technical understanding, and artistic background needed to use and control lighting as part of their personal practice. Guided demonstrations in a studio environment will introduce students to essential lighting techniques and set-ups that include professional studio strobes, continuous lighting, natural light, and light modifiers. Through hands-on practice, participants will learn to work with a handheld light meter to measure and accurately control natural and studio lighting while intentionally adjusting the intensity, quality, color, and direction of light in their pictures. Additional topics include: lighting styles, studio accessories, mixed lighting sources, and recommended studio gear. 

Objectives:

• Know how to analyze and modify lighting based on its main characteristics 

• Get introduced to the studio environment, lighting equipment, and various accessories

• Learn how to use available light creatively (natural and/or artificial) 

• Gain experience using both continuous lighting and studio strobes

• Use light modifiers to creatively affect your images 

• Understand and practice essential main lighting set-ups

• Expand your artistic background and capabilities

• Review options and costs related to beginning to use lighting gear and potentially a studio environment as part of your personal practice

Prerequisites: 

Photography I or being comfortable using your DSLR or mirrorless camera in Manual mode

Course Prep: 

Students need to bring their DSLR or mirrorless cameras as well as a flash drive or hard drive to the first class.