COST: $449 for BDA members, $489 for non-members
TIME: 9:00am - 5:00pm

To be a great photographer, you must learn to use, shape, and modify all kinds of light to create the image in your mind's eye. This two-day, on-location class will give you a a clear understanding of lighting theory and the tools and techniques for lighting in any situation.

We'll start with basic lighting principles and discuss how the type of light and its distance from the subject affects its quality. Next, we'll go through a demonstration of the tools in a location lighting kit, including reflectors, modifiers, and portable strobes.

Over the course of two days, we'll move from simple, single source lighting concepts to combining multiple light sources for both natural and dramatic effects. You'll come away knowing how to use light in service of your creative vision.

Day 1 will cover:

Examples of hard and soft light
Essential equipment for a location lighting kit
Adding fill light to the available light in a scene
Creating dramatic lighting effects, even in daylight
How to meter single source and multiple source lighting situations
Determining the ratio of ambient to artificial light

Day 2 will cover:

White balance adjustments
Using color gels to add impact to your picture
Using light modifiers to adjust the look of the light
Creating powerful images with multiple lights
Reviewing and critiquing your work
Refining your technique


Students are encouraged to bring their own computers for the ease of saving their work, but if you do not have an easily portable computer, we can provide an iMac for you to work on. Please indicate your preference in the 'Notes' section when registering.

PLEASE REGISTER at the BDA website. Boulder Digital Arts offers affordable training in digital media from professionals working in the field.