"The lighting workshop was invaluable! As the expression
goes: you don't know what you don't know. I've always felt good
about my composition skills and ability to capture images but lighting
was completely foreign. Since attending the workshop in January
I have seen a hundredfold improvement in my images. I am amazed
by the results from inexpensive lighting equipment: vivitar flashes
and home depot worklights can get some amazing results! I'll
step up to pro lighting soon but what I learned about bouncing light,
v-cards, light placement (especially the value of a hair light,) and
some photoshop techniques has really sent my photography to a
new level. If you have a chance to learn from Don DON'T
MISS IT! "
--Harley
Terry, a recent workshop attendee: "Thank you so much for the Workshop last Saturday. I have
never had so much fun nor have I learned so much in one single day!!
You have really opened my eyes now, and my desire, to what I can do
with photography going forward. Let me know if you have more workshops
coming up in the future."
Hi Don,
This is Suzanne of Las Vegas. I would like to thank you for the
VERY INFORMATIVE WORKSHOP you conducted. You're awesome. This is the
best $299 I've ever spent. You shared your knowledge and expertise wholeheartedly
and your enthusiasm is very inspiring. You just made photography sound
so simple during lectures rather than getting into the "technical
jargon" that other photo expert wannabee's love to throw at their
students. The GOODIES are by itself worth more than $299. I spent 3 days
straight trying out the frames and actions on it, with barely a
sleep because of my excitement. I thought everything stops there until
I got the Lighting DVD you sent to me.You had certainly boost my confidence
and would be keeping in touch.
Suzanne
"I had a great time at the workshop. You really put it together
well and with it being so hands on I was really able to understand
the different lighting techniques demonstrated. I enjoyed the small
class size. I am ordering another cactus wireless and a sekonic lightmeter
and some umbrellas. Those should be my biggest purchases for a while.
I was amazed on how much you can do with so little. I am dreaming of
a 70-200 L f/2.8 though...maybe sometime soon!
The DVD is very helpful as well for those little things I couldnt remember
from the actual workshop. I am setting up a flickr account this week
slowly but surely as I edit the images from Sunday... But thanks again
Don. The class was fun and it was a pleasure to meet you!"
Taylor Allen
"Be prepared to learn the flow of light... what the camera
is seeing... and how to work the elements for the best image possible. I
came to the workshop with a bundle of knowledge, and Don applied it
to various situations effortlessly; he turned my head knowledge into
heart knowledge. His passion for creativity just overflowed. His
refreshing encouragement to use what you have, rather than you need
to buy this is something I really appreciated. He gladly shares his
professional experience and situations that makes learning fun. No
question went unanswered, and the structure of instruction really was
customized for the needs of our group. It just flowed well. I came
home with some remarkable images, and a new desire to modify and control
the light in all of my projects."
Scott Rogers: Event Images
Scott Condray said:
"If you want to understand light, and how to control it, take
Don’s workshop. He’s a great photographer and an even better
teacher."
Scott Condray: Visualville
Steve Burger adds:
"Don's workshop's are great. I would recommend them to anyone
who wants to see how great fashion images are created from start to
finish. Don's work is on a level of it's own. Now with his workshops,
he's passing on his favorite techniques. If you want to learn to work
with light, this workshop is a must."
Steve Burger: Pro
Digital Image
"Thanks again for a great workshop. I definitely learned
a great deal from you and the CD that you provided was fantastic. Please
let me know when you have additional workshops scheduled, I would love
to attend. Also, if it wouldn’t be a bother I’d like
to come down on a weekend or two and talk to you a bit more and maybe
watch you shoot - I’d like to learn a little bit more on posing
and lighting, plus you can get some free labor from me. "
Thanks,
-- Lamont
"Don Giannatti is a consummate photographer who knows the business
of making his subjects look good from both sides on the lens. His decades
of experience and straight forward approach make his workshop experience
well worth the investment.
Don doesn't tell you how to shoot, he teaches you how to create,
how to see the light...how to compose the photograph...how to work
with a subject in order to capture just the right moment. His enthusiasm
is contagious and his methods are proven. He wants his workshop participants
to share what he has learned over many years -- how to make a great
photograph and have fun doing it!"
Steve Dreiseszun
Principal
Viewpoint Photographers
So You Would Like to Host a Workshop in Your Part of the World? Here's
How...
I
love to travel and I love to teach. I am so excited to be able to come to
your town and do a workshop for the local and regional photographers. I
look forward to working with the sponsors to create a fantastic workshop
experience for everyone.
If you are interested in getting a workshop in your area, you should contact
me about being a sponsor. There is no financial obligation for the sponsor,
but there are some duties that must be done well to insure a great workshop.
Hosts attend free.
A sponsor will do the following:
Find and secure a shooting space big enough for 15 attendees,
4-6 models, me and gear. Most of the time a conference room or meeting
space is fine, but a cool location with some windows or a studio is
best.
Arrange a place for a meetup the evening before. It is really great
when traveling so far to have a chance to meet and greet the workshop
folks and get to know them a little bit before the next big day. Saves
us time in introductions as well and gives us more time to do what we
need to do on workshop time.
Find a good restaurant close to the workshop that isn't too dang expensive
nor is it fast food. Simple and fast is best, but also a place where
we can all sit and chat. Even better is one that delivers.
Review and meet the models and make sure they are up to speed on the
workshop. I also have paperwork for them and the photographers that makes
sure they all know what is allowed and not allowed.
Make any other arrangements that would have to be done (permits for
shooting in a park or such)
Be the chief cheerleader for the workshop
Identify any additional advertising spaces there to make the registration
easier. I have posters and flyers and those kinds of things, but you may
have to print a few at your location.
Deliver flyers, posters, and marketing materials for the workshop to
labs and camera stores and any other places that would be a good place
to market the workshop. Help in identifying the best places to market
there is also very important.
Find me a good place to stay. Close enough to the workshop and not the
most expensive around. I have rather spartan needs and prefer ambience
to flash.
If you would like to host in your area, get ahold
of me by email and
let's discuss. Some areas I would personally like to visit are Vancouver
/ Seattle, Denver, Houston, Atlanta, Cincinnati, hey... I love every place.
I would like to put together a European workshop tour as well. Ireland,
UK, Portugal, Spain and Italy. If we could arrange consecutive weekends,
it could be really cool. I would like to meet and shoot with as many
photographers as I can while there.
The Lighting Essentials Workshop Itinerary
Here's what we cover and a general plan for the
2 Days... We add to it occasionally...
The itinerary below is the master one that we are working with for all
the 2009 seminars. It may vary a bit from region to region due to weather
and light conditions, but all of the material you see below will be in
the workshop... and more. We do add a little customization for specific
areas we are working in. Of you are interested in hosting a workshop
in your area, see below - left panel.
Day One 7am to 8am:Setup and Pre-workshop
Discussion (Optional)
8am to 9am: Overview of Light and Light Modification
Tools
Parabolic reflectors
Umbrellas
Scrims
Softboxes
Cookies and Flags
9am to 10am: Light and the Subject
Working with the Subjects in the Light
How to Use Light to Create the Image You Want
Inverse Square Law - Practical Applications That can Save
Your Shots
Working with Models Part One
F-stop choice... How it Matters - a lot.
10am to 11am: Setups for Professional Results
(Mix
of Studio Lights and Speedlights)
Single Light Solutions with Umbrella and Softbox (or scrim)
Beauty Dish for Drama
Softbox Simplicity
Classic Clamshell Beauty
Accent Lights
11am - Noon: Working Lunch: Model and Photographer
Team
Posing Ideas
Working with a Model on Set - and in the Light
Myths and Truths about Models
Working through "challenges"
How to Find and Keep good models
1pm - 3-3:30pm
Shooting Models in the Setups (Models rotate through the groups)
This is a shoot time for working with models in different
light setups, Photographers shoot in all setups as well as all models.
Setup Photos encouraged / workbook has graphing for notes
3:30 to 5:30pm
Lighting for Location Portraits
"Beach Light" Setup for Beauty
Creating a shot in a bad location - Using Light as a Subject
Model shoot with new techniques
"Knowing" your Speedlight:
a technique for taking the guesswork out of working with small strobes.
5:30pm to 6pm: Teardown
6pm to 7pm:Going Pro Part One (Optional)
If you're thinking about making the jump from amateur to pro-am / pro,
we discuss ways to do it and methods that have worked before. If you
are staying for this optional one hour group session, have your portfolio
available as either hard copy or on a laptop for viewing.
Day Two
8am to 9am:Optional hour for discussion/review -
a casual time for talk
9am to 10am: Natural Light and Natural Light Modifiers
Finding perfect light on location
Using reflectors to control contrast
Location Challenges and How to Overcome them
Natural Light Subtleties
10am to 11pm: Models on Location
Working with Models on location (part two)
Controlling the Model within the light
How to keep control of your shoot
Setting up for location headshots
Using the environment to help create the lighting for the
shot
Five ways to use a speedlight without changing your natural
light settings... and add a 'killer' look.
(Only taught at the workshops - you'll love this stuff)
11am to 12pm: (working lunch): Using Speedlights
on Location
Bare Flash techniques for a Non-Flash look
Using modifiers on location (Umbrellas/Softboxes/Scrims)
Adding Speedlight to existing sun
Shooting in the worst light of the day... now not a problem
12:30pm to 2pm: Shooting on location with models
Photographer model teams shoot in the locations with natural
light / speedlight / mixed assignments
photographers and models rotate so everyone has a chance to shoot all assignments/models
2pm to 3pm: When the Location Sucks
"Creating the Shot" when the light and location
is less than perfect
How multiple speedlights can help when the light isn't cooperating
Two and three light setups
How "knowing" the lights can save time and keep the
shot moving
Dynamic "Posing" techniques. How to light a moving
subject
"Choosing the angle can make all the difference."
How that applies to lighting as well.
4pm to 5:30pm: Model Shooting with assignment sheets.
Models/Photographers rotate for four assignments
Each group will photograph every model
5:30pm to 6pm: Wrapup and Discussion
6pm to 7pm:Going Pro (Part Two)
Another one hour optional meetup to continue the discussion
on moving from shooting for fun to shooting for dollars
Presentation techniques
How to USE the internet to promote your work
Website mistakes to avoid
Getting noticed and 'making waves'
The importance of a self-assigned projec
During each of these modules attention is paid to Why we
do it, What it does, and How it
can be used for your image making. It is a total immersion experience... not
just a piece at a time. Lighting for the subject, in an environment as well as
a studio, means taking a lot of information into account. We discuss this as
we are working on the lighting setups. Extrapolation is the operative word in
photographic lighting... how can I make this work for me?
You are encouraged to bring a video camera, P&S camera and an audio
recorder for personal recordings of setups and work. We are making it
mandatory that these videos are for personal use only and will not appear
anywhere. Thank you for understanding how important that is for us.
As we work on the setups I will be discussing the many reasons and ideas that
are part of each setup. This insight is helpful for photographers to understand
all that is happening. It is an essential part of the education so your attention
is needed for these times as well.
We will be working on some innovative ways to make sure the models get their
images, so I will be updating this document in the upcoming weeks. It is quite
disappointing for the models to come to the shoots and be promised photographs
from the photographers and then never receive any. It has been a real sore spot
for my workshops and I must remedy that immediately. Watch for updates.
Please stay tuned to the workshop page where you signed up for updates concerning
your workshop. Thank you for your interest and signing up. I cannot teach anyone
to be a great photographer, but I can teach you the skills you need to light
like one.
