Professional Lighting for Studio Photography

Photography is a mix of art and science: the mechanics of how an image is made serves the creative concept.

Light is a powerful narrative tool that allows photographers to capture the essence of their subjects. Mastering the technical aspects of light is what allows award-winning photographer Scott McDermott to take captivating portraits of acclaimed Hollywood celebrities and athletes, as well as collaborate with clients like AT&T, Starbucks, HBO, and Nike.

Meet Scott McDermott, an award-winning photographer, director, and your teacher for this course. He shares his creative journey, which first started as a nomadic traveler through the American West and Himalayas, which later inspired his now triumphant career in photography. Hear about his influences and sources of inspiration.

Get an overview of some basics, including the properties of light. Scott walks you through the most common lighting sources before concentrating on strobes, and some of the most used light modifiers.

Next, explore some practical exercises based on the principles covered throughout the course. Learn about the inverse square law, and explore the most common lighting setups for portraits. Then see how to set up a white background effectively.

Scott shares with you some of his own pictures as case studies to learn about specific techniques like the ring flash, mixing strobe and continuous light, and shooting for composite. To wrap up the course, Scott gives his advice on developing your personal artistic style.