We offer over 35 Photography classes.
Most of our classes are 2.5 hours long and are held in the evenings at hotels in Charlotte (Pineville, Huntersville, Matthews) and Greensboro. We also offer several weekend classes in other major NC cities like Raleigh. Please see below for class descriptions, locations & dates. Also check out our calendar at the bottom of the Home Page for a complete overview of all of our classes, all-day workshops and photo expeditions.
Classes are $60
Some of the Class titles include:
| Basic Digital SLR Nikon |
Architecture Photography |
| Intermediate Digital SLR |
Event Photography |
| Flash Photography |
Pet Photography |
| All About Composition |
Portfolio Review Seminar |
| Sports Photography 1 & 2 |
Portrait Posing - Hands-on Workshop |
| Nikon DSLR System In-Depth |
Fireworks and Light Painting |
| Canon DSLR System In-Depth |
Thinking Like a Pro |
| Wireless Flash Photography |
Intro to Photography for Beginners |
| Macro Photography |
Download, Organize & Store |
| The Business of Photography 1 & 2 |
Capturing Great Holiday Memories |
| Adobe Lightroom Part 1 & 2 |
DSLR Video Basics |
| Wedding Photography |
B&W – Shooting and Editing |
| Studio Portrait Lighting & Posing |
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| Outdoor Portraiture |
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| Food Photography |
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| Children's Portrait Photography |
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Photography Class Descriptions & Information
Basic Digital SLR
May 24, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
June 19, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
July 11, 2012 (Wednesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Hampton Inn, Matthews
July 19, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
Whether you have a brand new digital SLR or have had one for a while, this class will help you learn the controls that are common to all brands of these popular cameras. You will also learn more about general photography as it applies to exposure (aperture, shutter speed and ISO), flash use, composition, etc. We will have students do some hands-on exercises in class so that all of the concepts become familiar to everyone. Don’t miss this foundational class that will give you the knowledge you need to explore specific areas of photography with your camera. (This class is a great starting place for most people from beginners to those with some experience)
(Required class for Level 1 Certification)
Intermediate Digital SLR
May 22, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
June 14, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
July 10, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
Intermediate DSLR is the companion class to Basic DSLR. We will review the basics and then explore how to get the most out of your DSLR camera. We will also cover lenses, flashes, and other important accessories that you might want to plan for your camera system. Finally, we will talk about the focusing options on our camera as well as how to judge and get the correct exposure in all of your images using the histogram.
(Required class for Level 1 Certification)
Flash Photography 1
May 12, 2012 (Saturday) – 9am-11:30am Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville (Morning class)
June 18, 2012 (Wednesday) - 7pm-9:30pm Hampton Inn, Matthews
June 26, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
The Flash Photography class is often one of the most popular classes. For many photographers, nothing is harder than knowing the how and why of using a flash for their photography. In this workshop, learn how to set and adjust your flash for the best exposures as well as how to use it creatively for professional quality lighting in your images. This class is open to all levels of photographers with any brand of camera. You do not have to have an external flash unit but will definitely want one after this class.
(Required class for Level 1 Certification)
Flash Photography 2 – NEW Class!
July 25, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
This brand new class will be a great follow up to the popular Flash Photography 1 class. Here we will dive more into both the lighting and the technical aspects of using the flash. We will review the basics and then quickly explore other flash settings, modes and options. Participants should own their own flash at this point and want to continue to find ways to use flash in their photography as often as possible.
All About Composition
May 10, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
May 12, 2012 (Saturday) – 1pm-3:30pm Hampton Inn, Matthews (Afternoon Class)
June 28, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
July 17, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
Once a photographer has the technical components of capturing images, it then becomes about composition. How do you choose the right angle, perspective, place of the subject in the frame, time of day, etc. in order to not just create good pictures but great images. This class will focus solely on the aesthetic side of photography and help you to see the right shot by learning how we view and react to photos that we see. Each participant is encouraged to bring 2-3 images on a CD or USB drive that they would like to share with the class for discussion in the second part of the class.
(Required class for Level 1 Certification)
Sports Photography 1
May 31, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
Sports Photography presents a variety of challenges to any photographer. In this class, we will teach you the steps involved in photographing both indoor and outdoor sporting events effectively. The needed equipment will also be addressed in the context of the class. We will finally cover specific sports and how to get the best images of soccer, football, baseball and soccer as well as other sports.
(Required class for Level 1 Certification)
Sports Photography 2
June 5, 2012 – (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
Sports photography is not only varied but difficult sometimes to get great shots. In this second level class we teach the finer techniques of focusing, working in low light conditions. Over 8 popular sports will be addressed in detail concerning the types, location and strategy for each one with diagrams of how to do this.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Travel and Landscape Photography
June 6, 2012 (Wednesday) - 7pm-9:30pm Hampton Inn, Matthews
This brand new class will cover two related areas. For landscape photography we will discuss the use of a wide-angle perspective, capturing the best lighting, composition and much more. In addition, we will give plenty of hints of how to travel either by car or by plane with all of your photography gear to keep it safe and accessible.
Nikon DSLR System In-Depth
May 8, 2012 – (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
The Nikon In-Depth class will introduce you to the terminology, equipment choices and inside user information about Nikon cameras of all levels. This class is applicable to all levels but does not cover the material that is part of Basic and Intermediate DSLR. The class is ideal to people who are familiar with basic photography concepts and terminology to then learn more about Nikon cameras specifically. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the exposure, focus and control layout of Nikon cameras.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Adobe Lightroom: Part 1
May 29, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
This hands-on class will be a great introduction and chance to get into the proper and efficient use of Adobe’s Lightroom software. We will walk you through the 5 modules that make up this package and how to create a basic editing workflow. Sample images will be provided on a CD for use in the class and participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers. It is recommended that participants have taken Next Level: Part 1 to get familiar with photo editing concepts and workflow before attending this class.
Adobe Lightroom: Part 2
July 31, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
This hands-on class will build on the first class and work much more of the special tools and features in this software. Covered will be the gradient tool, adjustment brush, presets, vignetting and more. Sample images will be provided on a CD for use in the class and participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers.
Studio Portraiture: Lighting & Posing
May 15, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
This class is a great one to learn more about studio type lighting (flashes with umbrellas or studio strobes) as well as many posing ideas. We will have a model so you will not only be able to see the techniques demonstrated but actually take some images yourself. Many of the lighting and posing ideas can be applied outside of a formal studio.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Thinking Like a Pro
July 14, 2012 (Saturday) – 2pm-4:30pm Spring Hill Suites Ballantyne
For the professional photographer, being able to properly assess a shooting situation and make the right decisions about all the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography, is the key to success. This great class will use real-life situations to help you learn how to think the right things and execute them under pressure. We will look at 4 case-studies covering a variety of photographic areas. Whether your aspirations are for professional photography or not, this class will help you to learn how to make sure you are ready to get that important shot.
(Required class for Level 3 Certification)
Portfolio Review Seminar
May 23, 2012 (Wednesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Hampton Inn, Matthews
This class will feature a different format than the other classes. This time will provide the opportunity for each photographer to bring 3 of their best images to be critiqued by other participants. The experience will help you look more carefully at your work and improve on your eye for great images. It will be a fun experience as we learn together about what makes a dynamic photograph.
(Required class for Level 3 Certification)
Fireworks & Light Painting
June 12, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
June 21, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
This class will cover the gear, methods and techniques for successful fireworks photography and “painting” with light using long time exposures in a dark setting. The workshop will also cover camera settings and different ways to make composite firework images using software. In addition, students will have a chance to use their cameras and tripod with hands-on experimentation with light painting using the techniques learned.
Architecture Photography
July 12, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
This relatively new class is all about architecture. From rooms to buildings, interiors & exteriors - we’ll cover the basics of photographing all of these. We will discuss lighting, angles, equipment & more. We will also show you some computer editing skills to correct distortion in your images of buildings, etc.
Wedding Photography – Extended Session ($80 Cost)
This class will walk you through all the parts of a wedding day and help you to know what is required to capture this type of event. Our team does a lot of weddings each year and from this, we will teach you what shots are must haves, how to get them and what extra precautions you should take to make sure that everyone is happy. This applies to photographers who are doing it professionally or just for the experience.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Macro Photography
July 24, 2012 (Tuesday) – 7pm-9:30pm Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville
The Macro Photography class will deal exclusively with the equipment, challenges and rewards of close-up photography. Come and be inspired to explore macro photography whether with products, still life's, flowers, etc. This class will also be a very helpful place to understand Depth of Field more fully and how this applies to both macro and general photography.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
The Business of Photography
July 26, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
Maybe you are aspiring to become a professional photographer or maybe you just are wondering what would be involved in making some money with your camera. Either way, this workshop is for you. The class will cover the ways to generate income through photography, the steps in setting up a business and principles for knowing how to price and market your work.
(Required class for Level 3 Certification)
Outdoor Portraiture
April 21, 2012 (Saturday) – 9:00am-11:30am Courtyard Marriott, Huntersville - CLASS IS FULL
This class will be a hands-on instructional time where you will learn how to work with lighting conditions outside and how to do some easy poses in order to create excellent outdoor portraits of kids and adults alike. We will have a model for the first half of the session for some actual shooting and then will have classroom instruction.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Digital B&W Shooting & Editing
April 19, 2012 (Thursday) – 7pm-9:30pm Holiday Inn Express, Pineville
This new class will help you to create better B/W images from beginning to end. Learn what type of photographs lends themselves to B/W and how to expose correctly for optimal results. Then we will use Photoshop Elements, or similar software, to edit photos effectively. Learn how to determine contrast, exposure and even how to control each color's reproduction into a full tonal range. Participants are welcome to bring some color images to work with in the class as well as the sample images we will provide.
Nikon Wireless Flash
For those of you who use Nikon equipment, you will want to learn more about how wireless flash control can open up a whole world of opportunities in portrait, interior and product photography. This class will teach you how to use your camera and flash to do wireless flash photography and inspire you to find ways to expand the types of photography that you are able to do.
(Required class for Level 3 Certification)
Canon Wireless Flash
For those of you who use Canon equipment, you will want to learn more about how wireless flash control can open up a whole world of opportunities in portrait, interior and product photography. This class will teach you how to use your camera and flash to do wireless flash photography and inspire you to find ways to expand the types of photography that you are able to do.
(Required class for Level 3 Certification)
Canon DSLR System In-Depth
The Canon In-Depth class will introduce you to the terminology, equipment choices and inside user information about Canon cameras of all levels. This class is applicable to all levels but does not cover the material that is part of Basic and Intermediate DSLR. The class is ideal to people who are familiar with basic photography concepts and terminology to then learn more about Canon cameras specifically. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the exposure, focus and control layout of Canon cameras.
(Required class for Level 2 Certification)
Food Photography
This class is all about how to take stunning images of food. From a bowl of fruit to dinner entrées & cakes, we will cover the basics of food photography. We’ll also talk about arrangements, plating, lighting, angles, equipment & more. This class will be fun and delicious! Katie Blackwell-Martin is a highly trained and experienced pastry chef and will be providing the food for the class.
Printing & Album Design
This relatively new class will help answer your questions about printing your images (aspect ratio, resolution, paper types, etc.) as well as teach you how to apply some basic design concepts in creating a photo book or album for business or for pleasure. Cindy Osborne, Partner and Designer for The Professional Photography Group will help you to understand the types of products available and how to create some great albums of your work. This class is open to all levels of photographers with any brand of camera.
DSLR Video Basic – NEW Class!
Video is an option on many DSLR cameras now days and has been totally embraced by the professional video world. In this class, we will cover the basics of recording video, getting the best quality out of your video clips, how to think in terms of capturing real-time motion and begin to give you the ability to download this to your computer and edit it. This new class will be co-taught by Jere Snyder who has been in the video business both broadcast and commercial for over 25 years. The material is also applicable to those with camcorders as well.
The Business of Photography 2 – Open Forum
This brand new class will help take you beyond basic business principles and help you to get your business plan under way. We will send out a worksheet before the class to those who are registered helping you to begin to put down on paper your plan, goals, decisions and problem areas of getting your business off to the right start (or growing your existing business). Part of the time will be instruction and part of the time will be an open forum discussion as well as Q&A of Jeff Owen and Brian Osborne who are the managing partners in The Professional Photography Group. We will suggest ideas and concepts that you might apply to your business as well as warn you of areas that have not been as productive in our own experience (a combined 40 years in the industry). This class is for those who have taken Business 1 or are already in the midst of pursuing their photography business interests
Children’s Photography
This new class focuses on posing, lighting & photographing children. Children present a unique set of challenges for a photographer - they move and the littlest ones can't take direction! We'll have a demonstration time with some children on hand. Finally, we will discuss the liability and practical issues involved in children’s photography. What is learned will be applicable not only in the studio but also in on-location outdoor situations.
Pet Photography
While photographing pets – care and timing are essential. Come and learn from Jeff Owen all about posing, lighting and photographing animals.
Portrait Posing – Hands On Workshop (Limited to 8) – NEW Class
This class will be kept to a small size because this is your chance to learn and practice posing techniques for great portraiture. Each participant will have plenty of opportunity to interact with the model and create standing and sitting poses. They will also be able to capture these images on their own cameras and use them for portfolios, etc. This class cost $100.
Capturing Great Summer Memories
How do I shoot in bright sun at the beach? What equipment should I take on vacation? Is my camera waterproof? All these topics and more are covered as we delve into vacation picture challenges!
Capturing Great Holiday Memories
How do I shoot good Christmas light pictures? What equipment should I take on vacation? How does my camera deal with the cold weather? All these topics and more are covered as we delve into vacation picture challenges!
