The good news for commercial photographers is that everybody needs a portrait at one time or another. The bad news is…everybody needs a portrait at one time or another.

It's great news if you measure the potential size of the market. Bad news if you're not trained to handle the ordinary-looking, the subject who has four left feet when posing, the unphotogenic, the overweight and underweight, the eyebags and big ears...in short, the average Joe. These are the regular clients of a commercial portrait studio in a mall or busy downtown area. Not professional models who still look perfect upside-down. Dail Deri photographs these types every day, and in this workshop she shares professional techniques for photographing students, office workers, housewives, businessmen, babies, and entire families.

What will be covered

• Creative versus consumer portrait
• Overview of commercial studio operation
• Studio staff (assistant, artist)
• Basic and recommended camera and lighting equipment
• Studio accessories such as backgrounds, posing chairs/stools, boxes, makeup, outfits
• Studio size and design
• Photographing graduates (senior portraits), teens, babies, families
• Facial analysis
• Building rapport
• Corrective lighting and posing to minimize flaws or accentuate assets

Who should attend

• Photographers and photographer's assistants working in a commercial portrait studio
• Photographers planning to enter this field
• Seniors (graduates) photographers
• In-house photography staff of companies
• Amateurs who want to add portraiture to their skill set

Prerequisites

• Digital SLR with lens in the wide to tele range, with a PC socket for studio flash
• Completion of the PCCI basic photography workshop or equivalent experience in basic photography and lighting principles

Instructor

Dail Deri runs her own commercial studio, Gallery D. Although she has worked with professional models and celebrities, she shows the same enthusiasm and professionalism working with plain Janes and average Joes. She shares her experiences every month with the readers of i-Mag Photography.

Comments from participants

Very comprehensive course content, effective teaching methods, competent instructor. The activities promote good interaction with other photographers. This course bridges knowledge and skills leading to my great photos. Thank you.— Maria Janice Lecias

The course covered all areas needed to jump start a photography business. All techniques taught were very vital to the subject matter and hands-on exercises were all very helpful.— Ikie P. Binoya

… Money and time well spent.— Ikie P. Binoya