Program
Friday Ambassador Presentations
CLICK HERE to purchase your VIP Access Pass to attend ALL Ambassador Presentations!
SINGLE FULL-DAY VIP Access Pass for either Friday or Saturday: $99 (Register early and Save 20%)
TWO-DAY VIP Access Pass for BOTH Friday AND Saturday: $149 (Register early and Save 20%)
Sponsored by
Reading the Face: The Psychology of Portraiture
Tamron Image Master Hernan Rodriguez
September 11 - 9:15am to 10:15am
Class Description:
Join commercial and celebrity portrait photographer Hernan Rodriguez as he shares the techniques behind creating authentic, emotionally compelling portraits of some of the world's most recognized personalities—including his acclaimed reunion portraits of boxing legends Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.
Hernan will demonstrate practical techniques drawn from years of photographing actors, athletes, and public figures, including non-verbal communication, behavioral observation, and methods for building trust with your subject. You'll also learn to analyze facial structure, recognize anatomical characteristics, and use posing, lens choice, and lighting to create balanced, flattering portraits without sacrificing authenticity.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Seven Secrets to Better Wildlife Photography
OM System Ambassador Cari Siebrits
September 11 - 11:15am to 12:15pm
Class Description:
Join OM SYSTEM Ambassador Cari Siebrits as she shares practical tips and creative techniques for taking your wildlife photography to the next level. Through real-world examples and insights from the field, you’ll learn how to better use composition, light, subject behaviour, and storytelling to create more intentional and compelling images. Guided by principles of ethical wildlife photography, the session will leave you with practical takeaways you can apply wherever you’re shooting next - whether on a big adventure or in your own backyard.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Intro to Cinematic Photography
Fujifilm Ambassador Aaron Anderson
September 11 - 1:15pm to 2:15pm
Class Description:
In this presentation, you’ll explore the foundations of cinematic photography through lighting, color, and composition. We’ll look at how these elements work together to create images that spark curiosity, tell a story, and pull the viewer into the world around your subject.
More than simply making an image look cinematic, you’ll learn how to make intentional creative choices that shape mood, guide the eye, and give your photographs a stronger sense of story.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
My Light Adventure
Nikon Ambassador Moose Peterson
September 11 - 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Class Description:
When the light streams through the viewfinder and strikes the heart, ya just gotta go click! Photography is this incredible journey we are so fortunate to follow as it takes us to some of life's most treasured moments. Oh yeah, there are so many challenges along the way, but there are just as many rewards. In my pursuit of being a visual storyteller of events that have unfolded before my camera, many are one of a kind that have to be shared. The common thread to all my images, be it aviation, birds, griz, mammals or landscapes, is light!
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Friday Mini Sessions
Sponsored by
Hands on with the Leica SL3-P
Leica Ambassador Lauren Wells
September 11 - 10:30am to 11:00am
Class Description:
Join Leica Ambassador Lauren Wells as we deep dive into the new Leica SL3-P
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Quick guide to Wildlife Photography and Storytelling
Nikon Technical Specialist Jeff Mitchell
September 11 - 12:30pm to 1:00pm
Class Description:
Join Nikon Account Manager, Jeff Mitchell, as he walks you through auto-focus settings, Shutter and Aperture options, Camera and Lens selection, video options and more. We will focus this class on getting out to photograph wildlife including 2 and for legged creatures and their winged friends This is about telling their story and the story of where they live. We will cover a wide variety of different types of image capture. Attendees should leave with a better understanding of how to get out and use their cameras to tell a story about wildlife in their environment.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Capturing your travel Journey in Video!
Canon Technical Specialist Tyler Beck
September 11 - 2:30pm to 3:00pm
Class Description:
With video, bring the magic of motion to your palm or living room. How can you capture your next vacation in a way that will bring your memories back to life? Join us for this 2-hour course on travel videography and cinematography to learn the most useful tips that will ease your woes the next time you hit the red button. Start by learning the basics, then cut to different in-camera tools to allow you to focus on the sight-seeing.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Sky and Ground Mask Editing Techniques
Mike's Camera Educator Joe Klocek
September 11 - 5:30pm to 6:00pm
Class Description:
Have you ever edited a landscape and as you worked you saw the image just fall apart where the sky met the ground? The horizon develops a halo, the background objects get too bright, or the sky becomes too dark or contrasty. There are advanced masking techniques to make your landscape images shine, even when editing the sky and the ground separately. In this lecture we will discuss them and elevate your landscape editing.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Saturday Ambassador Presentations
CLICK HERE to purchase your VIP Access Pass to attend ALL Ambassador Presentations!
SINGLE FULL-DAY VIP Access Pass for either Friday or Saturday: $99 (Register early and Save 20%)
TWO-DAY VIP Access Pass for BOTH Friday AND Saturday: $149 (Register early and Save 20%)
Sponsored by
Above and Below the Streets of New York with the Leica SL3-P
Leica Ambassador Lauren Wells
September 12 - 9:15am to 10:15pm
Class Description:
“We invite you to join Leica Ambassador Lauren Wells as she explores the streets and subways of New York City with the new Leica SL3-P. Lauren has always been attracted to ideas and stories that display our commonalities as people, as she believes that, as human beings, we are much more alike than we are different. Lauren has tremendous experience with many different kinds of assignments—events, portraits, editorial, street/documentary, and architectural/interiors. As a result, Lauren has had the good fortune of meeting and working with many different people, finding stories in every-day life that demonstrate one’s humanity, and figuring out how to bring out the best in any subject.”
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Breath Taking: A Brief Discussion of Timelessness
Nikon Ambassador Vincent Versace
September 12 - 11:15am to 12:15pm
Class Description:
Every artist has an instrument. But only photographers have a superpower, which is the power to freeze time. With the greatest photographs being the ones that have the feel of a breath held expectant. An instant of time when the photographer was so taken by the moment the gasp of awe of that moment caused the shutter to be released. The breath of the instant of time forever held in an image. Motion caught in stillness.
A photographer holds within their hands something mightier than sword or pen; they wield a camera. But to use it effectively you need to understand the key elements that comprise an image.
This discussion will be about the gift of giving the echo of time, showing a moment of the past in the future to be the present every time it is seen
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Chasing Light for Portraiture
Canon Explorer of Light Roberto Valenzuela
September 12 - 1:15pm to 2:15pm
Class Description:
Most photographers can point a light at a face and call it "lit." Few understand why that light actually works, or why it doesn't.
This class goes beyond the basics of key light, fill, and exposure. We're going deep into what separates portraits that feel intentional from portraits that just happen to be exposed correctly. You'll learn how modifiers don't just soften light, they bend, wrap, and terminate it differently depending on size, distance, and angle. We'll break down shadow behavior: where shadows fall, how hard or soft their edges are, and why that edge is often the single biggest tell of a photographer's skill level.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Travel Portraits: Creating Powerful Images of People & Place
Sony Ambassador Scott Robert lim
September 12 - 3:15pm to 4:15pm
Class Description:
Travel portrait photography is about creating extraordinary images that blend people, fashion, and the beauty of a destination. In this inspiring one-hour lecture, award-winning photographer Scott Robert Lim will share his approach to producing editorial-style portraits around the world using professional models, local talent, and iconic locations. Learn how to scout compelling scenes, work with natural and off-camera flash, direct subjects with confidence, and compose environmental portraits that showcase both the person and the place. Scott will also reveal his techniques for overcoming challenging lighting conditions, traveling with minimal gear, and transforming ordinary locations into magazine-worthy images. Whether you’re photographing in bustling cities, remote landscapes, or historic streets, you’ll leave with practical techniques and creative inspiration to create striking travel portraits anywhere in the world.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Sponsored by
Behind the Veil: Intimate Portraits of Modern Musicians
Panasonic Lumix Ambassador Ben Staley
September 12 - 4:30pm to 5:30pm
Class Description:
This session explores the technical and creative shift required to document music across diverse environments, from massive festival stages to intimate venues. We examine how to maintain a consistent visual language while switching between dynamic performance shots and directed, close-up portraits, highlighting how specific lens choices and camera settings allow you to thrive in any lighting condition or workspace.
Ambassador Presentation - Full Day VIP Access Pass required to attend.
Saturday Mini Sessions
Sponsored by
Film Simulation in Action
Fujifilm Photographer Ritchie Roesch
September 12 - 10:30am to 11:00am
Class Description:
Learn from Ritchie Roesch as they share how to creatively use Fujifilm Film Simulation Recipes to shape color, contrast, and mood in-camera. After the overview Mini Session, you’ll head out on a photo walk to put those settings into practice.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Set It and Forget It: The Power of the 50mm Prime
Panasonic Lumix Ambassador Ben Staley
September 12 - 12:30pm to 1:00pm
Class Description:
In this 15-minute session, I share my set it and forget it workflow. I explain how I strip away technical complexity by using a single Lumix full-frame camera and a 50mm f/1.8 lens. This simple setup keeps my focus entirely on the subject. I will show a selection of portraits to prove that by letting the camera handle the heavy lifting, you gain the freedom to command the room and capture raw, emotional images.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Beginners Guide to Capturing Milky Way Landscapes
Nikon Technical Specialist Paul Van Allen
September 12 - 2:30pm to 3:00pm
Class Description:
When can you see the Milky Way? Where are the best spots to make images of the Milky Way? What are your camera settings? Paul Van Allen will walk you through the starting points in making amazing images of the Milky Way and the night sky. Afterwards you can stop by the Nikon booth to talk to Paul and get additional questions answered.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
Sponsored by
Curves: The Most Feared Editing Tool
Mike's Camera Educator Joe Klocek
September 12 - 5:30pm to 6:00pm
Class Description:
By far, the most powerful tool in photo editing is the curves tool. You can use to to brighten an image in realistic ways, to control asymmetrical contrast, and to color grade. But so few photographers really know how to use it. In this lecture we will dive into the best tool you have at your disposal as a photographer.
Mini-sessions - Free to all attendees
