PHO 204: Commercial Photography I
Master the art of event photography
Event photography is the primary source of business for most professional photographers. Capturing the important moments in a concert, wedding, or sporting event requires planning and a mastery of equipment, lighting, and location. In this course, you'll learn practical skills for managing paid event photography shoots. Working with a professional photographer, you'll learn how to approach projects professionally and deliver the client a high quality product.
Visit the Student Gallery.
About This Course
Project-Based Learning
Creative and career-focused photoshoot projects include concerts, sporting events, wedding, and official ceremonies.
What Skills Will I Develop?
Students in this course can expect to learn to:
- Find event photography clients in the following genres: live performance, sporting events, wedding and portraits, and wedding reception and party.
- Identify and summarize what a photography client needs, when they need it, and in what form you will deliver the files.
- Create an initial plan of your equipment and setup needs for a photo project, listing any special equipment you will need to bring and noting any lighting or setup goals.
- Successfully execute classic shots and/or shots that meet the client's stated needs.
- Conduct event photography shoots in live performance, sporting events, wedding and portraits, and wedding reception and party genres, or comparable projects.
- Reflect on your photo shoot experiences and learn lessons that will benefit your future projects.
- Present your best work from event photography shoots to potential clients.
- Promote your work on online market places and on third party product sites.
What Software and Supplies Do I Need?
- Computer with Internet connection.
- Access to a standalone digital camera with manual control over ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and White Balance, that allows for shooting in RAW format.
Course Instructor(s)
The course is taught by the following instructor(s):
Melanie Fiander is a professional photographer and passionate educator who work has been featured in Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Abroad, New York Weddings, PDN, The Vendor Report, Scotland Wedding, and more.
Course Outline
Event Photography
Event photography is an exciting and challenging area for any photographer. In this lecture, you'll learn what event photography is all about. We'll discuss general project management principles for event photography and examine camera and other equipment requirements for course projects.
Live Performance Photography
This week, we will discuss how to photograph a live performance, a category that can include musical concerts, dance performances, stand-up comedy, and poetry readings. These events can vary from world-famous artists in large stadiums to unknown artists in a small bar or cafe. While these sound like very different challenges, there are many similarities from a photographic standpoint.
Sporting Events
Covering a sporting event keeps you on your toes. To capture the important moments in a game, you need to be able to anticipate the action. What makes shooting sports different from shooting other events is the pace of the action, the excitement of the players and fans, and the challenge of getting close to the action in large sports venues. In this lesson we'll deal with tips for finding and working with clients, selecting the right equipment, and adapting to different kinds of typical lighting conditions.
Wedding Ceremony and Portraits
We have finally reached the biggest of category for event photography: weddings! Some photographers hate shooting weddings, and some love it, while others are indifferent. In this lesson, you'll learn tips for finding and working with wedding clients. Cameras, key moments, and troubleshooting common issues are key topics.
Wedding Receptions and Parties
In this lecture, we will cover how to shoot wedding receptions and parties. A wedding reception is basically a large party and the same rules apply to both events. Receptions and wedding parties are both held indoors and in low light, making a flash or speedlite a necessity. Here, you'll learn tips for meeting with and booking potential clients, choosing gear and capturing the key moments at a wedding reception or party.
Finding Your Professional Presence
Being a superb photographer alone will not make you a dime; you need to find your professional niche and spend time working on the business side of things. The good news is that with talent and hard work, it can be a great career. In this final lesson you'll gain a professional perspective on finding your niche as a photographer, including using Web-based marketing to find potential clients and how to generate income by selling and prints and products.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Do The Courses Work?
Our courses are project-based and instructor-led. In each course you’ll complete a series of lectures, projects, discussions, and critiques designed to stretch your creative skills. Weekly assignment deadlines keep you on track, and with no set-logins or Zoom meetings, you can build your studies around your schedule.
Who Are The Instructors?
Our courses are developed and taught by our industry-leading faculty of creative professionals. This means that you’ll learn in-demand skills, get feedback on your work, and build a portfolio of creative work. View our Student Gallery for featured student projects.
When Can I Start?
Classes start January, April, and August, and this course is completed in a 15-week term. College credit from this course can be applied to a range of Degree and Certificate programs at Sessions College. You can enroll in this course on an individual basis or as part of a program.
Explore our Programs: Bachelor's Degree | Associate Degree | Undergraduate Certificate
How Do I Register?
To register for a program, complete our program application. To register for this course on an individual basis, please contact our admissions team at admissions@sessions.edu. An Admissions Advisor will contact you to setup your enrollment.
Course Tuition and Fees | |
---|---|
Tuition | $300/credit |
Registration Fee* | $200 |
Total Course Price | $1100 |
Registration fees are nonrefundable after 5 days from enrollment.
Is Sessions College Accredited?
Yes. Since 2001, Sessions College has been accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).