Red Deer Photography Class Archives | Beloved Life Photography

Stylized Bridal Session- Red Deer Photographer

It’s funny how one little thing can lead to something extraordinary… a small idea becomes bigger than ever planned.

This is what happened with the following session. See, I teach photography classes here in Red Deer. One thing a lot of attendees have mentioned is that they learn best with hands-on experience, so I got to thinking. I wanted to provide an opportunity for these girls to get some time to photograph, with no pressure, and full creative roam. I asked them what genre photography they were most interested in, and they said weddings/bridal. And then it took off…

I teamed up with a few local vendors, found a most excellent location, and sent word out that I was planning a stylized bridal session with a boho theme. Next thing I knew, I had photographers signing up and a list of fantastic local businesses to work with… from decor to flowers, and bow ties to a charcuterie board! It all came together beautifully (and Mother Nature was totally on board too, minus the extreme heat)

We all came together and posed, directed, and created. Aside from one of the models getting scraped by the barbed wire, it went off without a hitch. (Sorry Megan!)

Here’s a list of all the incredible vendors that made this possible and beautiful:

Decor/Cake: Something Borrowed Vintage Decor

Flowers: Calyx Floral Design

Venue: Canyon Ski Resort

Dress: Chelsea Celeste Designs

Bow Ties and Pocket Square: Tie One On

Jewelry: Boho Rio Designs

Macrame: Free Spirit Designs

Calligraphy: by gian lee

Charcuterie Board: Strait Up Charcuterie

And a huge shout out to my friend Candice at Candy Koated Design Studio for helping out wherever needed!

And of course, our models: Megan, Sarah, and Jesse

darn barbed wire.

See what I mean? They made it amazing. And I hope that all the girls who came to photograph this were inspired to create… It truly is a life-giving thing to do.

I’m a photographer that specializes in children/family sessions, and also teach photography classes in Central Alberta. Feel free to follow me on Instagram or Facebook.

Red Deer Photography Classes

If you’ve been watching my social media lately, you may have noticed my posts about my upcoming Red Deer photography classes … This is something I started last year and discovered that I really enjoy teaching and seeing others learn about photography. I genuinely get pumped about these sessions, and get so excited when I see people realizing what they can do with their camera. It’s like it opens a new door for their creativity, and I get to play a part in it.

I offer a few different classes for different levels of photographers. My most popular one is for Beginner’s. In these 2 hour sessions, I explain what the main components of a great exposure are (aperture, shutter speed, Iso, etc.) and I use simple terms to describe them. See, I teach others the way that I learned best. Hands on, at my pace, and simple terminology. I tell more about my story in the class, of how it took me a few years to full grasp manual settings, but it was a journey. And now I want to pass on what I learned to other people who want to take the photos they envision. The main focus of this class is to get you out of using Auto mode, and try adjusting your camera’s settings to have more control over your photos, and take the pictures you envision.

The other classes I offer are an Intermediate level, and editing. With both of these, people come with a prior knowledge of their camera and it’s basic settings, and then we expand on them.

All classes are 2 hours in length. I usually chatter on for the first hour or so, and then the second half is when we try out the new techniques with the cameras. THIS is the key to getting out of auto and grasping manual mode- PRACTICE. It can be tedious, frustrating, and somewhat boring, but I promise, this is when it ‘clicks.’ In every class I have taught, there has been at least one person who has an ‘Ah Ha’ moment (thanks Oprah) and something that they didn’t understand just makes sense.

I limit my class size in oder to accommodate questions, and also to spend time with each person and help them with their camera functions. We have had classes where almost every single person had a different camera model, so it helps to be able to spend some one on one time with everyone.

Following the class, everyone who attends is invited to join my Facebook group for all past attendees, where they can post their work and ask questions to the group.

Aside from a class setting, I also teach in other ways. I offer one on one sessions, which are personalized to specific areas you are wanting to grow in. This can cover anything from beginning in the photography world and wanting a focused lesson, to the business aspects, including how I market, advertise, and make connections with others in the industry, or editing. I’m an open book during this time, and many find this is the best route, as it is based on where you are in your photography journey, and on your schedule.

One other way of teaching that I’m beginning this summer is through hands-on, in the field, ask-while-you-shoot sessions. This is where I stylize a session (bridal, family, kids, etc.) and a small group of us photograph them together. Again, many people need a hands-on approach to grasp the fundamentals of shooting in manual mode. This is a chance to take photos (which you can use for building a portfolio) AND I’ll be there to answer questions regarding camera settings, lighting, posing, etc. It’s great way to learn (and get some great photos in the process!)

If you’re interested in learning more about any of my classes or sessions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I thoroughly enjoy this aspect of my photography and would very much like to be a part of your creative journey.

I photograph with a Nikon D700, but any level dslr is welcome!

Photography Class Red Deer