Make time for
better photos.

Bring: Any camera, a willing subject or an object, and one light source.

1. Keep your subject and background simple. Turn off other lights so you can see what your one source is doing.
2. Make three frames with the light in front, to the side, and behind. With a window, move around your subject instead.
3. Compare the shadows and subject separation. Choose one frame and write down why its light works.

Walk away with: Three photographs of the same subject, each with a different mood.

Bring: A camera or phone and a familiar place to explore.

1. Choose a subject and the feeling you want to communicate before you take the first photograph.
2. Make a wide, medium, and close composition. Look at the edges of each frame and remove distractions by changing position.
3. Try a 16:9 crop on your strongest image. Keep it only if the wider frame makes your story clearer.

Walk away with: One final image and a sentence explaining the story you wanted to tell.

Bring: One existing photograph and an editor with color and grain controls.

1. Duplicate an image so you can compare your edit with the original. Correct exposure and white balance first.
2. Choose one color direction: warm highlights or cooler shadows. Keep the change subtle and check any skin tones.
3. Try a little grain, then compare at both full size and thumbnail size. Remove any adjustment that distracts from the subject.

Walk away with: A before-and-after pair, with a note about what you changed and why.