The Art of Mezame Academy: LIGHT IT UP!

A total of 19 participants* came for our LIGHT IT UP! Basic Lighting for Portrait Photography Workshop held at Luminos on the 16th March 2019. This is the first time that The Art of Mezame and Emily Fliptography got together to collaborate on a photography workshop together.

* One of our participants had to go on sick leave as he was not feeling well 🙁 We hope he recovers soon!

Knowledge: The 4-hour long workshop saw the participants go through an introduction to studio lighting equipment, lighting theories and a live demo before getting their hands-on experience with their own team assignments. Most importantly, they learnt of the reasons of the importance of lighting in photography, the philosophy for lighting right (getting things right in camera without relying too much on post-processing), and identify common mistakes as well as concepts in lighting for portrait photography.

Application:As we had 4 models – Rithe, Kion, Mato and Darren – and 4 stations with various themes thanks to Luminos’s pre-set studio sections, the participants were split into 4 teams. Each team was given an assignment they had to complete within the time given based on reference images taken earlier by both Emily and myself by with minimal supervision. We would only step in if they showed signs of struggle. Critical thinking between team members was evident as some teams got very innovative with their shots!

Scaffolding: As the day progresses, many of the participants had their own AHA moments which they shared to other participants during the presentation portion. Of course, the facilitators, Emily and myself, were on hand to correct them in their explanations of how they got the shots. The learning was a lot more authentic this way. It helped that my previous experience as a teacher with the Ministry of Education gave me the valuable experience to conduct the workshop right. Participants also had the opportunity to work with different types of lighting, and learning how each had their own pros and cons, and as they put the gear through the paces, they understood some of the advantages and limitations present in the hardware.

Aftermath: The workshop served as a springboard for many photographers who were already familiar with their cameras but wanted to explore how to do portrait lighting with lighting equipment such as flash, strobes and LED panels. Since it was a workshop, participants had to really work it to get the shots right. It was heartening to hear positive feedback from the participants!

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Works: Some of the participants are really quick on their feet. 2 teams have submitted some of their works. Shows how excited they are for their new-found knowledge!

Testimonials: Some of our participants gave us feedback/shared their experiences through official means (surveys) and through unofficial channels (their Instagram stories). Here’s what they had to say about the workshop.

“I do not think in my life I would be able to handle those kind equipment so I was pretty nervous yet excited at the same time. Mezame and Emily were very helpful in trying to assist us with the equipment as well as dropping hints as how recreate the creative shots they provided.” – Louis Leo

“I believe I have learnt more techniques to better light my subjects with strobes and speed lights. As my group was using all speedlights, I now have more confidence in trying speed lights for shoots. As I only had 2 shoots in a studio prior to this workshop, I have a poor understanding of the gears. I also have no idea about the pros and cons of each lighting options . . . The trainers and models are great! Emily was great at assisting us too!” – Johnathan Quek

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Both myself and Emily would like to thank the following people for making this workshop possible.

1. The Luminos crew: Wai Keat and Kelvin Koh
2. Hana of Hana L. Makeup Artistry
3. Our lovely models – Rithe, Kion, Mato and Darren
4. All of our participants
5. J (our van driver)

What’s next?: Come join us at The Art of Mezame Academy on Facebook to find out what’s up next. All are invited!

We also conduct photography workshops for schools and corporate clients. Please email me at mezame@theartofmezame.com for more information.