Understanding Light: Natural Light Basics
with D'Ann Boal or Karlee Hooper
4 WEEK WORKSHOP
$300 Full Participation | $150 Study Along
Learn how to “find the light.”
This online course will help you learn how to “find the light” and take your natural light photography game to the next level! You’ll learn how to see and use light effectively, assess the quality of the light and manipulate it through a variety of techniques. We’ll cover how light contributes to the mood of an image and how you can use the direction of the light intentionally in your images. You’ll learn how to move beyond the golden hour and feel confident photographing subjects at any time of day while making the most of the light that is available. This is a Click Photo School textbook course, and you’ll see beautiful examples from a number of photographers to help you understand the concepts in new and exciting ways.
PREREQUISITES
To get the most out of this workshop, students should have a solid understanding of the exposure triangle. We will also talk about reflecting light during the course and students are encouraged to practice with a natural reflector or a DIY reflector (more information will be provided during the course of the class) Some students may want to purchase a reflector ahead of the class beginning.
what you’ll get
WEEKLY LESSONS
4 weekly lesson PDFs
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS
Videos that cover finding, using and manipulating natural light.
DAILY INSTRUCTOR-LED Q&A
Full participation students engage in instructor-led discussion and Q&A for daily interaction and support. Study along students have full viewing access.
CREATIVE VIDEOS
Creative videos from the instructors on how they use light in their own work.
INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK & CRITIQUE
Full Participation students receive extensive personal video critiques of weekly assignment submissions.
Study Along Students have full viewing access.
syllabus
Welcome & Preassignment
Lesson One
LEARN ABOUT
Find and Identify the Light
Quality, Direction
Color and Intensity
Reading the Light
Soft Light and Hard Light
Lesson Two
LEARN ABOUT
Additive and Subtractive Light and the Tools You Need
Feathering
Filtering
Reflecting and Diffusing; The Science of Light
Making Hard Light Soft
Making Soft Light Hard
Natural and Dedicated Reflectors
Catchlights
Lesson Three
LEARN ABOUT
Working In Different Light– Open Shade
Covered Shade
Window Light
Direct Light and Backlight
Filtering the Light
Changing the Look of the Light
Lesson Four
LEARN ABOUT
Choosing the RIGHT light for your image
Understanding and Exploring Light Direction
Mood and Intent and why they matter
Styles and Profiles
"I really loved this class. If you are looking for a class that will help you “see the light” both indoors and outside, this is definitely it."
- UMBREEN
read more reviews >
about your instructors
D’Ann graduated with a master’s degree in education, but it wasn’t until her son was born and they moved to the Caribbean that she picked up a camera and never looked back. Photographing their quiet life by the sea inspired her photography journey. Today she runs a photography boutique specializing in newborn, child and family photography. Living on a farm in Colorado with her husband, son and daughter, she loves to capture the light and magic of her children’s lives. She treasures her daily cup of jasmine tea, hikes with family, and long swims in the sunshine.
Karlee Hooper is a Canadian expat who lives in Southern California with her Australian husband, labradoodle, and three daughters. Karlee loves creating art from everyday adventures and unexpected locations. She brings her camera everywhere so she never misses capturing the beauty that is right in front of her. Follow along with Karlee’s work here.
how it works
start learning
All class content is organized into simple steps as part of a clear, self-guided pathway inside your private online classroom. You'll check off each interactive step as you go, from completing readings and watching videos to student Q&A and assignment submissions.
download weekly lessons
Each week, students receive a set of course materials, which generally include a PDF and instructional videos. All course materials are yours to download and keep.
Materials vary by program
study & ask questions
Your registration includes access to a private online workshop for sharing and discussion. The workshop is open 24 hours a day so that you can learn and join discussions on your own schedule. The instructor is present in the workshop every day to answer questions and offer encouragement.
complete weekly assignments
Students receive an assignment to complete each week that pertains to the topics covered in the course materials and builds upon class discussion throughout the week.
Full Participation students engage in an interactive online classroom experience that includes instructor-led group discussions and detailed, personalized guidance for the duration of the workshop. Full participation students post their assignments in the workshop and receive critique each week.
Study Along students have access to all materials and are able to view all content and conversation in the main workshop. Study along students will not be able to ask the instructor questions or request instructor feedback on their assignments, but they can follow along with instructor critiques of the Full Participation assignments.
This was my second class after Mastering Manual Exposure and I really loved this class so much! D´Ann was such a warm and personal teacher and the way she explained things (often with her own photos as examples) was so thoughtful and easy to understand. I loved the way she encouraged every one of us and mulled over creative ideas on how to enhance the story in our photos on top of teaching us about light and shadows. She even went outside the curriculum by adding extra materials like videos of her own workflow etc. She was genuinely excited for us when we grew and expanded our understanding of the theme, and was always available in the forum for questions, feedback and some chat. This created what felt like such a safe environment for us to share our thoughts and photos through the whole class!
And oh – the light! I`ll never view light or shadows in the same way again after this class, inside or outside. The curriculum was explained very well in the PDF and videos, and I liked the way each week built on the next one while having a new theme. After this class I’m actually finding myself mentally making notes on where the good spots are when I`m in a new place! I notice how the light falls and what quality it has to it. The four weeks flew by way too quickly, and I wished this class would have lasted longer. I was having so much fun, felt so inspired and I`m so happy I went for the full participation! I recommend this class so so much!!
If you are looking for your next class after mastering manual exposure this is it. The information and how it is explained with videos and a PDF is so helpful, and the amount of information is everything you need to know to set the foundation with your understanding of light and how to utilise it in your photography confidently. I am glad I took full participation as getting your personalised feedback is invaluable
D’Ann is THE MOST AMAZING TEACHER. I feel like it is the little things that make the greatest impressions and speaks volumes and in the online workshop she was so caring, patient, always available and answered every question and even made an extra video for the students in her class. She is kind and understanding and supportive in that she took a genuine interest in her students and was so personable. I feel like when you are trying to learn all you can about photography the person who teaches you and how they teach is just as important and D’Ann provided such a positive learning experience in this workshop greatly appreciated it. Thank you so much D’Ann.
You made me cry Klarissa! Thank you!!!!
An investment that you will not regret, D’Ann is the quintessential queen of light. She is committed to her students and always readily available to answer any questions and goes the extra mile to help you in your journey. I’m just shy of six months into my very own photography journey and i credit D’Ann for most of it. Take this course, it will change the way you view the world through your camera!
Angelina you are the sweetest. Thank you!!! Watching you grow seriously makes my heart jump for joy and it’s an honor to be part of your photography path.
I was a study along student for this class, and while I didn’t have a “voice” or an opportunity to have my work reviewed, it was still a wonderful class for me. (fall 2019) The students who participated were involved and asked a lot of questions. I read every single thread and article, and I viewed every video.The Q&A threads were wonderful opportunities for learning. D’Ann was a great teacher. Like others, I am amazed this was her first class. She has a great eye and could give great suggestions on how to make a good photo even better. She was great in adding comments about what the student did well, too. And not to mention that she is very thoughtful and kind in her responses. I will never think again of just having my subject “go stand in the shadow.” Oh my goodness, the subject might be at the edge of the shade, move back in the shade, turn 1/4 this way or that way. It makes all the difference in the world. I was just telling someone today that at the moment, I am so distracted by light and shadows. I see a scene now and I start analyzing it: Where would I put the subject? Where would I stand? Where is the sun? What should the background be? Are there any reflective surfaces? I will never look at light and shadow the same. I took the exposure class and it fundamentally changed and improved my photos. I would say that this class is also a game-changer. Thank you to D’Ann and all the students who participated for making this a great class. I HIGHLY recommend this class!
Gayle! I’m so happy to hear from you, and to read how much you got out of this class. I think the take away I most hope attendees have is a changed way of seeing the world in all its light. Like you, I’m constantly distracted by beautiful light everywhere I go! Thank you so much for taking the time to write these thoughtful words.
Wow is all that I can say!! I feel that my eyes have been opened. D’Ann is an amazing teacher and explained things in a way that was easy to follow and understand. I feel that I can now begin to take my photography to the next level. Thank you so much
Thank you Dena! I so loved having you in class and watching you grow!!
First of all – Congratulations to D’Ann, can’t believe this is her first time teaching Understanding Light workshop – she is outstanding!. D’Ann is amazing at all levels of teaching and breaking down everything or finding a few different ways to explain a concept if not clear! She is so dedicated and always prompt at answering any questions asked, going over and beyond not just with anything related to light but also with other elements of exposure, composition, LR or PS suggestions. She was always there to support and encourage everyone not just weekdays but through out the weekend and give a detailed review back on HW assignments.
Understanding light WS is an eye opener, its comes with so much of materials and videos to learn from! I really appreciate indoor light and outdoor a lot more, specially learning about how to study about the directions, the way light falls, and understand what could be expected – opened up so many more possibilities to work around with – in situations that might not always be according to what we want, along with the bigger picture of how control light the way we want to! I have read so much on using basic light in past few years, but this class is so much depth and much more to learn from, and the FP and forums help a lot! Would highly recommend any one interested in taking this class!
Thank you so much Manisha. I’m so happy to hear that you got this much out of this class, and that you learned and grew with how you see light. It was a joy teaching you and watching you grow!
I just finished this class with D’Ann and I cannot even begin to describe how eye opening it was for me. I see light in a completely different way than I did before. I notice it everywhere. D’Ann is an amazing instructor. She gives freely of all her knowledge and is so good at making everything easy to understand. This was my first full participation course and I can’t recommend it enough!
I loved getting to know you Erika! Watching you grow and have aha moments is what teaching is all about. Thank you for this kind review. I’m so happy I had the opportunity to be your instructor!
I took this class as a Study Along student, and although I greatly missed the interaction with D’Ann and other classmates I still felt it was a huge gain for my skills. I started realizing what made my “lucky” shots look nice and how to replicate all of those components in a more consistent way for friends and family. Most importantly it was great to see what techniques and habits professionals do in order to assess light and use them even when situations are less than ideal. I was expecting to hear about what equipment to buy and while some were recommended (like a 5-in-one reflector, lens hood, etc) I also really appreciated learning how to reflect light with objects around me. I live in a crowded, urban environment where nature is scarce. This course helped me look at my neighborhood through a new perspective and realize what I used to see as a hindrances (ie tight alley ways with limited light) can still be utilized to capture flattering and beautiful photos if I’m studying my light well. I’m now tracking my neighborhood streets and making notes of when and where to try something new. Beauty can be found in the less than ideal when you know how to chase the light. Thanks D’Ann for helping shift my perspective!
Angela,
Thank you so much for this thorough and thoughtful review! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get to know you in the FP forum, but so HAPPY you were able to learn and grow as a SA student. I hope to see you around in the forum!
This class was a game changer for me – at the most basic level I now look for light and see the differences in light. I cannot say enough about Danielle who went above and beyond to answer questions, and explain nuances in detail This class provides so much information about using light to your advantage. I feel like I have a whole new arsenal of tools to make the best with the light that I have. And I now understand why I was having issues in some scenarios. I have taken two other CM classes as a SA. This was my first FP. Not sure I can ever do SA again. The feedback is invaluable. I am sad it is over especially because I had so many overcast days – I want to take this class in every season just for the awesome feedback!
This class opened my eyes to the light around me. It helped me improve my use of light in photography and my appreciation of the beauty of light in my everyday life. Danielle Awwad takes the time to create extra videos to help elucidate difficult concepts. She ensure the course material is personalized to the level of each student. Well worth the investment.
I LOVED this class! There is so much information and it has already made such a difference in my images. The information is well presented and thorough. Elizabeth is so thorough and thoughtful in her evaluations of your work. She has an amazing eye. If you are debating between study along vs full participant I highly recommend full participation to get the feedback. She answers every question with thought, examples, links, she really cares that you understand it. This was my second Clickin Mom’s course, my first was MME and this was a great second class to take.
If you are thinking of taking this class, stop thinking and start taking! This class was the most informative and photography-changing class I’ve had. I learned so much about finding and using light and I feel like my photos are finally starting to match my intention. Elizabeth was a supportive and involved instructor, who answered every question we posed as quickly and thoroughly as she could. Her feedback was invaluable! I can’t recommend this class enough!
This was my first class on light and I learned so much more about it than I expected. Every week was packed with information and Elizabeth guided us through each concept, answering all our questions with thorough explanations, personal examples, and video. She was seemingly always available and eagerly offered plenty of helpful, friendly encouragement. It’s a foundational class that’s changed the way I see light forever and how I use my camera every day since. I’ve read tons on this subject, but nothing substitutes the feedback and interaction of a workshop, especially when you’re able to take it FP and pour yourself into it each week. I seriously learn more in a 4 week workshop than I do in a year on my own.
I really loved this class. If you are looking for a class that will help you “see the light” both indoors and outside, this is definitely it. Elizabeth is a very supportive instructor, and she was also willing to dive into directions not in the syllabus based on questions asked by students. It is the first class I have taken, so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I would definitely recommend it as a full participation course. My only regret is that it was just 4 weeks. I want more!
Understanding Light is a fantastic introduction to all things light! The materials (pdf’s and videos) were very thorough and really help to build a solid foundation for seeing and understanding how to use light. Elizabeth is exceptionally sweet and encouraging. I really felt like she cared about each one of us in the class, and that is a great feeling! She is more than willing to answer all questions and help you in any way that she can. She provides detailed video feedback on the weekly assignments that is very helpful. This is the class to take if you want to start building your knowledge of light, both indoors and out!
This class was by far the most eye opening class I have taken. My only regret is that it didn’t last longer. Elizabeth constantly encouraged us to ask questions, no question was too small and she answered in such detail. I have learned to see light in a whole new way and it has changed my photography. I highly encourage full participation in this class, the constant feedback is invaluable.