The Look
and Feel of light

You’ll join us at 19:00 for a welcome evening and dinner at the landmark restaurant Ku-Kuu (Kuressaare Kuursaal), opened in 1899. It’s set just opposite the moat-ringed castle of Kuressaare, Saaremaa’s largest town. In the year of our workshop, the town will celebrate its 460th anniversary, though its actual origins stretch back at least several centuries earlier. 

• Joe and the staff will greet workshop participants and provide an overview of the details and methods to be followed over the ensuing days.
• Afterwards, we’ll take the opportunity to get to know each other over a shared, traditional Estonian meal.
• Following dinner, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of the medieval city with our very own minibus (chartered for the entirety of the workshop to guarantee easy transters and full flexibility).

Gathering in front of Kuressaare Castle at 8:50 am, we’ll head as a group to class, to be held in the castle. The facilities are state-of-the-art, renovated as recently as 2023. All will receive a badge which will serve as your key to classroom facilities.

• (Class starts at 9:00 every day, except Saturday)

This first session is an opportunity for everyone to get acquainted and settle in.

• Joe will walk you through some of his work, highlighting examples of using various lighting techniques, including both natural and artificial light.
• You’ll then share 4-5 images from your own portfolio or website with the class. Note that this is not a critique, but rather a way for everyone to get to know one another.
• You’ll also share your goals for the week so that Joe can make the week as productive as possible for the class.

We’ll then break for lunch between 12:00-14:00.

From 14:00-18:00, we will engage in practical shooting exercises. These will benefit from a total of 8 models (the same number that will join us every day of the workshop), therefore optimizing the time available for each team to carry out their shooting practice. On the workshop’s first day, we’ll be shooting both inside and around Kuressaare Castle.

• Before we begin, a quick overview of gear will be presented. (Please note that all participants should be familiar with their own equipment. As there are many different systems out there, each photographer must be able to use and troubleshoot their own gear.)
• We will also present Profoto’s range of professional lighting equipment, all of which will be at your disposal for the length of the workshop. Each participant will have time to test the top-notch gear on-hand. 

Next, we’ll split into teams to launch into work with our models.

• During this first session, we will focus on working with a single light.
• This is a chance for us to get to know one another, as well as the location and the models.
• Time permitting, we’ll rotate the models so that each team can work with different faces. 

Each day, we’ll aim to schedule a model rotation, though please note that this may not always be possible. Finally, if time permits, Joe will also provide a personal demonstration of a shoot.

Each morning, we’ll begin with critiques of the previous day’s work.

• This is a crucial part of the workshop, as it allows us to learn from each other and our experiences with the camera. All participants are encouraged to share both their successful and unsuccessful shots, with no Photoshop or subsequent editing applied.
• The focus for the workshop will rest on discipline with the camera and achieving a strong image without relying on post-processing.

(Of course, if a photographer has a specific vision that involves extensive post-capture work, they are encouraged to share the final image that reflects their thought process.)

• In addition, Joe will also draw upon his own archives to provide examples and scenarios for participants to consider and discuss.

After lunch, we’ll meet in the castle courtyard at 14:00. Boarding our minibus together, we’ll then be whisked to a wonderful forested landscape. Here, you’ll begin your practical shooting exercises with models, to last until 19:00, when we’re due to be back in the city.

• During the photo sessions with the models, we’ll form small teams and the instructor will rotate between these, offering real-time advice and guidance on potential strategies.

Our goal for the workshop is to achieve a cohesive and coherent body of work. During critiques, we will discuss ways to achieve this visual connectedness.
Should a photographer identify particular models that align with their overall visual approach, we will make every effort to ensure that they have access to the models that best represent their vision.

If time allows during the afternoon session, Joe will also demonstrate a live shooting session, explaining his thought process and technical approach each step of the way.

We’ll critique class members’ model shots from the previous day, then break at 12:00 for lunch. To maximize learning time, the lunch break will be shorter today: from 12:0-13:00.

At 13:00, we’ll meet in the castle courtyard and begin our journey. The beautiful Jämaja Church in the countryside will be our first stop of the day. Here we’ll watch and listen as Joe puts on a demonstration of a bridal photo shoot in this authentic setting.

• Practical shooting exercises will then be held with the help of our models until our departure for the Sõrve Peninsula and lighthouse
• Access to the entire, historic Jämaja Church will be exclusively ours

At the Sõrve Peninsula and its lighthouse, we will enjoy a good stretch of time to work with our models. 

We’ll serve dinner at the site (included in the workshop fee) before returning to the city that evening.

Our Saturday is particularly jam-packed.

The morning will begin with critiques from the Jämaja and Sõrve shoots.

After lunch, we’ll continue with the critiques of photos from the previous days. We’ll then prepare for the evening shoot and conclude the class at the castle around 15:00, allowing you ample time to rest before the next session.

• The focus while shooting in the field will rest on working efficiently with minimal gear and utilizing natural light to enhance our storytelling efforts.

As photographers, ambient light is often the most important light source. We will therefore focus on mastering this skill as we visit two more stunning locations:

• Angla Windmill Mount
• Tuhkana Beach

The bus will be waiting in the parking lot next to Hotel Arensburg at 16:30. All models will travel with the group, and our first destination will be the Angla Windmill Mount.

Here we’ll enjoy a local, home-style dinner at 17:00, followed by shooting with our models, honing our skills at quick lighting setups against stunning backdrops – here accentuated by the striking outlines of the windmills.

• We will depart from Angla around 19:30.

Our final destination will be Tuhkana Beach, where our stay will stretch from  20:00-23:00.

• Here, in taking more photos with models, you’ll discover which lighting setups are most effective for shooting on the beach.
• You’ll also be served with snacks along with coffee and tea.; drinks such as soft drinks, wines, and beers will also be available here.
• Participants keen on a dip in the sea are welcome to bring their swimwear today, but please remember as well to bring warm clothes as it can get quite chilly in the late evening.
• We will begin the return trip to Kuressaare right after sunset, around 23:00.

We will be back in the city around 23:45.

The last day starts at 10:00 with a focused critique session, allowing us to reflect on the entire workshop.

• During the critique session, we’ll also focus on the featured pictures taken at Tuhkana Beach
• We will choose the photos for printing, selecting 3-4 per person (note that the print house requires submission of photos by 15:00 at the latest). The chosen pictures will be sent to the print house.
• Workshop participants will enjoy some free time before the evening program commences.
• At 17:00, we will showcase our photos with a pop-up exhibition, to be held inside the Ku-Kuu restaurant.
• At 18:00, we’ll have our final dinner together at Ku-Kuu, where the workshop first began.