Studio Photography Intensive

Toronto, 
November 22nd - 23rd, 2025

Step into the world of professional studio photography with our Studio Photography Intensive, a hands-on, two-day workshop designed to elevate your skills. Whether you're a beginner looking to build a solid foundation or an experienced photographer looking to refine your craft, this workshop will educate you in the essential techniques of studio work.

Over two immersive days, you’ll:

  • Master essential studio gear and camera settings for professional results

  • Learn how to plan a successful shoot with call sheets, shot lists, and production workflows

  • Set up lighting, modifiers, and tethered capture stations like a pro

  • Understand lighting ratios and positioning for creative control

  • Refine images with efficient Capture One editing techniques

  • Build an organized post-production workflow from file management to final export

You will gain insider knowledge and proven techniques that working professionals use every day, knowledge that is rarely shared in generic tutorials or scattered online tips. This is real, experience-based learning designed to fast-track your growth in the studio.

Key Details

  • Dates: 
November 22nd - 23rd, 2025

  • Location: Toronto, ON

  • Price: $899.99 CAD per person

  • Group Size: Minimum 8, Maximum 16

  • Experience: Open to any level of photographer

  • Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Over two focused days, you will work side-by-side with other passionate photographers in an intimate, hands-on environment that encourages experimentation and growth. Every session is designed to give you practical, real-world skills you can immediately apply to your own work. Seats are limited, so secure your spot now and take the next step toward mastering studio photography.

Workshop Overview

On Day 1, you'll master camera settings, lighting equipment, and production planning while learning how to set up a seamless tethered workflow. On Day 2, you'll jump into a real-world studio environment, working with models, directing shoots, and capturing stunning images in a controlled setting.

You'll also refine your post-production skills with an in-depth Capture One editing session, ensuring your images are polished and professional. With guided instruction, practical exercises, and expert insights, this intensive workshop will equip you with the confidence to execute high-quality studio shoots.

Day 1: Foundations & Production Prep

  • Understand essential studio cameras and accessories

  • Learn how to select the right gear for different shoots

  • Master key settings for consistent, professional results

  • Work with strobes and understand lighting settings

  • Develop production plans into call sheets and shot lists

  • Explore lighting tools, modifiers, and light recipes

  • Building a professional tethering station

  • Set up and troubleshoot Capture One for tethered shooting

  • And much more…

Day 2: Live Shoot & Editing Workflow

  • Prepare for a live studio session with clear goals

  • Direct and collaborate with models for effective storytelling

  • Adjust lighting setups on the fly for creative results

  • Capture images in Capture One for real-time review

  • Back up images for an efficient post-production process

  • Edit photos in Capture One for high-quality results

  • Use layers, masks, and presets to speed up editing

  • Exporting for optimal results across web and social

  • And much more…

By the end of this two-day experience, you will walk away with the knowledge, confidence, and technical skills to create professional studio images from concept to final delivery. From mastering lighting setups to directing a live shoot and perfecting your edits in Capture One, every moment is designed to give you hands-on experience and proven techniques you can use right away. This is your opportunity to refine your craft, learn in a collaborative and inspiring environment, and leave with images you are proud to showcase.

About the Instructor

As you already know, my name is Gajan Balan. I’m a photographer and director based in Toronto. My visuals are an exercise in world building that moves across portraiture, fashion, street, and documentary. My work has garnered multiple awards, publications, and galleries but my primary focus remains on highlighting humanistic stories from around the world. Namely those that draw inspiration from my culture and heritage. My goal is to develop compelling stories that can inspire the next generation of creatives.

Studio photography has been one of the most transformative parts of my creative journey, taking me from small, improvised setups to world-class studios and allowing me to create stories that resonate far beyond the frame. Along the way, I have learned that mastering studio work is not just about technical skill but about unlocking a creative freedom that changes how you see and shape the world.

My hope is to share that knowledge with others, giving them the tools and confidence to pursue their own vision. If this workshop can ignite that spark for even one person, it will have been worth every moment.