Photographing People in Natural Light

Natural light is the most accessible and expressive tool you have as a photographer, and learning to see it clearly changes everything. In this week-long immersive workshop, photographer Brandon Soder works with those interested in improving their skills photographing people, guiding them through the fundamentals of using natural and available light while building confidence in directing and working with subjects.

Over five days, you learn how natural light behaves and how it shapes mood, story, and connection in portrait photography, whether you are creating intimate portraits or photographing people within an environment. Brandon helps you slow down and truly see light through its direction, quality, contrast, and color so your images feel thoughtful rather than accidental. At the same time, the course emphasizes how to work with people on camera: how to communicate clearly, give simple direction, and help subjects feel comfortable and present within their surroundings.

Through daily exercises and hands-on guidance, you photograph a mix of people you encounter in real-world environments as well as hired models on location. You practice posing and directing subjects in ways that feel natural and responsive to the environment, learning how small adjustments in body position, gesture, and placement in the scene can strengthen both the light and the story. You work in conditions ranging from open shade and harsh sun to low-light interiors and environmental settings, while learning how to adapt calmly and creatively as both the light and the human dynamic shift.

Alongside creative development, the workshop builds a strong technical foundation without becoming overwhelming. You work with camera settings in changing light, learn when and how to use simple tools like reflectors, diffusion, and negative fill, and gain practical strategies for working efficiently on location while staying connected to your subject. Group image reviews and guided discussions help you understand what’s working, refine your visual choices, and develop consistency in your approach, all in a supportive and beginner-friendly environment.

By the end of the week, you leave with a clearer understanding of natural light, greater confidence working with and photographing people, and a stronger sense of your own approach to seeing, directing, and responding to what’s in front of you.