Portraits with a Purpose with Nanlite’s Aaron Young – Los Angeles

***Registered Attendees will receive a Gift Card to Samy’s Camera for the ticket price they paid for the workshop!***

“Portraits with a Purpose” is a beginner workshop hosted at Samy’s Camera in Los Angeles, presented by photographer Aaron Jay Young in partnership with Nanlite. You’ll start with the fundamentals. How your camera actually works, why light shapes everything, and what a single well-placed source can do that no amount of equipment can replace. Then you’ll shoot. Real portraits, with real people, in real time.

Through hands-on sessions photographing models, you’ll work through multiple lighting setups, learning not just where to place the light, but how to read a person, build trust quickly, and create an image that has energy. You’ll leave with new images, new instincts, and a foundation you can actually build on.

INSTRUCTOR BIO

Aaron Jay Young is a Los Angeles and Palm Springs-based portrait photographer whose work sits at the intersection of technical craft and deep human connection. His portraits have appeared on stages, in homes, and in galleries. His coffee table book Queen, a large-format collection of drag queen portraits shot over multiple years at RuPaul’s DragCon, began with his first professional photography job as a stills photographer on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Aaron’s approach to portraiture is built on a single belief: the most technically perfect image falls flat without the energy of the person in it. His Soulgenic™ philosophy — the idea that anyone can create powerful photographs when they feel safe enough to be real — shapes everything he does behind the camera and in front of a room. He teaches the way he shoots: with honesty, precision, and genuine care for the person across from him.

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Cancellation Policy: Refund requests must be made in writing at least 7 days prior to the event. No refunds or credits will be given with less than 7 days’ notice.