FILM PORTRAITS: NATURAL LIGHT & CHARACTER
Class - Photography | Registration opens 5/5/2026 9:00 AM EDT
There's a reason working photographers keep coming back to film. It slows you down in exactly the right ways — and when you're making portraits, that slowness becomes a superpower. This class is built around the way natural light actually works: the quality of a north-facing window, the wrap of open shade, the warmth of late afternoon sun cutting across someone's face. These are the tools professional film photographers have always relied on, and they're available to anyone willing to learn how to read them. Class includes 3 rolls of color film, processing, and film scans. All levels welcome.
Over three sessions spaced two weeks apart, you'll shoot two complete rolls of film and work through the full arc of a portrait project — from first meeting your subject to holding finished scans that reflect both technical intention and genuine human connection. The two-week rhythm between sessions is intentional: it mirrors how film works. You shoot, you wait, you see. That pause changes how you look at light the next time.
Session 1: Foundations and first shoot. Film stocks, exposure, and how to read natural light. We'll shoot together so your first roll is in the lab before you leave.
Session 2: Second shoot and early results. Your first roll is back. We'll look at what worked, talk about directing subjects without losing authenticity, and shoot again with fresh eyes.
Session 3: Review and refinement. Both rolls on the table. We'll talk honestly about the images — what the light did, what you did, and how to carry that forward.
What to bring: A 35mm or medium format film camera, two rolls of film (recommendations provided), and a subject you'd like to photograph. Light meter optional but recommended.
Who this is for: Photographers of any level who want to slow down, shoot with more intention, and make portraits that feel real.
Amy Badgett
Amy Badgett is a film photographer and alternative processing enthusiast. She is passionate about slow, hands-on photographic and print-making processes as well as collaborative projects. When she's not experimenting in the darkroom or making double exposures with her friends, you can find Amy working in her garden or swimming laps at the pool.