In the downloadable PDF you’ll find a series of how-tos that cover the basic principles of lighting, inverse square law, and how to break away from the rules of lighting and experiment to achieve the look you’re going for. Short and broad lighting techniques are covered in detail since those are the lighting setups Zach uses most often. He provides details on equipment you’ll need for each style he discusses and gives lots of tips and tricks to get you started on your lighting journey.

The live session takes you inside Zach’s downtown LA studio. You’ll see how a professional photographer sets up their lighting, camera, backdrop, and model to get the look they are going for. Zach answers questions from both host, Alejandro Santiago and from the 500px community. He also discusses how he got into photography, what inspires him, and a bit about his retouching and post-processing process.

Be sure to participate in the Exercise as well! You’ll find it, along with all of Zach’s example images, and participant submissions under the Lessons tab. Submit your own photo to receive feedback from the 500px community.

What you’ll learn
-The three principles of lighting: intensity, quality, direction
-The inverse square law
-Short lighting
-Broad lighting
-Colored gels
-Light modifiers: beauty dishes, softboxes, grids, snoots, stripboxes