Sydney Photographic Workshops

A bit of a reminder that Speedlites aren’t just for lighting people.

These were shot in the middle of the day.

Nothing dramatic happening with the light… so we created it.

Underexposed the ambient to pull things down, then added a bit of flash to bring the subject back.

Same approach, just applied to something a little different.

Once you understand how to control light, it really doesn’t matter what you’re pointing the camera at.

Forbes, NSW - Part 2

One of the main ideas we explored in the workshop this week was simple: Slow down and consider before you take the photo.

It sounds obvious, but most of us don’t do it. We see something, point the phone, and move on.

The difference comes when you pause for a moment and ask:

What is this photo actually about?
Where is the light coming from?
Can I simplify the frame?

Most of these images came from scenes that didn’t look like much at first glance.

A wall.
A window.
A bit of light hitting a building.

But when you stop and look a little more carefully, those small moments start to turn into photographs.

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Forbes, NSW - Part 1

I recently held a Smartphone Photography Workshop out in Forbes, NSW for a fantastic group of regular travelers.

Arriving a couple of days early I spent some time wandering around town with the phone. Something I always like to do when visiting somewhere new — just walking, observing, and seeing what catches the eye.

Forbes is a beautiful heritage town, full of character if you slow down long enough to notice it. Old signage, strong light, interesting textures… all the things we often walk straight past.

All of these were taken on my iPhone.

Photography isn’t always about the camera — it’s about learning to see what’s already there.

Thanks again to Beth and the group for such a great day.

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Playing with shapes and contrasting tones.

This one is less about the subject… more about how things line up.

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Accidental heist scene.
Definitely wasn't a part of the workshop brief.

Right place, right time… and a lot of yellow. 🍋

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Sydney skyline with a side of fairy floss.
Couldn’t have placed that cloud better if we tried.

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Our Workshops – https://www.easy.link/sydneyphotographicworkshops

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Afternoon session from the Portrait Workshop. We moved over to Alexandria Park and changed up the approach a little.

The ambient light was still there, but instead of working with it, we pulled it back. Underexposed the scene, then used a pop of flash to bring the subject forward.

You don’t always need to find better light if you know how to shape what you have.

Once you get comfortable doing that, you’re not relying on the location as much. You’re building the shot instead of just reacting to it.

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Model: .kinsella
Styling:

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Black and white from the same morning session. Same space, same light… just a different way of looking at it.

Stripping the colour back shifts the focus onto light, shape, and expression. Sometimes that’s all you need.

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Model:

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Some demo pics from the morning session of last Saturday’s Portrait Workshop.

We spent the first half of the day down at the Sydney Heritage Fleet, shooting in their main workshop and down in the boiler room of a 1920's steam ship The John Oxley.

It’s one of those locations where you don’t have to do too much, except bring the light. In this instance a small led cube did the trick.

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Model:

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A nice little opportunity has come our way that we thought was worth sharing.

The South Sydney Herald — a long-running independent community paper — is looking for volunteer photographers to help cover local stories and events around the inner city.

For anyone keen to get some real-world experience, build confidence, and see their work published, this could be a great way to get involved.

If it feels like a good fit, you can reach out to them directly using the details below.

JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

Saturday the 21st of March, 2026! 9am - 6pm.

Over the course of the day we’ll work through the full process of photographing people — from camera settings and lighting through to directing your subject and creating images with personality.

Rather than just talking about it, we actually shoot throughout the day using live models, so you can practise the techniques as you learn them.

During the workshop we cover things like:

• Choosing the right camera settings for portraits
• Working with natural light and simple flash
• Directing and posing your subject so they feel comfortable
• Composition and framing that flatters people
• Creating portraits that feel natural rather than staged
• My personal workflow when approaching a portrait shoot

It’s a very practical day and there’s plenty of time to ask questions and experiment with different ideas.

The workshop is suited to competent beginners through to intermediate photographers who want to become more confident photographing people — whether that’s family, travel portraits, or even stepping toward portrait work professionally.

We keep the group small so everyone gets plenty of shooting time, and there are currently a few places still available.

If portrait photography is something you’ve been wanting to improve, this is a great opportunity to spend a full day focusing on it.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Daniel Linnet, M.Photog., and the SPW Team.

Who needs big lights when you’ve got a single Speedlite. 📸

A few frames from last Saturday’s Speedlite Essentials workshop.

The first two were shot with a single on-camera flash.
The third we moved off-camera.
Then we took it outside and put it to work on the street.

That humble little Speedlite? It’s a lot more capable than most people realise.

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Model: ameliaconway__
Wardrobe:

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