Photography workshop – Flash on location
Learn to mix ambient light with flash, control demanding locations and build stronger visual stories during a practical workshop with Quadralite ambassador Filip Kowalkowski.
If you want to learn how to mix ambient light with flash, take control of a location and build engaging visual stories, this workshop is for you.
On 28 January we worked in atmospheric interiors, using flash to tell the story of both the people and the place. Participants learned how to build a frame, light demanding locations, work with models, choose exposure settings and control the colour, character and direction of light. We also covered the inverse-square law and the relationship between portrait lighting and the location.
Instructor: Filip Kowalkowski
Filip began his photographic career while studying, working as a photojournalist for Toruńskie Nowości and later collaborating with Polska Press Grupa, Express Bydgoski and Gazeta Pomorska. In recent years he has focused on commercial and corporate photography.
Since 2012 he has taught photography at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and has run his own studio and portrait photography courses. His work has received awards and distinctions in Polish and international competitions, including BZ WBK Press Photo, Grand Press Photo, International Photography Awards and regional press-photo contests. He is also a Quadralite ambassador and hosts the Filip Kowalkowski Fotografia podcast.
Website: <https://filipkowalkowski.com/>
Selected awards and distinctions:
- 2022 – Polska Konteksty – chair of the jury
- 2022 – Artistic Scholarship of the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
- 2021 – Kujawsko-Pomorskie Press Photo – Grand Prix and 1st place, Everyday Life
- 2018 – Grand Press Photo – nomination, Sport / single image
- 2017 – International Photography Awards – Honorable Mention, Professional Portrait
- 2017 – Grand Press Photo – nominations in Sport / single image
- 2017 – BZ WBK Press Photo – 2nd place, Portrait / single image
- 2016 – International Photography Awards: A Family of Man – Honorable Mention
- 2016 – Regional Press Photo – special award and category distinctions
- 2012 – Regional Press Photo – distinction in photojournalism
Participants tested different lighting setups and Quadralite flash equipment in real interiors, learning how each lighting decision changes the final image.
Workshop programme:
10:00–11:00 – introduction, overview of the workshop, presentation of the instructor's work and discussion of the creative process for location photography.
11:00–11:15 – coffee break.
11:15–13:30 – practical section: building a lighting setup from scratch in an unfamiliar location and analysing existing light before adding flash.
13:30–15:30 – shooting and discussion, with questions from participants.
15:30–16:00 – lunch and closing.
In front of the camera:
Monika Chmielecka – <https://www.instagram.com/monika.chmielecka/>
Julia Włodarska – <https://www.instagram.com/bastet_xx/>
The workshop price included:
- completion certificate,
- guidance from a professional photographer,
- technical lighting support from a Quadralite representative,
- professional model session,
- lunch,
- access to Quadralite lighting,
- work in an atmospheric venue,
- a small group.
Who was the workshop for?
- Intermediate and advanced photographers wanting to develop their flash skills.
- Ambitious enthusiasts who already knew the fundamentals and wanted to progress.
- Anyone interested in improving lighting technique.
Two-part format
In the first part, the instructor demonstrated step by step how he builds a frame, chooses lighting methods and directs the set. In the second, participants tested the same methods with their own cameras under his guidance.
Why take part?
The workshop combined practical experience with the theory needed to use studio and speedlights confidently. Participants learned both fundamental and more advanced lighting techniques as well as popular modifiers.
Information:
Date: 28.01.2023
Start: 10:00
Duration: 6 hours
Venue: Craft Cocktails, ul. Piwna 56/1, Gdańsk
Places: 10
Price: PLN 599