JEFF JENKINS.
One-on-one photography and lighting lessons
Private, hands-on lessons in off-camera flash for photographers around Forest Hill, Bel Air, Towson and Baltimore. We work with your camera and your light, on the thing you are stuck on, until you can set up a portrait and explain why the light is where it is.
What a lighting lesson covers
Most people who ask about lessons can already take a well-exposed photograph in daylight. What they cannot yet do is put a flash on a stand and get the picture they had in mind. That gap is what a lesson is for.
Getting the flash to fire, reliably
Trigger, channel, manual power, and your camera's own sync speed. A boring ten minutes that saves hours of guessing.
Direction, size and distance
Move one thing, take two frames, compare them. You see for yourself what each change does to the shadows, instead of memorizing a diagram.
Balancing flash with the room
How to make the background brighter or darker on purpose while the person in front of you stays lit the way you want.
Building the portrait yourself
You place the light and make the decisions. I ask questions and keep my hands off your settings.
Directing a person well
Asking, describing and demonstrating a pose rather than moving someone. Consent, comfort and credit are part of the technique, not a footnote.
Knowing what to change next
The real goal: you look at a frame, name one problem, pick the control that fixes it, and can tell whether it worked.
We use manual flash and one modifier, because that makes every adjustment visible. It is a way of teaching, not a rule about how you have to shoot afterwards. Camera basics, retouching and multi-light setups are separate subjects; if one of those is what you need, say so and we will plan for it.
A private class, not a classroom course
If you searched for a photography class or a lighting class near Baltimore or Harford County, this is the one-to-one version. There is no fixed syllabus and no room of ten people working at ten different speeds. The whole session is spent on your camera, your light and your pictures.
Who these lessons are for
Photographers moving from natural light to flash. Photographers who own a speedlight or a strobe and are not getting what they hoped from it. Cosplayers and creatives who want to light their own portraits at home. Working photographers who want a second pair of eyes on a setup that is not behaving.
You do not need to be a beginner or an expert. You need a camera you can set by hand, and something specific you want to get better at.
Portraits built around a subject and a deliberate light
See the full portfolio →
How a lesson works
Tell me what you are stuck on
What you shoot, what gear you have, and the picture you cannot yet make. We agree on one goal for the lesson before the day.
Learn by doing
A short explanation, then you try it, then we look at the frames together. Most of the time is yours behind the camera.
Leave with a practice plan
A written summary of what you did, what to keep working on, and a specific assignment to shoot on your own.
Lessons in Forest Hill, Harford County and around Baltimore
I am Jeff Jenkins, a cosplay and creative-portrait photographer and lighting educator based in Forest Hill, Maryland. I teach photographers from across Harford County, including Bel Air, and from Towson and the Baltimore area.
Looking for something other than a private lesson? Small-group workshops, portfolio critiques and convention panels are on the education page.
Common questions
Is this a photography class for beginners?
It can be. If you are new to your camera, we start with setting exposure by hand and move to flash when that is comfortable. If you already shoot in manual, we go straight to lighting. Either way it is one-on-one, so the pace is yours.
Where do the lessons take place?
I am based in Forest Hill, in Harford County, Maryland, and teach photographers from Bel Air, Towson, Baltimore and the surrounding area. Tell me where you are when you get in touch and we will settle on a place that suits the lesson.
Do I need to own a flash?
It helps to bring the camera, lens, flash and trigger you already own, because the point is to control your own equipment. If you do not have lighting yet, say so when you ask and we will work out what the lesson can cover.
What should I already know?
You should be able to change shutter speed, aperture and ISO on your camera without hunting for them. If you are not there yet, tell me. It changes where we start, and it is better to know before the day.
Is this only for cosplay photographers?
No. The lighting is the same for any portrait. Cosplay and creative portraiture are what I shoot, so that is where my examples come from, and it is why working respectfully with the person in front of the camera is part of every lesson.
Do you teach groups as well?
Yes. Small-group workshops, portfolio critiques and convention panels are on the education page. This page is about one-on-one lessons.
How do I book a lesson?
Send the form on this page, or text or call. Tell me what you shoot and what you are stuck on. I reply by email and we take it from there.
Ask about a one-on-one lesson
Tell me what you shoot and what you are stuck on. I read every message myself and reply by email.
Text JeffText or call (443) 655-4014