Tucson, AZ—The Photo Creators Conference is a boutique imaging conference created by Roberto Valenzuela. The event places a heavy emphasis on a hands-on education. Set for May 8–12, 2023, it offers live demonstrations and classes in the intimacy of a desert ranch in Tucson, Arizona.
Moreover, the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch is a working dude ranch that spans more than tens of thousands of acres. In addition, the Photo Creators Conference and Experience will feature world renown photographers and videographers. For instance, Joe McNally will present two sessions, including a class on working with outdoor lighting and coloring.
Photo Creators Conference and Experience
Furthermore, attendees can choose five classes that follow their educational goals. In all, there are eight session rotations to customize their experience. Following are the available rotations.
The Art of the Headshot
The demand for professional and standout headshots is on the rise. Peter Hurley has led the way as a top headshot photographer and headshot instructor. In this session, attendees will learn how to master directing a face to achieve a compelling and confident expression.
They will also learn how to trigger a reaction and make clients feel comfortable in front of the camera. In addition, Hurley will discuss how to create variations on lighting based on facial features to highlight the best features of someone’s face. Most important of all, Hurley will explain how to add a headshot component to a photography business to augment its revenue stream. 
Creating Editorial Portraits for Advertising and Social Campaigns
In this rotation, Laretta Houston will cover how to attract more advertising and social media marketing clients. She will discuss how to tap into your creative eye to transform a basic portrait into a more compelling advertorial with the intention of selling a product. Attendees can also watch Laretta’s process and how she photographs for social campaigns using targeted lighting to focus on the product.
Speed Editing: From Raw to Revenue
Sarah Edmunds and Dario Righetto will teach attendees how to save time while editing to gain back more time to do what they love—actually taking pictures. The duo will present a complete workflow to create wall art, prints and albums. Additionally, watch as Edmunds batch edits an entire gallery in less than an hour and prepares the images for print.
Underwater Fine Art Portrait Photography
Cheryl Walsh will talk about the science and art of underwater fine art portrait photography. She will explain the steps, equipment as well as safety measures she uses to capture her award-winning, dream-like images.
She will cover how to incorporate these techniques to capture beautiful underwater photographs of your own. Finally, the class will venture out to the pool for a lesson with models in a liquid environment.
Crafting Cinematic Images
Chris Knight will teach attendees how to think like a filmmaker by infusing still photography with cinematic flare. In this class, he’ll show how to incorporate a range of cinematic techniques and visual sensibilities that can help make content more evocative and tell compelling visual stories.
Knight will also explore how filmmakers help define their visual tastes and how to use that in still images. Techniques will include three-point lighting (the way they do it in the movies); motivated lighting; cinematic color theory; as well as other in-camera techniques to give images that movie magic.
How to Fly and Make Money with Your Drone
Drone Angel Emily Frangie will fly attendees through the basics on piloting a drone. Moreover, the class caters to all skill levels. Learn how adding drone photography to a portrait business can add a great revenue stream.
Frangie will also cover what to take into consideration when pricing drone art and how to comply with the FAA. After the classroom module, attendees will go outside and take to the skies.
Compelling Portraits through Masterful Composition
In this class, Roberto Valenzuela teaches how to tell a story with photography by utilizing things that aren’t obvious. Attendees will learn how to create dimensional storytelling, creative cropping and also identify what’s in the surroundings to create stories that are visually captivating.
Valenzuela will discuss how to make images stand out as well as look at things in a different light by using storytelling through items in the foreground, mid-frame and background.
Capsule Schedule at a Glance
Monday, May 8, 2023
- Welcome Reception: 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Dinner: 5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- Keynote: 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Astrophotography: 9:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- Social Hour Doghouse: 9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday May 10, 2023
- Sunrise Yoga, Photo Walk, Bike: 6:00 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
- Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
- Class 1: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Lunch: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Class 2: 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Dinner: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
- Astrophotography: 9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Social Hour Doghouse: 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
- Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
- Class 1: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Lunch: 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Send off Class: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- BBQ in Cottonwood Grove: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Social Hour Doghouse: 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- Pool Party: 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday, May 12, 2023
- Morning Trail Ride (optional): 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
- Cowboy Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
To register for the Photo Creators Conference and Experience, click here.
