Mastering the fundamentals is the foundation of great photography. Strong technique, lighting, and posing skills are what set exceptional photographers apart. Fortunately, Imaging USA offers a wealth of classes led by expert photographer instructors and business leaders. Below is just a glimpse of the essential photography fundamental sessions available this year. Don’t miss out on invaluable tips and insights—download the Imaging USA App today and start building your must-see schedule!

Pre-Cons

Thursday 

Create Captivating Fine Art Images: A 2 Day Photoshop Editing Workshop
Join award-winning editor Shannon Squires for an immersive two-day class designed to elevate your fine art images. You'll master industry-standard techniques such as frequency separation, dodging and burning, and expert retouching. Shannon will also guide you through creative painting methods, demonstrate the power of AI integration in editing, and reveal her advanced compositing techniques for truly breathtaking results.

Lighting for Impact: Shape Your Story with Light
Join award-winning photographer Joe McNally for an immersive two-day class designed to elevate your fine art images. Learn essential techniques like frequency separation, dodging and burning, and expert retouching. Discover creative painting methods, harness the power of AI in editing, and master advanced compositing for stunning results.

Friday 

Posing Family Portraits: The Good The Bad and The Ugly
Join Michele Celentano for a dynamic one-day class that will transform how you approach posing family portraits. From small groups to large gatherings, Michele will teach you a simple, effective system for posing any body type to ensure everyone looks their best—no Photoshop required. You'll gain practical techniques for creating connection, flattering shapes, and polished group compositions, all demonstrated with real-time examples.

MIR: Pursue Your Degree Through Image Evaluation
Join Gary Hughes for an interactive class designed to guide you through the image evaluation process for PPA degrees, including Master of Photography, Wedding, and Artist. Explore key topics like the twelve elements of a merit image, composition, posing, storytelling, and technical precision. Through live demonstrations and expert insights, you'll learn to evaluate and enhance your images both for merit image review and everyday client work.

Saturday 

Essentials of Dramatic Lighting: Creating Striking Images
Join Ivan Duran for a hands-on workshop focused on creating striking portraits through dramatic lighting techniques. Explore light manipulation, shadow play, and the effective use of diffusers to add depth and storytelling to your images. Learn to incorporate gels for mood, creative color effects, and unique visual impact, gaining the confidence to elevate your portrait photography.

Empowering Maternity: Creative Lighting Techniques to Elevate Your Maternity Portraits
Join Diana Robles for a hands-on class focused on creative lighting techniques to elevate your maternity portraits. Explore soft, ethereal glows and bold, dramatic effects using gels, while mastering lighting equipment, posing, and styling for expecting mothers. Gain the confidence and skills to create mood, atmosphere, and stunning works of art in every maternity session.

General Sessions

Sunday 

Tactics of Healthy High Achievers in Business

Join Lindsay Vastola for an insightful session on achieving business success without sacrificing your health, well-being, or relationships. Discover practical strategies to break free from the work-life balance myth and adopt effective habits for sustainable achievement. This class offers actionable tactics to help high achievers thrive both personally and professionally.

This One Goes to 11: Adding High-Volume School and Sports to Your Portrait and Wedding Brand
Join Jason Marino for an engaging class on adding high-volume school and sports photography to your wedding and portrait brand. Learn how to transition seamlessly into this booming market, with practical tips on planning, building a strong team, and leveraging technology for efficiency. Jason shares real-world insights and proven strategies to help you scale your business, boost income, and ensure long-term success.

Monday

Beautiful Faces: Changing the Narrative of Diversity in Lifestyle Family Photography
Sponsored by: Miller’s Professional Imaging
Join Tiffany Crenshaw for an impactful class on building diversity in lifestyle family photography. Explore how to intentionally create a portfolio where every family feels seen, understood, and honored. Learn techniques for capturing and editing diverse skin tones with care while fostering authentic connections with clients from all backgrounds. This class will inspire you to grow both as a storyteller and as an artist.

Consistency to Creativity with Lighting
Sponsored By: Westcot
Join JC Carey for an engaging class on mastering lighting techniques that balance consistency and creativity. Learn how to create repeatable lighting setups that deliver reliable results, whether you're in the studio or on location. Discover adaptable techniques to evoke different moods, explore essential gear insights, and gain the confidence to tackle any lighting challenge. This class will empower you to refine your style and unlock your full creative potential.

Hanson Fong Presents, Posing & Lighting: Anyone Anytime Anywhere
Join Hanson Fong for an engaging class on mastering posing and lighting techniques to create stunning portraits anytime, anywhere. Known for his dynamic teaching style, Hanson will demonstrate his signature Classic 10 Poses to flatter any subject, regardless of body type or height. You’ll also learn practical lighting techniques for indoor and outdoor settings, from one-light setups to advanced multi-light arrangements. Gain the confidence to handle any scenario and create timeless, contemporary photographs with ease.

Tuesday 

Snap to Success: Profitable Social Photography
Sponsored By: Candid Color Systems
Join Steve Foisy for an insightful session on building success in social event photography, from corporate events and charity galas to school dances and wedding receptions. Discover the latest marketing strategies, pricing techniques, and tips for hiring the right team to maximize profits. Whether you're new to social photography or looking to refine your approach, you'll gain fresh insights into staying competitive in this evolving market.

Push the Red Button: Demystifying the Process for Newcomers to Video
Join Benjamin Davis for an approachable session designed to help photographers confidently step into the world of video. Learn simple, affordable techniques for creating stable footage, professional lighting, and clear audio. Discover essential camera settings, reliable gear recommendations, and streamlined editing tips to produce polished videos. After this class, you'll feel ready to say "Yes!" to video projects and seamlessly integrate them into your offerings.

Register Now!

Get your All-Access Pass to Imaging USA today!  You can also bring a buddy and save on your registration with the Buddy Pass. 

Stay Close to the Show

Besides the conference, Texas offers tons of activities for curious photographers. The Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center is home to the conference, as well as a variety of restaurants, and on-site luxuries. Booking a room at one of the Imaging USA host hotels helps PPA keep registration costs low. 
You’ll also gain convenient access to the show, tons of amenities, and a lot more! There’s also a discount on rooms at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Grapevine. Learn more about PPA discount reservation deadlines and book your stay asap!

Book Your Flight

Flying to Imaging USA? Don’t forget to scoop up your Airline Discount from Delta and Southwest Airlines.