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Course

Strobe Workshop: Lighting with Speed Lights

ART-40511

Strobe Workshop: Lighting with Speed Lights
4 Weeks | In-Class
Prerequisite: Photo 1: Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO (ART - 40705) or equivalent experience.

Are you ready to bring your photography to a new level of lighting sophistication? In Strobe Workshop: Lighting with Speed Lights, you’ll explore how to transform an ordinary shot into a dynamic image by controlling and shaping light. Through guided demonstrations, practical exercises, and expert feedback, you’ll gain the confidence to use speed lights effectively—both on and off your camera.

Course Details

Learn how to light your photographs without the use of heavy or expensive gear. This intensive workshop teaches the art of strobe lighting using off-camera flashes and other equipment such as flash triggers, gels, grids, softboxes and more. 

This course is designed to give you the skills you need to navigate a variety of photographic situations, ensuring that your subjects are beautifully lit and compellingly captured. From understanding proper flash techniques to experimenting with modifiers and balancing ambient light, you’ll learn how to tailor lighting to match your creative vision. By the end of the course, you’ll know how to set up dynamic lighting scenarios, troubleshoot common issues, and produce professional-level results consistently. Step into this workshop prepared to illuminate your world through the strategic use of speed lights.

What You'll Learn

  • Understand how speed lights function and operate in various shooting conditions
  • Learn to properly balance ambient light with flash output
  • Explore modifiers and tools that shape and soften your light sources
  • Gain confidence working with off-camera flash setups
  • Develop techniques for consistent exposure and color control
  • Improve overall lighting quality for portraits, still lifes, and on-location shoots
  • Troubleshoot common flash issues and lighting challenges
  • Apply refined lighting strategies to produce professional-quality images

Course Information

In-Person
2.00 units
$325.00
Notes: Quarters Offered: Spring | In-Class
Equipment/Software: (Instructor will explain the required equipment in the first class meeting). Camera (lens, batteries) with manual controls for ISO, shutter speed, aperture. 1 off camera flash with manual power controls (e.g. Canon ex530, Nikon SB800, Vivitar 285hv, Godox AD200, Profoto B10). 1 umbrella (convertible preferred) or softbox. 1 light stand and cold shoe umbrella bracket. 1 flash trigger (e.g. Radio Popper, PocketWizard, PC Cable, proprietary control for Godox/Profoto systems, etc.).
Flexible Enrollment: This course is an elective for the Photography: Images and Techniques Professional Certificate but is open to all students, even if you are not enrolled in the Certificate Program. 
Academic Calendar: The Academic Calendar shows the open enrollment dates and term start dates for each quarter. Courses do not necessarily start on the first day of the term. 



 

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This course applies to these programs

Photography: Images and Techniques

Course sessions

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Section ID:

188746

Class type:

This is a traditional classroom setting.

All class meetings held in-person according to published location, dates and times. Students may be expected to engage with course content online during the published course dates.

Textbooks:

All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 4/12/2025
  • Early Enrollment Discount: $325 ($350 if enrolled after 3/3/2025)
  • 1st meeting mandatory
  • Early enrollment advised
  • No UCSD parking permit required
  • No visitors permitted

Note:

This 4 meeting course is held live, in person, at UCSD UCC. Your instructor will email information. The final meeting is a field trip, held at Balboa Park. SCBWI/MOPA members can receive our $25 Early Enrollment discount prior to course start date. The max discount a MOPA/SCBWI/SDMA member can receive for one class is $25. It is applied upon course enrollment over the phone or in person with proof of membership.

Schedule:

Date Day Start End Location
4/12/2025 Sat 9:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Room 115, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego
4/19/2025 Sat 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Room 115, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego
4/26/2025 Sat 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Room 115, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego
5/3/2025 Sat 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego
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Instructor: Michael Regala, B.S.

Michael Regala, B.S.

Expert in shooting and lighting who enjoys sharing techniques with his growing list of clients and colleagues

Mike Regala teachers Strobe Workshop: Lighting with Speed Lights for the Photography: Images and Techniques certificate program. Mike received his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from UC San Diego and has been passionate about photography since taking film photography classes in high school. Dedicating nearly all his free time to refining his shooting and lighting techniques, he has developed a growing list of clients and colleagues with whom he shares his techniques. He especially appreciates the challenge of photographing people.

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