DON’T JUST CAPTURE LIGHT. SHAPE IT.
A 2-day cinematic lighting workshop in New York City.
Build atmosphere. Direct real people. Create intentional portraits.
Limited to 7 photographers. August 15-16
BUILD CINEMATIC PORTRAITS
Hands-on training in the studio and on the streets of New York City. August 15-16
CINEMATIC LIGHTING, DONE RIGHT
Most workshops teach you to react to light. I teach you how to shape it. Work with natural and artificial light in real environments until your images feel cinematic and intentional, not lucky.
COMPOSITION, DECODED
Strong images aren’t accidents. I’ll show you exactly why they work so you can create them anywhere.
STUDIO AND STREET LIGHTING
The studio is controlled. The streets are unpredictable. Master both. Learn to blend ambient light, strobes, grids, and reflectors to build stunning portraits anywhere.
INTIMATE, HANDS-ON COACHING
Seven photographers. Hands-on coaching. Portfolio-ready images. A weekend that changes how you see light.
CREATE PORTFOLIO CONTENT
Personal Hands-On Coaching To Create Stunning Photos
TESTIMONIALS
Theadora
New York City
John
New York City
Megan
New York City
Elizabeth
New York City
Christian
Washington D.C.
Jorge
Pitalio, Colombia
THE WEEKEND ITINERARY
Day 1: Saturday, August 15 - Cinematic Portraits
Morning: Build Your Eye
We start with introductions, who you are, what inspires you, what you want to walk away with. Then we get into it.
I’ll teach you my entire approach to cinematic portraiture from the ground up. How to choose your background before you ever place your subject. How to use leading lines, foreground layers, and environmental storytelling to turn an ordinary sidewalk into something that belongs in a film. You'll see real examples from my work across Colombia, India, Cuba, and Dagestan: not theory, but the actual decisions I made and why.
Then we build your lighting. Exposure control, balancing ambient light with flash, modifier selection, feathering, one-light setups that look expensive. Whether you're picking up a reflector for the first time or dialing in off-camera flash, I’ll meet you where you are and push you forward.
By late morning, you're shooting a professional model with me coaching you through every frame: composition, directing, posing, expression, and light.
Afternoon: Take It to the Streets
We head into Manhattan with everything you learned. Cinematic alley portraits. Chinatown for layered, atmospheric, documentary-style environmental work. As the light shifts, we chase golden hour and the energy of the city at night: musicians, skaters, strangers who become characters in a story you're building.
The city is the set. I’ll show you how to see it that way.
Day 2: Sunday, August 16 - Athlete + Sports Portraits
Morning — Bring the Intensity
We open by reviewing your strongest images from Day 1: what’s working, what to sharpen, how to push your eye further.
Then the energy changes. Hard light. Grids. Rim light. High-speed sync. I’ll show you how to freeze motion, create dramatic editorial sports portraits, and control light in ways that make your subject look like they belong on a magazine cover.
You’ll rotate between two groups, one shoots with a professional athlete while the other sits with me for a hands-on editing and color grading session: frame selection, cinematic color, skin tones, and the fast workflow I actually use. Then you swap.
Afternoon — Shoot Like You Mean It
We take the athlete outside. Basketball action, movement, grit: the kind of raw NYC sports imagery most photographers never get access to. Then editorial walking portraits through downtown Manhattan, environmental action work, and we finish the day chasing golden hour, sunset, and blue hour for some of the most cinematic sports images you’ll ever create.
You’re leaving with a portfolio. Not homework.
MEET BRETT
I’m Brett Garamella, a portrait photographer and documentary filmmaker. I teach photographers to turn any location into a cinematic set, and there’s no better place to learn it than New York City.
My work has taken me from National Geographic and ESPN to an Academy Award-qualifying short film, with documentary projects from Colombia to Dagestan. But I came up in New York’s film production world. That’s where I learned to shape light the way cinematographers do.
A loading dock becomes a stage. A bodega becomes a set. A stranger on the sidewalk becomes a character in a story you're building together.
You’ll leave with extraordinary portraits of New York, and a way of seeing you can carry anywhere.
Small group. Real access. Cinematic images.
TRUSTED BY
Over 18 million views and 73,000 followers across the globe.
THE NYC WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE
August 15–16, 2026
Manhattan, New York City
Limited to 7 Photographers
Full workshop days: 9:30am - 8pm
Studio and on-location lighting
Professional model, athlete, and environmental portraits
Cinematic lighting breakdowns and composition coaching
Portfolio-ready images
INVESTMENT
Limited to 7 photographers (5 spots left)
Early Registration before July 1: $650 (Regular Rate $850)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What skill level do I need?
All levels are welcome. I’ve taught photographers picking up off-camera flash for the first time and photographers who’ve been shooting professionally for years. Beginners will focus on getting their settings locked in and learning to work with reflectors and natural light. More experienced shooters will push into off-camera flash, advanced modifiers, and complex lighting scenarios. I’ll meet you exactly where you are and make sure you leave better than you came.
What gear should I bring?
A mirrorless camera or DSLR is ideal, but not strictly required, bring whatever camera you shoot with. For lenses, anything in the 24–70mm zoom range works great, and a 50mm or 85mm prime is perfect for portraits. Extra batteries and memory cards are a must. I provide all lighting equipment: strobes, modifiers, grids, reflectors, stands. If you want, you can bring your own lighting gear as well.
Are models provided?
Yes. Day 1 features a professional model for cinematic portrait work. Day 2 features a professional athlete for sports and action portraits. You’ll also have the opportunity to photograph real people on the streets of Manhattan.
Why is the group so small?
I cap the workshop at seven photographers, sometimes fewer. That’s intentional. I want to actually coach you, watch you shoot, and give you feedback in real time. This isn't a lecture hall. It’s hands-on, one-on-one attention in a small group setting.
Do we do any editing or just shooting?
Both. Day 2 includes a dedicated editing session where I walk you through my color grading process, frame selection, and post-processing workflow. You’ll learn how to finish your images with the same cinematic look you see in my portfolio.
What’s included?
Two full days of hands-on instruction (9:30 AM – 8 PM), all lighting gear, professional models, an editing and color grading workshop, and shooting across multiple Manhattan neighborhoods. Meals, travel, and accommodations are on you.
Can I use the images I create?
Yes, you own your images and can use them for your portfolio, website, social media, competitions, and editorial submissions.
What if it rains?
A little rain won’t stop us, some of the best cinematic light happens when the sky is overcast. If it really comes down, I have indoor locations ready to go across the city. And the odds of it pouring for two straight days in August? Slim to none.
What’s the cancellation and refund policy?
Cancellations more than 60 days before the workshop receive a full refund minus a $150 non-refundable deposit. Cancellations 30–59 days out receive a 50% refund. Within 30 days, the workshop fee is non-refundable. Transfers to another attendee may be requested with at least 48 hours’ written notice, subject to approval.
I have questions about flights, hotels, or logistics.
Shoot me an email at brett@brettgaramella.com. I’ll help you figure out exactly what you need, where to stay, how to get around, what to pack. I want you focused on photography, not logistics.