Portrait

Portraits (Special Interest Group)

Portrait photography, or portraiture, aims to capture the personality of a person or group of people by using effective lighting, backdrops, and poses."

In this special interest group, hosted by portrait photographer Heather Fryer, members come together to share their interest in photographing people.
The group focuses on learning portrait lighting techniques and understanding how light shapes a subject. Sessions explore working with one light, multiple lights, and creative alternatives to traditional lighting setups.

The meeting is open to members of all skill levels. It usually runs in person the second Saturday and online the third Thursday of the month, September through May. See meeting times or Club Calendar for details

Meeting Format
This SIG is designed with two parts each month.

On the second Saturday of the month, members are invited to meet in person at Heather Fryer’s south-side studio for a hands-on working session. During these studio sessions members practice lighting techniques while photographing one another or possibly a model.
The following Thursday evening, the group meets online via Zoom to discuss the work created during the studio session. Meeting are conducted digitally via Zoom. To participate you will need a computer with a microphone and camera, or a smart tablet. You must pre-register to receive the link to the Zoom meetings.

What to expect

This group focuses on learning how to shape light, understand lighting patterns, and create compelling portraits through hands-on practice and shared discussion.

We will explore techniques such as split, broad, and short lighting, as well as classic portrait patterns including loop, Rembrandt, and butterfly lighting. The goal is to build a stronger understanding of how light works and how small adjustments in positioning can dramatically change the mood and structure of a portrait.

For each topic, members will also receive a written presentation created by Heather that explains the lighting techniques being covered. These presentations can be viewed digitally or printed as a reference guide, allowing members to review the material and practice the techniques on their own between sessions.

meeting times

Studio sessions are held in person on the second Saturday of each month at Heather Fryer’s studio (time TBD), giving members a space to practice lighting techniques and create images before the Zoom discussion the following week.

Our Zoom meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM, and typically run 75–90 minutes.

• Thu Sep 18, 2025
• Thu Oct 16, 2025
• Thu Nov 20, 2025
• Thu Dec 18, 2025
• Thu Jan 15, 2026
• Thu Feb 19, 2026
• Thu Mar 19, 2026
• Thu Apr 16, 2026
• Thu May 21, 2026

See recordings of SIG meetings (members only)

* Images taken by IACC members.