Saturday, November 7 | 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Room 308
Sunday, November 8 | 2:30 – 4:00 p.m. | Room 308
Hands-on-Workshop Description
This hands-on workshop invites photographers of all experience levels to explore the studio technique of lightbox floral photography, with a full progression from camera settings and lighting fundamentals through dramatic post-processing and fine art output. Participants will work at dedicated lightbox stations with fresh flowers provided, and a video as a supplement for a guided step by step through the complete workflow. There will be two instructors (Padma Inguva and Al Rojas) manning two stations each and each station will have different floral setups. Participants will have ample opportunities to photograph multiple setups by rotating among the 4 set-ups.
The approach is rooted in teaching photographers to see light differently: to look not at a flower’s surface but through it, using backlight to reveal translucency, tonal depth, and structural geometry that no ambient or flash setup can replicate. By the end of the session, participants will leave with original images and a replicable workflow they can apply immediately.
What you’ll learn
- What makes lightbox floral photography distinct from natural light and flash work, and why translucency is the key variable
- The translucency test: how to evaluate any flower before shooting begins
- Station setup and equipment orientation: positioning the lightbox, securing tripods, understanding metering behavior on a bright white surface
- Camera settings deep dive: aperture priority, exposure compensation (+1 to +3), auto exposure bracketing, ISO selection for handheld versus tripod work
- Composition fundamentals for floral subjects: negative space, layering petals, working Eastern and Western hemisphere arrangement principles
- Live shooting time at stations: participants shoot multiple arrangements of flowers with instructor circulating for individual guidance
- A post-processing workflow outline, covering the full Lightroom to Photoshop pipeline
- The ability to replicate this technique independently using any lightbox, fresh flowers, and standard editing software
- Familiarity with Solarization technique, inversion, and the NIK Collection as creative tools beyond the lightbox context
- The lightbox is a simple tool. What it reveals about a flower, and what can be done with that information in post, is not simple at all. That gap is where this workshop lives.
All skill levels are welcome. Familiarity with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop is recommended; familiarity NIK Collection software is also useful. Flowers and props are provided.
What you need to bring
- Any digital camera with manual or aperture priority mode (mirrorless, DSLR, or advanced compact)
- A standard or macro lens (50mm to 100mm equivalent is ideal; kit lenses work well
- Tripod (strongly recommended; a small tabletop tripod is sufficient)
What is provided
- Portable LED based lightboxes (one per station, or shared at two per station for groups over six
- Fresh flowers selected for translucency and compositional range
- Arrangement tools and positioning aids
Instructors Information
Padma Inguva is a fine art photographer whose lightbox floral work has been exhibited and recognized across the Mid-Atlantic photography community. Her images are characterized by a meticulous approach to light, tonal control, and the use of translucency as a compositional element rather than a side effect.
Padma has presented her floral work to camera club audiences in the U.S. and abroad, and has served as a photo contest judge for various camera clubs. She brings a practitioner’s directness to her teaching style: participants learn by doing, with real equipment and real flowers, in conditions that translate directly to their own studios and home setups.
Her portfolio and speaking credentials can be reviewed at padmasworld.com.
Al Rojas has co-conducted photography workshops alongside Padma since 2017 and has been instrumental in designing and building the custom lightboxes used in these sessions. Known for his patience and hands-on approach, Al works closely with participants on the technical side of the workshop, helping troubleshoot camera settings and lightbox positioning so that everyone is ready to shoot with confidence.
