Build a Standout Portfolio with Hands-On Shooting

📍 Pacific Northwest • Resort-based + nearby locations selected for light, scale, and impact

Small group. Real-time direction. Portfolio-first.

Reserve Your Spot

Not a Traditional Conference — A Portfolio-First Experience

Photo Palooza PNW blends focused education, live demonstrations, and guided shooting — so you learn it, then apply it immediately.

✓ Instructor-led sessions + live demonstrations
✓ Guided shooting with real-time direction
✓ Small groups (hands-on, not crowded)
✓ Styled environments + working models
Key takeaway

Every session is designed to produce portfolio-ready results — not “practice shots.”

A person sits by the water at sunset, with a warm golden sky and calm reflective water in the background.
Woman in a stylish outfit stands on a beach at sunset, with vibrant orange sky and calm sea in the background.
The Experience

You’re based at a luxury waterfront resort with guided shooting, styled environments, and time built in to slow down, recharge, and connect.

Evenings are intentionally unstructured — time to connect, review images, and recharge.

DESIGNED FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO WANT:
✓Beginners seeking guidance
✓Hobbyists ready to level up
✓Hands-on learners
✓Creatives who want intention
YOU’LL LEAVE WITH:
✓Portfolio-ready images
✓On-location confidence
✓Experience working with models
✓Creative clarity
Two women on a beach under a pier, one holding a camera, both casually dressed.
Photographer directing a model in a studio, with a lighting reflector and a tennis ball on the floor.
Person in a white shirt standing in shallow water under a pier, facing away.
Woman in a white dress playing a guitar, sitting outdoors on a sunny day, with a basket nearby.
Featured sessions

Portfolio-building sessions that deliver.

Francisco Joel Hernandez
Francisco Joel Hernandez
Creating Depth with Flash

Cleaner light and depth you can apply immediately.

Sondra LaRay Miltenberger
Sondra LaRay Miltenberger
Wedding Workflow + Real-World Problem Solving

Real wedding scenarios + confident direction under pressure.

Simon Diez
Simon Diez
Small-Space Studio Portraits

Strong portraits from simple, repeatable setups.

Paulina Gwaltney
Paulina Gwaltney
Styling + Posing with Horses

Direct with confidence and create editorial equine work that stands out.

SPEAKERS

More hands-on sessions that deliver

Practical, usable results — not theory.

More speakers are coming. We’re finalizing the remaining lineup now.
Elle Sanders
Elle Sanders
Boudoir Photographer
Hands-on + Live Demo
Boudoir Under the Boardwalk: Creating Art That Sells
The 15-image formula behind five-figure boudoir sales.
Joe Baker
Joe Baker
High School Senior Photographer
Hands-on + Live Demo
Seniors + OCF: From Demo to Do-It-Yourself
Simple off-camera flash setups you can repeat immediately.
Iven Holt
Iven Holt
AI & Photography Educator
Hands-on + Live Demo
AI for Photographers: Practical Workflows That Save Time
Streamline your workflow — without losing your style.
Chris & Brandy Gronde
Chris & Brandy Gronde
High School Senior Photographers
Hands-on + Live Demo
Mood Board to Money: Executing Styled Senior Sessions That Sell
Plan, style, and execute senior sessions that look editorial — and sell.
Reserve Your Spot
Bride and groom share a kiss in a dimly lit, elegant church with ornate architecture and a checkered floor.

“This was the best investment I’ve made in my photography journey so far. The location was beautiful, we had plenty of time to shoot, and Kyla provided clear, hands-on instruction while we experimented with lighting and equipment.”

— Past Photo Palooza Attendee

Dates
May 31–June 2
Location
Semiahmoo Resort
Blaine, WA
Included
Models, guided shooting, direction
Group Size
Limited for hands-on
Reserve Your Spot

What You’ll Learn (and Practice)

Designed for beginner to intermediate photographers, this experience combines clear instruction with guided shooting so you apply what you learn in real time.

Boudoir Lighting & Posing

Shape flattering light, guide body angles, and create confident, elegant boudoir images.

Wedding-Style Portraits

Practice clean, timeless posing and lighting for couples, bridal, and editorial work.

Senior Portrait Systems

Build repeatable posing flows that create natural expression and variety.

Lighting Made Simple

Control direction, softness, and contrast using natural light and simple setups.

Posing & Styling That Sells

Use wardrobe, fabric, color, and posing to elevate the final image.

AI for Photographers

Learn practical AI tools for culling, editing speed, and workflow efficiency.

How you’ll learn: brief instruction → live demos → guided shooting → real-time feedback.
Two people on a sandy beach under a pier, engaged in conversation. Sunlight creates striped patterns on the sand.
Woman in red swimsuit lying on a mat under a pier, with sunlight filtering through the wooden beams.
What You’ll Create
Portfolio-ready work — not practice shots.
Finished Images
Usable portfolio pieces you can post, pitch, and print.
Lighting Confidence
Hands-on time to dial in lighting with expert guidance.
Direction + Posing
Real-time coaching while you shoot.
A Clear Portfolio Story
Work that feels intentional, elevated, and on-brand.
Hands-on photo walks with real-time coaching.
Silhouettes of people holding cameras against a sunset over a calm ocean.

“This experience changed how I shoot. I left with portfolio-ready images and real confidence.”

Photographer • Photo Palooza Attendee

Build a Standout Portfolio

Hands-on shooting. Real models. Small groups.

Reserve Your Spot