MASTERING PORTRAITS
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Digital course · Vol 1 · by Shafic Hijazi

Learn the lighting behind portraits like these.

My full Mastering Portraits workshop, recorded live in Lagos. Watch every lighting setup get built in front of a class, then see the exact shot it produced, with camera settings on screen.

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★★★★★ 5.0 student rating 22 lessons · 3.5 hours 40+ photographers enrolled Certificate on completion
Module 3 · Practical sessions

The setup. The shot.

Every photo below was shot live during the class. In the course you watch the light go up, hear why it goes there, and see the frame land.

Class photographing a model in front of a fog machine and softboxTHE SETUP
Golden backlit silhouette portrait in fogTHE SHOT

Fog + backlight

The bonus segment: a fog machine, a modifier challenge and a backlit silhouette.

Red backdrop set with softbox and modelTHE SETUP
Portrait in red with light trails from shutter dragTHE SHOT

Signature shutter drag

Light trails made in-camera: one continuous light to drag, one flash to freeze.

Bare bulb light pointed at a model in a woven hatTHE SETUP
Black and white hard light portrait with hat shadowsTHE SHOT

Hard light

Bare bulb, fill light off. Shadow as the subject.

Single softbox and model on a beige backdropTHE SETUP
Clean commercial portrait in a white outfitTHE SHOT

One light

Several looks from a single strobe, so your gear is never the excuse.

What’s inside

22 lessons across 5 modules.

01Let’s Get Started2 lessons · 27 min
  • Introduction to the class
  • Keynote speech by Emmanuel Oyeleke
02The 5-Stage Creative Framework6 lessons · 47 min

The process I run on every shoot, from idea to delivery.

  • Overview
  • Mindset
  • Vision: deciding what the portrait should say
  • Planning: consultations and the pre-shoot checklist
  • Execution: directing subjects and running a set
  • Refinement & delivery
03Practical Lighting Sessions8 lessons · 32 min

Shot live with the final frame and camera settings shown beside each setup.

  • One-light segment
  • Signature lighting: portraits & commercials
  • Signature lighting: editorials
  • Creative portraits
  • Continuous light segment
  • Hard-light segment
  • Signature shutter drag
  • Bonus: modifier challenge + fog machine
04Curation, Editing, Retouching4 lessons · 59 min

The same class photos, taken from the full shoot down to finished files.

  • Selection and curation workflow
  • Base edits in Capture One
  • Photoshop workflow
  • AI retouching workflow with Evoto
05Business of Photography2 lessons · 25 min
  • Building systems from scratch, with Choice Okweku
  • Branding, with Ngozi Okoli
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From lesson 10 · Signature lighting

“This is my signature lighting. I use it for almost every shoot I do, and it’s made me the most money.”

I build it in front of you: base layer first, then the main light for direction, then the hair light for separation. Then I show how the same setup shifts from commercial to editorial.

Student reviews on Selar

Rated 5.0 by students.

★★★★★

“Shafic takes the time to thoughtfully break down his approach to lighting, walking you through his process step by step.”

Tola Jimoh
★★★★★

“His teaching style is very simple to understand, and I would say this is one of the best portrait photography courses I have purchased.”

Kwame Mensah
★★★★★

“The course helped me see portrait lighting differently and gave me a much better understanding of how to intentionally use light.”

Elvis Klein
Portrait from the classPortrait from the classPortrait from the classPortrait from the class Portrait from the classPortrait from the classPortrait from the classPortrait from the class
Shafic Hijazi teaching the class
Your instructor

Shafic Hijazi

I’m a Ghana-based portrait and commercial photographer. I’ve been shooting since 2011 and professionally since 2017.

This course is the class I taught in Lagos, start to finish. I shoot clean and keep post-production minimal, so most of what you see is decided on set, and I explain each decision as I make it.

Emmanuel Oyeleke · keynote
Choice Okweku · building systems from scratch
Ngozi Okoli · branding
Questions

Before you join.

How do I access the course?

The course is hosted on Selar. You get access straight after payment and can stream all 22 lessons on your phone or computer.

What gear do I need?

Start with one light. The one-light lesson builds several looks from a single strobe, and the continuous-light lesson uses small LED lights. The aim is to create beyond your space and your gear.

Which software is used in the editing module?

Capture One for selection and base edits, Photoshop for finishing, and Evoto for the AI retouching workflow.

Is this the live class or something re-recorded?

It is the live Lagos class, edited into 22 lessons. In the practical sessions the finished photo appears on screen beside the set, with ISO, shutter speed, aperture and focal length.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes, a certificate on completion is included.

How do I pay?

Checkout is handled by Selar in your local currency, including naira, cedis and dollars.

Mastering Portraits · Vol 1

Watch the whole class. Shoot your next portrait differently.

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Mastering Portraits
22 lessons · 3.5 hrsGet access