“Feeling Empowered, Enriched and Motivated” 

Being a neophyte at taking headshots, I was not sure what to expect signing up for Rafal’s Headshot Workshop in Orlando Florida. I was nervous as this was my first photography workshop. Would I be overwhelmed? Would I be the only beginner in the class? Would I understand the material he was going to teach? Well, let me say, those were all misplaced fears I had. From the moment Rafal took to speaking to the group of 11 students he projected an air of calmness and confidence. He used phrases like, don’t worry, I will explain everything in detail to you and I will answer all your questions. I will say, those words imparted a sense of ease to myself and all the students and also set the tone for the entire weekend. Rafal’s style of teaching really spoke to me and I could sense the same from my fellow students. The way he wove his humor into the mix, the way he broke things down into easy to understand sections and his use of simple straight forward language made the syllabus easy to absorb and comprehend. Rafal  focused on one section at a time, used personal examples and stories and answered all our questions before moving on to the next section.  This style of teaching really made you a part of the story and learning experience. He even permitted time for the students to share some of their personal experiences. 

When it came time for the practical portion of the workshop, Rafal demonstrated his style and techniques to the group with great precision and detail and was sure we were all comfortable before stepping up to the line to begin photographing the model. If we were having problems he was right there to offer his assistance. His attention to our needs you could see was important to him. Incredible! 

Overall, Rafal and his workshop exceeded my exceptions in so many ways. The knowledge that was imparted to me will take many hours to digest and practice but, I walked away with a heightened sense of confidence in myself and my ability to have successful headshot sessions in the future and for that I’m very thankful to Rafal. I encourage anyone who is feeling apprehensive or on the fence about signing up for one of Rafal’s workshops to do so, as you will not be disappointed and will walk away feeling empowered, enriched and motivated, I promise.

- David  Newell

"I came across your photographs on social media a couple of years ago and ever since had been waiting for you to get back to teaching on-site. I attended the "Beyond the Art of the Headshot" workshop in Orlando, which was truly fascinating and enriching. The first day Mr. Wegiel went through all the elements that make a great headshot and explained how they all fit together. He was very helpful, attentive and always open to address any questions. The second day we had a hands-on experience and it was just amazing to see how each of the pieces fit together into the headshot puzzle. Finally, he demonstrated his retouching technique over some of the pictures taken. I highly recommend this workshop for anyone interested in gaining a deeper technical knowledge, methodology and creative perspective when it comes to professional headshots. I am grateful and most satisfied with the attendance!"

- Federico Morales

"I'd been waiting 2 years to take Rafal's workshop, being a long time fan of his amazing work. Covid intervened in 2020, but I was able to meet him and see his lighting, styling and retouching in person at his recent Orlando workshop. 
Rafal not only described in detail the many aspects of his headshot process, but he also discussed practical business applications that are necessary for a successful photography business. Rafal is very clear, patient, and funny! There was never a dull moment in the 2 days I was in his workshop, and it was a pleasure to meet the other photographers who attended. It was an excellent investment, and to meet someone I've long admired was a real bonus. I highly recommend his workshop! "

-Alyse Liebowitz      3 Chicks That Click Photography

"The content and the techniques taught by Mr. Rafal Wegiel in the Dallas workshop have transformed my life. The course is truly Beyond the Art of the Headshot. Essential technical skills, photographer-client relationships, and business insights are reviewed in depth. Yet Mr. Wegiel walks the class through paths where your very own creativity can be harnessed and where your very own photographic style can be further defined or even refined. After trying just a few of those tools beyond the classroom, I have already met some unexpectedly happy results. Well worth the investment. "

-R. Ruiz

"I attended Rafal Wegiel's recent Beyond the Art of Headshot Photography Workshop in Atlanta with a group of professional and aspiring professional photographers. The workshop consisted of didactic sessions emphasizing method, process and photoshop skills as well as sessions behind the camera.

I couldn't be more pleased with the experience. The didactic sessions were to the point and provided precisely what is important and relevant to a working professional or those with a serious interest in photography. The lighting methodology was presented in detail with points of emphasis that only a professional photographer with vast national and international experience can provide. The photoshop instruction was directed to photographers by a photographer (Rafal) and, I must emphasize that my knowledge of photoshop increased exponentially with his guidance. Even though my photoshop experience is not on the level of the other attendees, I felt my understanding increased significantly to the point that I feel comfortable with retouching a headshot.

The model sessions after the didactics consisted of observation of his technique on live models and then direct interfacing and shooting with the models using my own equipment and camera.

There was plenty of time to do headshots with the models and, I was able to interact during the shooting sessions not only with Rafal but also with the other workshop attendees, some of whom provided additional valuable advice.

Rafal's vast knowledge of light modifiers and equipment was helpful to me and his ability to obtain world class results with a few modifiers and three speedlights speaks not only to his understanding of light but also to his understanding of what equipment is important.

Rafal is approachable and interacts very well with attendees. He also provided his contact information for questions that we might have after the workshop.

I am working through his recent headshot video series and I am finding that this is a superb complement to his workshop as it provides additional emphasis to critical aspects of headshot photography.

The nice aspect of this workshop is that the skills gained and/or refined by attending this workshop can be applied to many other photography genres.

In summary, this is a fantastic workshop and if you are able to attend one of his workshops I can't emphasize strongly enough, how important and relevant this experience has been."

- Stan Dysart

"Wow, The Atlanta workshop was incredible. Rafal is a great instructor. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I have been to many seminars and conventions but this was a great opportunity to learn hands on from a master at what he does. Rafal is a very attentive and gracious instructor willing to share anything you ask of him. I would recommend his workshops and may even attend another in the future."

- Craig Davis‎

"I attended Rafal's Headshot workshop in Atlanta and it was absolutely fantastic! Rafal is a great, patient, kind and knowledgeable teacher. I am already a seasoned and successful headshot photographer in New York, but I still learned quite a bit and I am looking forward to implementing many of Rafal's ideas and techniques into my business. My goal for 2020 is to double my business revenues and really feel this workshop will be a leading factor in me doing so. So if you wish to step up your headshot game, learn from a great photographer and a great guy, then invest in yourself and take one of Rafal Wegiel's workshops. You wount regret it!"
- Bradley Lau \ www.BradleyLau.com

"I really enjoyed attending Rafal Wegiel's Creative Headshot class in Dallas! Rafal is an excellent teacher who explains in-depth the equipment used, posing, lighting setup, as well as, his technique for post-production retouching technique. He offers help individually if needed. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and look forward to creating some beautiful creative images for my portfolio, as well as, my clients!”

- Laura


"As a beginner photographer, I didn't know what to expect from Rafal's Headshot Photography Workshop and was extremely nervous about attending it. I was second-guessing myself, unsure whether or not I should even go as someone who is just starting out and needs help with basically every little thing. Rafal assured me that there is nothing to be afraid of and that the workshop can benefit a photographer of any level, from someone like me to a seasoned professional. That is exactly what this workshop turned out to be. I was immediately put at ease and started enjoying every second of my being there. There was no superiority, looking or talking down at me just because I have less experience than everybody else. To the opposite, all participants and Rafal himself were very welcoming, friendly and willing to help / answer every question anybody had had about the material and technique being learned. During the second-day practice photoshoot I was able to get help from multiple people, got to borrow other participants' photo gear that I didn't have, was able to show some of my photos to Rafal and to David, the owner of the hosting photo studio. I got some pretty amazing images out of this photoshoot despite my using a pretty basic camera with my own basic lens and then switching to a zoom lens that someone else had brough with them. I am very excited about putting together my photo studio and startting to learn / work / experiment with the technique learned from Rafal during the workshop. I now realize that attending the workshop was the best decision I could have made. I feel that I was able to get out of it much more than I expected, and I am grateful to Rafal for affording every one of us, attendees, this opportunity.”

- Tanya

"My attendance to the workshop “Beyond the Art of theHeadshot” in Dallas was rewarding and the new skills mastered will undoubtedly repay the expense with new business as I market a new style of headshot products. Rafal’s explanations were both instructional and inspirational. The planed photo shoot gave us an opportunity to practice with multiple backgrounds, lighting setups, and model. In my case I was able to use my own lighting and background system.”

- Keith

"I had the pleasure of participating in the Dallas Headshot Workshop lead by Rafal Weigiel. The workshop was complete with personal tutoring, group education, resources, and many extras. This workshop was worth every cent!"

- Pamela

"My wife and I have been following Rafal for months now. Watching his YouTube videos and reading every post in his Mentorship Facebook page. We really wanted to go to his Houston workshop but timing was not in our favor. Then Rafal asked “Where should we schedule our next workshops?” on the page and we jumped at the opportunity. We offered up our studio just north of Dallas to see if he’d get enough interest for the workshop to make. Rafal immediately started advertising the workshop on his page. To help push it along we started putting it out in our local photography groups. We were able to get the two biggest camera stores in Dallas to repost the ad. Rafal was able to sign up nine students for the workshop. Now of course Rafal could not do ALL the preparation for the workshop from Canada. We as hosts gathered information on local hotels restaurants that were open on Saturday and Sunday to pass to the other students. We also were responsible for obtaining models for both days. Rafal let us know all the details to pass to the models so they were prepared. In our case we didn’t use “model” models we used former Senior clients. I think this actually helped so that the other photographers were working with real people that didn’t know what was expected in front of the camera. Honestly how many of you are going to start out shooting models as your clients? In the case of our workshop all photographers had the opportunity to shoot on multiple backgrounds and had four different models. When you come to a workshop it’s great to get the masterful instruction but we all need hands-on to get the full understanding. Rafal’s workshops are just that a day of instruction and demonstration of how to take pictures just like he does and a full morning of hands-on. Rafal checked on every photographer to make sure they were “getting it”. If something was off either camera or lighting he’s show them how to fix it. To end the workshop Rafal went through his retouching process. He didn’t hold anything back. I don’t believe any participant left the studio thinking they hadn’t been fully taught. Rafal offered to field any questions that came up after the workshop and to offer advice when someone needed it. We now feel we have a new set of tools to diversify what our studio offers. We know you’ll feel the same. If you have any questions for us please contact us at david@davidhamrickphotography.com"

- David and Tammy Hamrick