Meet your Instructors

Every Fstoppers tutorial is taught by a working professional — photographers and filmmakers who shoot for major clients, win industry awards, and push creative boundaries. Our instructors share the real-world techniques and workflows they use on paid assignments every day.

Whether you want to master landscape photography, light a commercial portrait, retouch at a professional level, or build a complete editing workflow, you'll learn from someone who does it at the highest level. Each course goes beyond surface-level tips to give you a deep understanding of the tools, decisions, and creative thinking that separate good work from exceptional work.

Elia Locardi is an internationally acclaimed professional travel photographer, Fujifilm Global Ambassador, writer, public speaker and highly experienced educator who spends his life shooting some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Since he began traveling full-time in 2009, he has visited more than 65 countries, flown nearly 2 million miles, and collaborated with major companies, brands, countries, NGOs, and tourism agencies on nearly every continent.

Michael Kelley (mpkelley.com) is a Los Angeles-based architectural and fine art photographer with a background in digital art and sculpture. Using his backgrounds in the arts, he creates images that are surreal and otherworldly, yet lifelike and believable. A frequent traveler, Michael's personal work focuses on the built environment of unique

Peter Hurley is a New York-based headshot and portrait photographer widely regarded as the foremost authority on headshot photography, known for his signature style and ability to draw out authentic expressions. He's a Canon Explorer of Light and the author of The Headshot, which hit #1 in photography books on Amazon.

Beyond his own work behind the camera, Peter coaches the largest network of headshot photographers in the world through HeadshotCrew.com.

Monte Isom is a commercial and advertising photographer based in New York City. Over the course of his career, he has photographed everything from Hollywood movie posters to massive global advertising campaigns for many of the worlds most prominent brands. Monte's client list includes Adidas, Nike, Gatorade, Visa, Allstate, New Balance, BodyArmor, Marvel, Spike TV, National Geographic, and dozens of other high profile brands and networks. Before Monte started photographing for himself, he assisted many of the most successful photographers including Sandro Miller, Gregory Heisler, Albert Watson, Peter Lindbergh, Timothy White, and Martin Schoeller to name a few.  

Joey Wright is a distinguished Miami-based swimsuit photographer. As a South Florida native, the beach inevitably became his natural habitat and day-to-day work environment. His work, primarily trademarked by its tastefully alluring and meticulously detailed quality, always reflects his easy-going approach balanced by a perfectionist nature.

Shavonne Wong is a fashion, beauty, and advertising photographer based in Singapore. She has shot for brands such as Lancome and Sephora and also magazines such as Cosmopolitan Hong Kong and Glamour South Africa. 

Quentin Decaillet is a beauty and wedding photographer based in Switzerland. He is an ambassador of Capture One.

Pye Jirsa is a director, photographer and educator. Founder and Partner of Lin and Jirsa Photography, a boutique Southern California wedding and portrait photography studio, and SLR Lounge, a photography education website, Pye devotes his time to helping photographers develop their shooting and business skills.

Website: slrlounge.com

Andres Moline is a Miami-based macro photographer and designer specializing in shooting insects and products.

Julia is a Los Angeles based internationally published Beauty & Fashion photographer, digital artist, retoucher and educator. An International College of Professional Photography (Melbourne, Australia) graduate. Retouching Academy founder and Editor-in-Chief.

Portrait and Editorial Photographer, Clay Cook has learned the importance of going the extra mile, after a long, arduous run in the music business. Clay has shaped creative projects with History, Lifetime, Comcast and Papa John's Pizza. In addition, he has photographed assignments for Time, Forbes, The Guardian, W Magazine, USA Today, ESPN and Inc.

Dylan is a headshot and portrait photographer based in Los Angeles. He began his photography career in 2010 in NYC, and rose to be one of the top headshot photographers in New York City. With Fstoppers, he launched "The Cinematic Headshot" tutorial in 2014. Along with headshots, Dylan is also an accomplished hotel and architectural photographer.

Brian Rodgers Jr. is an American Advertising Federation award-winning commercial advertising photographer/digital artist based in South Bend, Indiana and owner of Digital Art That Rocks™ commercial photography studio. Brian specializes in product and architectural photography with an emphasis on the post production process.

Michael Woloszynowicz is a fashion, beauty and portrait photographer, retoucher and instructor from Toronto

Mark Wallace is a photographer, educator, and solo world traveler. In 2014, Mark left the United States to embark on a worldwide adventure. In 2016 Mark decided to give up planes, trains, and automobiles and is now exploring the world on his motorcycle.

Mark has traveled to over 50 countries in his quest to visit every corner of the world. He’s documented his journey through his photography and videos.

Renowned for his witty and inspiring teaching style, David brings his knowledge and passion of photographic lighting to Profoto Academy.