Esther Khodadadi

Esther Kay is a portrait photographer, international educator, speaker, and mentor based in Northern California. Known for her intentional approach to portrait lighting and posing, she teaches photographers how to create powerful, flattering images through purposeful direction and a strong understanding of light.

Before becoming a full-time photographer, Esther spent nine years as an elementary school teacher. Her ability to simplify complex ideas and teach with clarity has become the foundation of her work as an educator. Today, she teaches at photography conferences and workshops, combining live demonstrations with practical techniques photographers can immediately apply to their own work.

Posing is at the heart of Esther’s education. She teaches photographers how to move beyond memorized poses, confidently direct their subjects, flatter every body type, and use subtle adjustments to transform an image. Her philosophy is simple: great posing should never feel forced, and great lighting should always support the story. Esther’s goal is to help photographers photograph with greater intention, communicate with confidence, and create portraits that feel both refined and authentic.

Thu Mar 04•10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Pose With Intention: The Art of Directing, Connection, and Movement

This highly visual and interactive presentation takes posing beyond memorized formulas. Using live models on stage, Esther Kay will demonstrate how sh…This highly visual and interactive presentation takes posing beyond memorized formulas. Using live models on stage, Esther Kay will demonstrate how she directs subjects, creates genuine connection, introduces natural movement, and makes small adjustm…This highly visual and interactive presentation takes posing beyond memorized formulas. Using live models on stage, Esther Kay will demonstrate how she directs subjects, creates genuine connection, introduces natural movement, and makes small adjustments that completely transform a portrait. Attendees will see how body language, hands, expression, camera angle, and lighting work together to create flattering, intentional images. Esther will share…This highly visual and interactive presentation takes posing beyond memorized formulas. Using live models on stage, Esther Kay will demonstrate how she directs subjects, creates genuine connection, introduces natural movement, and makes small adjustments that completely transform a portrait. Attendees will see how body language, hands, expression, camera angle, and lighting work together to create flattering, intentional images. Esther will share a clear approach photographers can use to direct with confidence while helping every subject feel comfortable in front of the camera. Attendees will learn how to direct subjects clearly and confidently, create natural connection and authentic expressions, use movement to add energy and variety, make small adjustments that flatter every body type, and combine posing, camera angle, and lighting with intention.Show More

Portrait

Esther Khodadadi

Wed Mar 03•3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Posing Couples: How to Build Connection, Movement, and Variety in One Session | Esther Khodadadi

This hands-on photo walk will show photographers how to confidently direct and pose a couple while creating connection, movement, and variety. Esther

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This hands-on photo walk will show photographers how to confidently direct and pose a couple while creating connection, movement, and variety. Esther Kay will work with a couple in real time, demonstrating how she builds a session from foundational poses into a complete collection of images without making the process feel complicated. Attendees will practice giving clear direction, refining body language, creating authentic interactions, and making small adjustments that produce stronger portraits. The experience is designed to help photographers pose with greater confidence while keeping couples comfortable, connected, and engaged. Attendees will learn how to build multiple images from one foundational pose, create natural connection without relying on stiff prompts, direct hands, body position, expression, and movement, make small adjustments that strengthen the final portrait, and create variety without overcomplicating the session. Recommended equipment: camera, portrait lens, fully charged batteries, and memory cards.

(This class requires pre-registration. Please purchase it with your WPPI pass or add it to your existing registration.)

Portrait

Esther Khodadadi