The Swordswoman — A Cinematic Chinese Portrait Workshop

Ever wanted to photograph a character straight out of a Chinese wuxia movie?

In this fun, hands-on portrait workshop, we’ll step into the world of the Chinese swordswoman, inspired by the beautiful visual style of classic wuxia cinema such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

We’ll work with a Chinese female model, traditional-inspired styling and a sword to create portraits full of movement, atmosphere and character.

I’ll show you how I approach the shoot from start to finish — from finding the light and choosing the right angle, to directing the model and capturing those little moments that make an image feel cinematic.

You’ll also get plenty of time to pick up your camera and shoot yourself. We’ll experiment with different poses, movements, compositions and lenses together.

No martial arts experience is needed — and you don’t need to be an expert photographer either. Just bring your camera, your curiosity and a willingness to try something different.

We’ll keep things practical, simple and fun. Along the way, you’ll explore:

Finding the Light
How to use natural and artificial light to create a more cinematic feeling — without making things overly complicated.

Posing & Movement
How to turn a simple pose into something more dynamic, and how to capture movement without making it feel forced.

Directing Your Model
What to actually say when you're photographing someone — especially when you want natural expressions and confident poses.

Making the Most of Your Lens
How different focal lengths and shooting distances can completely change the feeling of a portrait.

Composition & Storytelling
How to use the environment, negative space, movement and body language to make your photographs feel like part of a story.

Creating a Cinematic Look
A few simple ways to bring together light, colour, composition and mood to create that movie-inspired feeling.

Most importantly, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to experiment, make mistakes and find your own version of the shot.

• Cinematic Portrait Lighting
•  Creative Portrait Composition 
• Posing & Model Direction 
• Movement & Action Photography 
• Working with Props 
• Storytelling Through Portraits 
• Using Different Focal Lengths 
• Creating Mood & Atmosphere 
• Natural & Artificial Light 
• Capturing Motion & Expression

• Bring your camera and a lens you enjoy shooting portraits with. If you have a 50mm, 85mm or 70–200mm lens, they’re great options — but don’t worry if you have something different. Your favourite lens is the right lens to bring. 
• Please also bring:
• Fully charged batteries 
• Plenty of memory card space 
• Comfortable clothes and shoes 
• Your curiosity! 
• No special equipment or previous martial arts experience is required. And if you’re new to portrait photography, that’s absolutely fine. I’ll guide you through the process.