Profitable Portraits: Simple Lighting, Big Results with Sal Cincotta

Master the Art of Creating Stunning, Sellable Portraits

Great portraits don’t just capture a moment—they create value. In this workshop, renowned photographer and business expert Sal Cincotta will teach you how to create high-impact, highly profitable portraits using simple, portable lighting setups that deliver professional results without the bulk.

But making great images is only half the battle. Sal will also share real-world business strategies to help you price, market, and package your portraits for maximum profitability—so you can turn your passion into a thriving business.

What You’ll Learn:

Simple, Effective Lighting: Master lightweight, portable setups that work anywhere—perfect for high school seniors, headshots, business professionals, and general portraiture.
Posing & Expression Techniques: Learn how to direct clients naturally for confident, authentic, and marketable portraits.
Maximizing Location Potential: Make any environment work in your favor with creative on-location lighting techniques.
Pricing for Profit: Discover the pricing models and sales strategies that will help you increase your revenue without overwhelming clients.
Marketing & Branding: Learn how to position your portrait business for success with targeted marketing and packaging techniques.
Selling Beyond the Shoot: Understand the upselling and product strategies that boost your bottom line and keep clients coming back.

Who Should Attend?

This class is perfect for photographers looking to elevate their portrait work while building a profitable business. Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned professional, Sal’s no-nonsense, results-driven approach will help you level up your skills and earnings.

Your Takeaway:

✅ A streamlined, effective approach to on-location portrait lighting
✅ Confidence in posing, directing, and capturing sellable portraits
✅ A solid pricing and sales strategy to increase profitability
✅ Proven marketing tactics to attract high-paying portrait clients
✅ The tools to turn your portrait work into a sustainable business

If you're ready to take your portraits—and your profits—to the next level, this is the class you can’t afford to miss!

About Sal

St. Louis wedding photographer and the award-winning studio Salvatore Cincotta Photography travels the world documenting its clients’ most cherished life moments. Studio founder Sal Cincotta leads the St. Louis based team with a photographic style that’s been featured in magazines published around the world. His loyal team continues to innovate and reinvent both the business and their creative approach to the art form.

Sal and his team’s dedication to their craft was recently acknowledged at WPPI in Las Vegas, where they won 1st Place in the High School Senior category as well as an unprecedented 20 additional awards. Their prestige in the industry attracts corporate clients that have included the St. Louis Cardinals and the White House, where Sal photographed President Obama. The studio is sought after by brides globally for images that could easily grace the pages of a fashion magazine.

“We try to push the limits for our clients, and that says a lot about our studio and the overall experience our clients have with us,” says Sal. “Today’s bride and groom don’t want their parents’ pictures. They want images that are reflective of their personalities and that are unique to them.”

Sal is a noted industry writer, author, educator and publisher of Shutter Magazine, which industry pros turn to for cutting-edge technical and business insights from leading photographers. He brings his decade of corporate experience, working for the likes of Procter & Gamble and Microsoft, to the photography business, where he continues to prove himself to be a leader and innovator.