A pro photographer needs great lighting skills. It is one of the most easily noticed differences between a professional's image and an amateur's. And Cris Duncan, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, is giving an online class next week that may give you the pointers you need: "The Art & Science of Lighting: Creating a Studio Anywhere" (March 13, 2:00pm ET).

Cris will take you beyond just having an eye for good light. He'll help you gain an understanding about light--why something does what it does. "When we understand what light does and doesn't do, we are more equipped to create the lighting we desire in any situation or environment," he explains. "We will have the confidence and technical skills to produce a great image and, in turn, save time during post-production."

In other words, being able to understand the laws and physics of lighting (and manipulate them) will help you "create a studio anywhere."

That's why Cris will guide you through using different lighting tools and applications:

• Daylight (including open shade) & ambient indoor light
• Flash, studio strobes & portable light sources
• Additive lighting (adding light to a scene) & subtractive lighting (taking light away)
• Reflective light & transmissive light techniques

"My hope is that everyone will leave the webinar with the ability to light their next image in a way they have not done before...or in a more effective way," adds Cris. If that's your wish, too, tune in March 13 for the online class that can help.