Neil is a good teacher and very personable. However, we booked a full series with him and did not get our last two lessons (Lightroom workflow) despite trying to contact Neil multiple times via the website and phone. Based on past conversations, I believe, he had quite a set-back in his business/personal life, however, he should have been able to put some kind of information on his website or voicemail. read more

Whether you plan to take the classes for fun or in your journey to becoming a professional, I would definitely recommend REDred Photo School. I am a very beginner and I am not looking to become a professional. My goal for the class is to be able to catch the life around me in a way that keeps the feeling of the moment. While I have only taken 4 classes so far I am sure that Neil is going to help me reach to my goal. Right from the start Neil was engaging, asking questions about my level of knowledge and what I wanted from the class. The classes are small, engaging and interactive. Neil makes sure you understand and will always take the time to explain further. Others in my class are looking to become professionals, and I feel that Neil does a very good job of uncovering your individual needs and tailoring the class to meet everyone's needs. I have signed up for Photography Fundamentals, Digital Camera DSLR Crash-Course and The Art of Photography. Overall I feel that Neil teaches classes because he truly enjoys teaching and photography and his overall enthusiasm makes learning easy and fun. read more

Neil is an amazing teacher. He has incredible knowledge of everything photography. He explains concepts in great detail, always addressing the why and the how. He provides guidance but allows your own creativity to shine. I did the multi- course package, learned everything from the basics, to how to use my camera, had on-site shooting adventures, as well as the Lightroom photo editing classes. It was a lot of fun, complete and thorough. I would highly recommend Neil as a teacher and an expert in the field. Shereen. read more

I attended Neil's 5-week, 10-class studio lighting course and will certainly be back for more. I had previous lighting experience, owning and using location strobes, flashguns, triggers, etc. but had never had any formal training in studio photography or the related tools or methods involved. I signed up for this course to learn the basics of lighting, and Neil delivered in every way. The class is a very reasonable size and instructor (Neil) is fun and laid back. It moves at a reasonable pace, so there's no concern for skipping or missing important steps. Neil is incredibly well-studied in his craft of studio and on-location lighting and is clearly a subject-matter expert on all-things related to flash photography (among other things). In the classes and lighting labs, Neil teaches you how the light and tools fundamentally work - not just how to use them. He teaches almost completely in a manual mode or method while referencing the more automated tools. His approach to lighting and teaching is very systematic, teaching us how to break down the vision for a photograph, step-by-step to achieve near-perfect results in-camera, with little or no post-production required. And, of course, there are accidents and discoveries along the way, which keeps things fun and interesting. Expect to use the tools and make decisions extensively in the lighting labs. It's nice to have the class time ahead of these labs, too, which resulted in tons of notes I took that are very valuable to me and my practice ahead. In summary, I'd say this class is for the person who wants to establish a strong foundation of flash photography, to give them the confidence and skills they need to further explore the interest in their own. For me personally, this class has filled a lot of gaps in my knowledge, confirmed what I'm doing well already, and gives me a clear path for what I want to do next in terms of selecting the right equipment and exploring the possibilities of flash photography with a sense of confidence and excitement. A few tips for those attending: Bring a notepad and pen to every class and lab. Bring food and water. If you're thinking of buying flash equipment, you should wait until you take this class. Lastly, sign up now - classes fill up fast. read more

Neil is outstanding, it's been several years since I've taken a class but I can say that he's a great instructor. I do have plans to participate in more workshops but I just haven't had the time. He's very patient and clear with his advice/instructions. You can tell that he has great experience and easily breaks down the fundamentals. At the time of taking his class, I had already been shooting for more than 5 years and wanted to learn more about studio lighting and working with models. I had several take aways and I look forward to taking the next class. read more

Professional, great lighting setup and my headshots came out amazing. I highly recommend Neil at REDred. I had a fantastic and relaxed experience at his studio. As a fellow photographer I am very impressed by his deep knowledge of photography, he is at the top of his craft. What impresses me most is that he knows how to get pixel perfect shots that highlight a persons best traits and allow their personality to shine through. read more

After speaking with Neil at length about all of REDred's class options (there are a lot, so if you don't see what you want just call) and finally decided to go with a set of 5 private lessons so I could really tailor the classes to my skill level and needs. Neil is an incredibly sweet and experienced teacher. I feel like no question is off limits and his knowledge of photography, gear, and the business are extensive. I've been incredibly impressed and he far and away deserves all 5 star reviews. read more

Just finished the studio lighting class, learned a ton about the art & science of studio work. Intending to take more classes in the future, check it out! read more

We took the DSLR Crash-Course and was very impressed with Neil's passion for the art of photography. We learned a lot of concepts and gained more skills and confidence by the end of the workshop. He even stayed an extra hour after class to advise us on getting the right equipment for our needs. Highly recommend this school if you're interested in learning more about photography in a relaxed, friendly environment. read more

If you are looking for a fabulous photography instructor, look no further than Neil Buckman at REDred. You will be hard pressed to find an instructor more passionate and excited about teaching you all you want to know about photography. He is genuinely interested in ensuring that you understand concepts and takes the time to explain them any number of ways until they "click" for you. I greatly enjoyed his introductory classes and I am looking forward to my next round. Neil is knowledgeable, experienced, and fun! read more

Excellent excellent excellent classes. Neil is engaging, friendly, and his dog Brian is cute too. The DSLR Digital Basics is an excellent course. Highly recommended- come here to learn photography. read more

I bought a groupon to attend Intro to Photo, unfortunately it wasn't worth it. To be fair it was just the intro, perhaps the series are better. This felt like an opportunity for him to show off his cameras and then pitch us to sign up for the series. I was hoping to learn something practical that I could take away and apply. Oh well. read more

Just completed the introductory course and it was fabulous! Neil is a great teacher and the classes are structured for each student. If you've never taken a photography course, this is the one for you! read more

Neil is an outstanding instructor as well as extremely talented photographer. I have been to several photo seminars in the past and was blown away by this one: I expected to find 20-30 people and a canned speech on how to use studio lighting. What I got was so much better: I was in a group of five students, with Neil building the class around our questions and our experience. I am sure he has basic points that he weaves into the narrative of his discussion but in a true sense this was a discussion not a lecture. Neil's passion for the subject shines through in his seminar and makes a complicated subject accessible. REDred is an experience, not a school. The price of this class is undervalued in the extreme. read more

I attended 2 intro classes and had a blast. It was easy to follow along and ask questions. The studio where the classes are held is quaint and parking was easy to find. I will definitely schedule more classes! read more

I received a daily deal voucher for REDred Photo School for my birthday. Predictably, forgot about the voucher until the very last minute and had to quickly book two intro level classes. Thankfully, the owner (Neil) was very understanding and made every attempt to get me into the courses I wanted. While the online reservation system wasn't set up to handle the daily deal vouchers without a bit of emailing, it was simple enough. The studio is located in the old immigration services building just south of Chinatown. It is a cool space and the rest of the building is occupied by a variety of other artists & studios. Parking is very limited so public transit is highly recommended considering the proximity of the bus tunnel & light rail. Last but not least, Neil was a knowledgeable photographer and genuinely enjoyable instructor. He clearly demonstrates a passion and proficiency with photography but is crucially able to make the subject less intimidating for beginners (like me). 5-stars (no complaints, great experience... will definitely go back once I've done more practice on my own!) read more

Neil is a natural teacher. I had a one-on-one session with him, and he put me at ease immediately. The breadth and depth of his knowledge are so impressive, but he was able to make everything understandable to this neophyte. He gave me great advice about cameras to consider tailored to the kind of pictures I want to take, and I left feeling excited about getting started. I'd say a couple of hours with Neil saved me weeks of floundering around on my own. Also, his studio is cool, and his enthusiastic little dog, Brian, is very cute. read more

This is one outstanding studio and Neil is very knowledgeable. I've only used point and shoot camera and want to learn more about photography and using my dSLR. The Intro to Studio lighting class was excellent. A lot of techniques and demonstrations were done and I learned so much. There was good interaction and hands on practice. I've already registered for the Intro to Digital Photography class and will look to add more in the future. read more

Neil's basic DSLR class series is anything but basic, I feel like I know leaps and bounds more than I did. The classes are small and casual and Neil really makes sure you learn what you need to know. Take this course if you really want to know how to be a photographer! read more

I recently took 3 lighting classes and really received great information, Neil is very knowledgeable, helpful and explained everything in a way that made it easy to understand. read more

Neil is very easy to work with and takes fantastic photos, both artsy as well as straight commercial ones. Has great lighting and knows how to use it to great advantage. read more

I just took the Intro to Studio Makeup class on Sunday and I feel like I learned real tools to take with me to a shoot or runway show. I was happy that this class was very concise and practical. It was all meat, no filler. It was appropriate for a total beginner, or a makeup fanatic that wants to take it to the next level. I had an aha moment about skin tones, because it was finally explained to me in a way that made sense!!!! Learning real-world sanitation procedures was very helpful. The instructor was warm and funny and kept the class on track, even with such a large scope of subject matter. The class size was small (6 people). I look forward to taking a workshop so that I can get hands-on experience as well. read more

My husband gave me a Christmas present package of 4 private lessons with Neil to help me learn how to transition from taking photos on my digital camera's auto setting to using manual settings, something I had tried to learn on my own for years. Neil taught me not just how to use manual settings but also gave me information about how the various parameters affecting photographs such as light, aperture, focus, etc. actually work. Having private lessons is ideal because you can ask questions as you go and focus on your own camera and how to use it. Neil also gave me valuable advice as to how my camera compares to others and what equipment I may want to purchase in the future. Neil is easygoing and extremely knowledgeable. He is a good and patient teacher. read more

Portraiture photography was my dream for a long time, but it's a very intimidating thing. Lots of complicated gear that you don't even know what it's for or how to mount it, let alone make it all work together. Neil took us through the technical part - first understanding how light works, and working with a single light and modifiers, then more complex setups and assignments: fashion shot, corporate headshot, sports shot, intimate shot, rim light shot etc, so a lot of variety. We had a lot of fun, and I learned tons. This is one of those things you can't learn by just reading books, you need to get your hands on, and figuring out studio equipment, light metering techniques etc etc can be cumbersome on your own, if you don't have someone to guide you. Overall, what I liked most, was the focus on understanding light, not just giving us ready-to-use recipes. This way, when you're done with the classes, you're ready to experiment on your own. I actually have my own mini studio right now, and having a blast playing with it. Will definitely come back here though for more light labs, as some of the assignments are really interesting and difficult to reconstruct on your own. Thanks Neil! read more

I did a lot of film/outdoor photography before but have always found flash/lighting puzzling. Neil's Intro to studio lighting course was fabulous. A brief intro to tradeoffs in various equipments/setups is followed by actual hands-on demonstration of the effects of monolights, headlamp, diffuser, reflector and background lighting. It was well-done and very informative. I am looking forward to other classes to pick up more techniques. (I found out about his studio via Groupon.0 read more

Great info in an informal and relaxed setting. I left learning way more and I am excited to practice and refine my skills! Wish I took this course long ago! read more

I bought the Living Social Deal in hopes of attending the Intro to Studio Make up class, but was sad to find that the next two sessions were on days I couldn't make it. I sent an email explaining my situation and quickly received a reply from Nikki, the instructor, offering to accommodate my schedule however she could, even offering to see me privately. On my scheduled day, I arrived early and looked on while another student was taking instruction from Nikki. She does one half of the face and you do the other, step by step, answering any questions you have but giving you enough freedom to try things and learn from your mistakes. The whole class lasted about 2.5 hours and was tailored to fit my level of experience. I was happy to leave with boosted confidence, a sharper skill set and a craving for better brushes and cosmetics. One of the products we used that day was so excellent I had to order it on the spot, returning to the studio a week later to pick it up from Nikki. A great experience over all, in a good location with very personable staff. read more

Really cool photo studio. Very professional setup, and Neil the owner is super nice and easy to work with., very knowledgeable. Not to mention the studio rental fees are the best in the area. I always leave feeling like I was able to get exactly what I needed and exactly what I was looking for after working in the studio. read more

I was interested in creating a home studio and decided to take Neil's studio lighting class. The classes were very interesting combining theory and practice. After the classes were over I was able to choose what equipment to buy, I knew how to use it and I successfully created my home studio. I am looking forward to more studio classes from Neil! read more