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Signature course

The Wedding Photography University

The Wedding Photography University is the full operating system for a luxury wedding studio. 70+ hours of training across 11 sections covering the SX3 shooting method (location-by-location), lighting and posing, pre-wedding communication, every section of a real wedding day, the AI-assisted Lightroom post-production workflow, designing and selling wedding albums as a separate revenue stream, gear, and the complete business side: branding, pricing, marketing, and sales. Built from the playbooks we run inside Michael's seven-figure DFW and California wedding studios.

$2,500

one-time · lifetime access

11 sections · 70+ hours · self-paced

Hosted on Skool. After purchase you'll get an invite email with one-click access. Lifetime access included.

The Wedding Photography University thumbnail

Who this is for

Built for three kinds of photographer.

Stuck at the ceiling

You're booking weddings at $2,000-$3,000 and you can't break into the luxury market no matter how good your work gets. WPU is the system that gets you there.

Second shooter ready to lead

You've worked alongside a lead photographer for years and you're ready to run your own brand. WPU is everything they didn't teach you on the job.

Working photographer adding sophistication

You shoot weddings well but the business side is still duct-tape. WPU rebuilds your brand, pricing, marketing, and sales process from the ground up.

What you get

Inside the course.

  • 70+ hours of self-paced video training across 11 sections.
  • The SX3 shooting method walked through seven different real wedding locations.
  • Posing for brides, grooms, couples, groomsmen, and motion sequences.
  • Pre-wedding communication system: vision board, timeline, vendor coordination.
  • AI-assisted Lightroom workflow: Aftershoot, Evoto, Imagen, range masking.
  • Wedding album shooting, design, and the upsell that adds $1k-$5k per client.
  • Full business side: branding, pricing, marketing, website, Meta ads, ProSelect.
  • Lifetime updates as the studio playbook evolves.

The curriculum

Every module, in order.

77 self-paced lessons across 11 sections. Watch in order or jump to what you need.

01

Start here

  1. Welcome to WPU
02

Introduction to wedding photography

  1. Why You Need to Stand Out
  2. The Wedding Story
  3. The Expectations of a Professional Photographer
03

Shooting technique & flow

  1. The 3 Elements of Impactful Photography
  2. Stop Blowing Your Highlights
  3. Shooting Modes & When to Use Them
  4. RAW vs JPEG
  5. The SX3 Shooting Method
  6. SX3 Method . Location 1
  7. SX3 Method . Location 2
  8. SX3 Method . Location 3
  9. SX3 Method . Location 4
  10. SX3 Method . Location 5
  11. SX3 Method . Location 6
  12. SX3 Method . Location 7
04

Lighting techniques

  1. Light Shaping
  2. Artificial Light
05

Posing techniques

  1. Posing the Bride
  2. Posing the Groom
  3. Posing Couples Together
  4. Motion Posing
06

Pre-wedding communication

  1. Pre-Wedding Communication
  2. The Vision Board
  3. Crafting the Perfect Timeline
  4. Working Together with Vendors
07

Real wedding techniques

  1. Introduction to Real Wedding Techniques
  2. Finding the Light
  3. Photographing Detail Images
  4. Photographing the Rings
  5. Photographing the Gown
  6. Photographing Groom Prep: Finding the Light
  7. Groom Prep . Room Portraits
  8. Groom Prep . Groomsmen in Room
  9. Groomsmen . Outdoor Portraits with OCF
  10. Groomsmen . Outdoor Portraits with Natural Light
  11. Groomsmen . Motion Posing
  12. Groom Portrait . Creative Natural Light
  13. Groom Portrait . Natural Light
  14. Capturing the First Look
  15. Ceremony . Planning & Communication
08

Wedding post production

  1. Importing, Culling, Keywording
  2. Develop Module Overview
  3. Library Module Overview
  4. Color Correcting Your Images
  5. Production Hardware
  6. Post-Production Software
  7. Local Adjustments
  8. Range Masking
  9. Intro to AI Masking
  10. Creative Edits
  11. Editing a Signature Edit
  12. AI Tools . Using Aftershoot to Cull
  13. AI Tools . Advanced Edits Using Evoto
  14. AI Tools . Using Imagen to Color Correct
09

Shooting for & selling wedding albums

  1. Introduction to Wedding Albums
  2. Shooting For the Album
  3. Designing Wedding Albums
  4. Predesign or Let Client Choose Images?
  5. Choosing a Lab Partner
10

Wedding photography gear

  1. Choosing Your Camera Bodies
  2. Choosing Your Lenses
  3. Choosing Your Lighting Equipment
  4. Wedding Photography Accessories
  5. Packing for a Wedding Day
11

The business of wedding photography

  1. Building Your Foundation
  2. Introduction to Business
  3. The 7 Elements of a Brand
  4. Setting Goals & Understanding CODB
  5. Business Structure & Insurance
  6. Researching Your Competition
  7. Designing Your Website
  8. Curating a Kick-Ass Portfolio
  9. Psychological Pricing
  10. Meta Marketing
  11. Creative Testing & How to Train Your Pixel
  12. Using ProSelect for a Wedding Reveal

The work

Real weddings, real results.

A sample of the work coming out of Michael’s studios. This is what the system in this course produces in the field.

  • Bridal portrait with dramatic lighting
  • Destination wedding at Tenuta Mara, Italy
  • Wedding at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles
  • Night wedding at Tournament Players Club, Valencia
  • San Francisco City Hall wedding
  • Destination wedding at Hilton Los Cabos

Outcomes

What you’ll be able to do.

  • Run a $5,000+ luxury wedding studio from first inquiry through album delivery.
  • Direct any wedding-day section using the SX3 method, from detail shots to first dance.
  • Justify your pricing in a consultation without flinching, using the psychological pricing framework.
  • Edit a full wedding in one workday with the AI-assisted Lightroom workflow.
  • Sell wedding albums as a separate $1,000-$5,000 revenue stream per client.
  • Set up the business side properly: brand, website, contracts, insurance, ads.

Common questions

Honest answers.

Is this for beginners or working photographers?
Both. The early sections cover fundamentals so a serious beginner can follow along, but the bulk of the value is in the business side, the AI-assisted post-production workflow, and the SX3 method — those move the needle hardest for working photographers stuck at the $2-3k ceiling.
How long does it take to get through?
Most photographers finish the technical sections (shooting, lighting, posing, real wedding techniques) in 3-4 weeks of evening study. The business section is meant to be implemented one piece at a time, so it usually runs alongside your real bookings for another 2-3 months. Lifetime access means you can pace it however you want.
What's the difference between WPU and Elevate 360?
WPU is self-paced video. Elevate 360 is 12 months of live group coaching with Michael, Jen, and the team plus the bi-weekly calls, accountability, and direct feedback on your business. Every WPU course is also included inside Elevate 360. If you want the system on your own, WPU. If you want help running it, Elevate 360.
Is it really lifetime access?
Yes. One payment, you own the course forever. Future updates included. Hosted on Skool inside the Elevate community.
What if I'm not sure it's the right fit?
We don't run a refund policy on the courses because they ship immediately and you get every module. If you're on the fence, start with the free Wedding Photography 101 first. It uses the same SX3 method and teaching style, so you'll know within an hour whether WPU is for you.

Ready to start

Buy once. Own it.

Hosted on Skool inside the Elevate community. Lifetime access. Watch from any device. Updates included.

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