Dark & Moody

A One-Light Approach to Dramatic Portraits with Strobes and Flash

Have you always wanted to know an easy method for creating that rich, "painterly" look for your photos?

Are you ready to elevate your brand, expand your knowledge, and add more skills to your lighting tool belt?

Does your natural light work tend to be on the dark and moody side?

Or do you just want to mix it up by adding some fun and drama to your portfolio?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, Dark & Moody is for you!

Get started now!



Listen, creating beautiful, dramatic light with strobes and flash doesn't have to be complicated. You do NOT need multiple lights and tons of gear to create that "painterly" look! It doesn't have to be expensive either. Everything I teach can be done with just one light and one modifer!

In this course you will learn:

  • The defining characteristics of Dark & Moody light as well as how to create this style of light with minimal gear.
  • How to define and control light quality in a quick and easy way.
  • Eight "recipes" for classic lighting patterns, and how to achieve them using just one light.
  • My five favorite lighting patterns when working in the dark & moody style.
  • The impact that backdrops and styling can have on the look of your images and how best to direct your client to achieve your desired results.
  • Negative fill—what it is, why you need it and how to add it to your photos.

You will also get:

  • Behind the scenes videos so you can watch me as I work with real clients, creating the looks you will learn in the class.
  • My 21 page downloadable Dark & Moody Lighting Pattern Guide. This guide walks you through how to set up and achieve my five favorite lighting patterns for dark & moody lighting. Perfect when you need a quick reminder! Print it out and keep it in your camera bag!
  • Downloadable audio files on how to set up all eight lighting patterns outlined in the course. Put these on your phone and listen while in studio or on location setting up your lights! No reading required!
  • My equipment list. This downloadable PDF outlines all the equipment I used when creating this course.
  • Community support! Have questions? No worries, enrollment includes access to our private Facebook group so you can ask questions and share your progress!

Get started now!



Course Curriculum


  Welcome
Available in days
days after you enroll
  About Dark & Moody Light
Available in days
days after you enroll

Your Instructor


Sandra Coan
Sandra Coan

Sandra Coan is an award winning photographer, industry educator and author who teaches photographers how to grown their brand (and their business) by learning to create natural looking light with strobes and flash.



Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

See you inside Dark & Moody!

Get started now!