The Academy with John Gress
Books & Digital Downloads
The Photographer’s Journey
Nearly 60,000 words • Over 250 pages
My most comprehensive educational resource, designed to help photographers build stronger technical understanding, lighting skills, and confidence. This digital book distills over 25 years of professional experience into one complete journey, from mastering exposure and lighting to multi-light setups, color theory, posing, and workflow.
Unlike a quick handbook, this is a full roadmap. You’ll learn the lighting techniques, and problem-solving skills I’ve developed over more than 25 years working as a professional photographer. Whether you’re learning flash for the first time or refining more advanced techniques, this book is designed to help you create stronger images with greater consistency and confidence.
$99
Welcome to our Lighting Handbook series
Build stronger lighting skills through real-world setups, technical breakdowns, and structured learning. Whether you’re a beginner looking to grasp the basics or an experienced photographer aiming to refine your lighting techniques, our handbooks provide comprehensive guidance on a variety of setups. Each volume is designed to enhance your skills and transform your work!
VOL. 1
MULTIPLE LIGHTS
Dive into 1–6 light setups with detailed coverage of modifiers, exposure, and light positioning. Packed with finals, diagrams, and behind-the-scenes images for reliable results.
$50
VOL. 2
ONE-LIGHT
Master one-light portraits with both soft and hard lighting. This book features a range of modifiers and clear breakdowns with finals, diagrams, EXIF data, and behind-the-scenes images.
$50
VOL. 3
BLACK & WHITE
Learn how to shape dramatic black-and-white portraits with both hard and soft light. Covers modifiers like softboxes, optical snoots, Fresnels, & V-flats. Includes finals, diagrams, & EXIF.
$50
VOL. 4
MULTIPLE LIGHTS
Explore dynamic colored lighting techniques with softboxes, scrims, flags, Fresnels, and RGB LEDs. Includes finals, diagrams, EXIF data, and behind-the-scenes images to spark creativity.
$50
Lightroom Presets
FILM-INSPIRED PRESETS FOR A CONSISTENT ANALOG LOOK
Over the past five years, I’ve refined a film-inspired look that has become a signature part of my photography. Inspired by the timeless character of analog film, these presets are designed to bring that aesthetic into your digital workflow. Whether you’re shooting portraits, fashion, or everyday moments, my color and black & white packs provide a consistent starting point for creating film-inspired images.
COLOR FILM EMULATION PRESETS
Recreate the timeless look of film with my custom color presets. Designed to add depth, warmth, and subtle tonal shifts for that classic analog finish.
$30
B & W FILM EMULATION PRESETS
Give your images bold contrast and cinematic character with my black & white presets. Perfect for portraits or any project where mood and texture matter.
$30
John Gress Bundle
Elevate Your Photography with The Photographer’s Journey Bundle
When it comes to photography, it’s easy to believe that better pictures come from better gear. I’ve been there myself. But the truth is, it’s not the camera that makes the shot, it’s the photographer behind it.
This bundle combines structured education, practical lighting reference, and post-production tools into one complete learning system. Instead of sinking more money into lenses and bodies, you’ll invest in resources that help you better understand lighting, technique, and how to create stronger images with the gear you already own.
The Photographer’s Journey eBook provides a structured roadmap through exposure, lighting, posing, workflow, and more. The Lighting Handbooks (Vols. 1–4) place you in real-world shooting scenarios with diagrams, finals, EXIF data, and behind-the-scenes images so you can better understand and recreate the setups yourself. And the Lightroom Presets provide a consistent film-inspired starting point for your editing workflow.
Together, these resources are designed to help photographers build stronger technical understanding, improve consistency, and create more intentional images.
What’s Included
In this bundle, you’ll get The Photographer’s Journey eBook, all four Lighting Handbook PDFs, and both preset packs.
$269
Includes $359 worth of downloads