Master the demanding lighting needs for weddings of any variety with this comprehensive guide from an industry expert. All the basics are covered, including how to choose and use the right equipment, how to control light and shadow while outdoors, how to utilize ambient room light and natural light, and how to ensure the best color balance for each image. Technical tips from 40 top wedding photographers cover such specifics as producing window-light images and using such tools as scrims, umbrellas, and gobos. With the right lighting know-how, a photographer can capture with ease the candid looks and pure emotions of the wedding party.
Todays most popular portrait styles are broken down with lighting diagrams and exposure information, as well as the story behind the shot, to create an indispensable reference for anyone interested in making more up to date, professional style portraits.
From lighting glass objects to photographing models indoors and out, this handbook demonstrates how to effectively use and control light using a variety of traditional and unconventional lighting equipment. Written by award-winning photographer Robert Morrissey for both the professional and the serious amateur photographer, this guide explains the different types of light and how to work with modifiers such as panels, umbrellas, grids, and mirrors. More than 100 detailed lighting diagrams help ensure proper placement and are useful while pitching ideas to clients. Money-saving equipment and accessory alternatives are discussed along with strategies for working through obstacles during a shoot, making this manual a must-have resource for success on every project. This revised edition includes incorporates new equipment references, while adding several up-to-date case studies.
Shattering the notion that location lighting has to be difficult, inconvenient, or compromised in its quality, this resource provides guidance on how to create unique and personalized images shot in parks, on city streets, at sports arenas, in workplaces, or in a client’s home. With an overview of equipment and a discussion on the essential tools for a shoot, this guide walks photographers through the creation of dozens of location images—from casual headshots to full-length, formally posed portraits. With strategies for meeting lighting challenges found outside of the studio—from evaluating existing light to modifying or supplementing light as needed—this book will help photographers shoot confidently by developing a plan for creating professional-quality location portraits.
As photography grew as an art form, so did the technology that backed it up. In particular, lighting styles changed to reflect both the advancing technology and the changing social mores of each decade. As fashion and society changed, so did photography. Moving from the 1910s to the 1960s, Christopher Grey walks readers step-by-step through several shoots designed to emulate the lighting styles of each period, providing practical guidance as well as a history of portrait photography.
* The complete guide to mastering the technical challenges of lighting and flash * Explores locations, subjects and styles, and all the technical skills, tools and tips needed to master them * Written by multi award-winning photographer Richard Bradbury Aimed at the serious amateur, this is a practical guide to achieving professional results in digital photography. Light is at the very heart of photography and plays a fundamental role in creating successful images. Not only does light affect brightness, it also determines tone, mood, atmosphere, texture, colour and luminosity. Mastering Lighting & Flash Photography contains everything you need to know about controlling and manipulating light to capture the beauty of the world around you in your own signature style. Written and photographed by a multi award-winning photographer, the book describes and demonstrates all the key topics: from understanding light and how to use it; through choosing the best kit and mastering the essential techniques; to different forms of flash photography and studio lighting, tips from leading professionals, and elevating your prints in post-production. .
This must-have book includes 135 detailed lighting diagrams and step-by-step discussions that teach readers how to most effectively light a wide array of products, interiors and models. Morrissey starts with a discussion on the types and characteristics of light photographers are likely to encounter on the job. Readers will also learn how to select and use cameras, electric flash units and modifiers to sculpt the light to suit their creative vision.
Aiming to help portrait photographers yield pleasing results with a variety of body types, this tutorial evaluates the subject’s appearance and suggests refining poses, providing tips to make sure each subject ends up with a result they like. Using before-and-after photos—and working through every region of the body from the head to the feet—acclaimed professional instructor Jeff Smith demonstrates simple posing adjustments and explains how various poses can conceal problem areas and maximize positive assets. Also covered are common mistakes that photographers make when posing their subjects and how to best match that pose with the setting, coordinating an overall feeling and style that makes every client look outstanding.
Aspiring photographers are always looking for that edge, that fresh point of view to add drama to their images. Photographer Joey L. found his vision early, drawing critical acclaim as a brilliant commercial photographer with a distinctive technical expertise for lighting. In Photographing Shadow and Light, Joey lifts the curtain on his dramatic, creatively fearless approach to portraiture, sharing his personal philosophy and a behind-the-scenes look at 15 striking photo sessions—from personal projects shot in Africa, India, and Brooklyn to commercial shoots for 50 Cent, the Jonas Brothers, and Project Runway All Stars. Joey provides readers with a step-by-step description of how he visualized each shoot, formed meaningful connections with his subjects, and “built” his signature dramatic lighting effects—one light at a time. Featuring more than 85 stunning portraits, detailed lighting diagrams, and a foreword from industry icon David Hobby (aka Strobist), Photographing Shadow and Light shares the creative process behind one of today’s most exciting photography talents, providing serious amateurs and professionals a fresh perspective on creating compelling, professional quality portraits. “Joey Lawrence is . . . the future of photography. Get used to it.” —David Hobby (Strobist) Get inside the images of commercial and fine art portrait photographer Joey L. with this behind-the-lens guide to his fearless approach, creative vision, and signature lighting techniques. Also available as an ebook
Without light, there is no photograph. As almost every photographer knows, the word “photograph” has its roots in two Greek words that, together, mean “drawing with light.” But what is less commonly acknowledged and understood is the role that shadow plays in creating striking, expressive imagery, especially in portraiture. It is through deft, nuanced use of both light and shadow that you can move beyond shooting simply ordinary, competent headshots into the realm of creating dramatic portraiture that can so powerfully convey a subject’s inner essence, communicate a personal narrative, and express your photographic vision.
In The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shadow, Chris Knight addresses portraiture with a unique approach to both light and shadow that allows you to improve and elevate your own portraiture. He begins with the history of portraiture, from the early work of Egyptians and Greeks to the sublime treatment of light and subject by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. Chris then dives into a deep, hands-on exploration of light, shadow, and portraiture, offering numerous lessons and takeaways. He covers:
• The qualities of light: hard, soft, and the spectrum in between
• The relationships between light, subject, and background, and how to control them
• Lighting patterns such as Paramount, Rembrandt, loop, and split
• Lighting ratios and how they affect contrast in your image
• Equipment: from big and small modifiers to grids, snoots, barn doors, flags, and gels
• Multiple setups for portrait shoots, including those that utilize one, two, and three lights
• How color contributes to drama and mood, eliciting an emotional response from the viewer
• How to approach styling your portrait, from wardrobe to background
• The post-processing workflow, including developing the RAW file, maximizing contrast, color grading, retouching, and dodging and burning for heightened drama and effect
