by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua
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Product Description
An amazing (and some would say magical) resource on photographic lighting that has been talked about in the community and recommended for years. This highly respected guide has been thoroughly updated and revised for content and design - it is now produced in full color! It introduces a logical theory of photographic lighting so if you are starting out in photography you will learn how to predict results before setting up lights. This is not primarily a how-to book with only set examples for you to copy. Rather, Light: Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light to allow you to use lighting to express your own creativity.
Numerous photographs and illustrations provide clear examples of the theories, while sidebars highlight special lighting questions. Expanded chapters on available light in portraiture, as well as new information on digital equipment and terminology make this a must have update!
*New four color art package with contemporary lighting examples
*Based on the behaviour of light
*Theory book for serious photographers
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Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Absolutely terrific - read it more than once!, 2008-11-04
This is one of the best photography books I've read, and hands down the best lighting book! If you're new to lighting, you'll want to read this book more than once, because it has so much information! Dedicated chapters on lighting principles, reflection and the "family of angles," surface appearances, shape and contour, lighting metal, lighting glass, types of lights, portrait lighting, lighting white-on-white and black-on-black all work together to make this an essential text book for any photographer. Be sure to pick this book up at the store!
Irene Abdou Photography
http://www.photoswithsoul.com
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Very good book on lighting, personally recommend it to anyone., 2008-10-24
This is an exceptionally good book, written from a simple to understand perspective. I bought it on the back of the mostly positive reviews from others and I'm glad I did. (BTW, for the small numbers of critics, I'm not a "strobist", this was a new word to me I'd never heard until someone here mentioned it - but it's a useful site anyway and I don't know what the criticism's about).
But back to the book.
It teaches you the basics without any fluff, but with plenty of photographed examples of rights and wrongs, but more importantly why and how they're right and wrong, and how to avoid the latter. I now both understand and enjoyed learning about some of the basics about light, which to be frank, bored me senseless at school.
It's not a "how to light something in this situation" book, it's a "how to know what the pitfalls are so you can avoid them, and use better technniques" book. It tells you how to light, and presents really good discussion and examples of problem surfaces, for instance, glass and metals, and informs you in simple language you how to get the best results, without paying a fortune for lighting equipment (unless you want to). I know I've already learnt something useful from it, though Im only 80 pages in, and I've already given some other photographers tips on how to improve their photographs which I've found have worked for mine.
In short, recommended, a really good, informative and practical book. Very glad I bought it :D
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent, 2008-10-23
I was looking for some literature regarding lighting that would cover basics for product photography. Unfortunately, most books endulge in a certain high level lingo that would confuse most of the readers. One could easily see which author has more experience based on the level of simplicity he or she uses in order to explain some concepts. A friend of mine lent me this book and I have now the chance to write a short review about it.
First of all: the book is excellent. The paper and printing quality (full color for all photographs and diagrams) are outstanding. One can easily see essential details in images, like different textures and apperance of surfaces under various lighting setups. So this is a big plus.
The book is divided in 10 chapters as follow:
1. How to learn lighting; this chapter gives you basic information regarding general lighting principles, the way the author chose the examples and - most important - why did he chose those examples, the rationale behind all exercises and some hints for the way you should approach each exercise (procedures, goals - what you should get) and also some general information about shooting equipment that one needs in order to perform the exercises in the book.
2. Light: the raw material for photography. This chapter explains in detail, but not to boredom and in a very plain and explicit manner the properties of light that each photographer should know and understand in order to take proper images. What I most liked is the fact that the author starts from a basic principle (almost as an axiom) that the most important factor for photography is not the gear but the light and the way a photographer understands and uses light.
3. The management of reflection and the family of angles. Basic information about the way light is reflected by various materials and surfaces, discussions on the placement of the sources of light relative to the observer (camera) in order to get different results, polarization and some exercises that helps you apply the theory.
4. Surface appearances. This chapter elaborate a bit more some concepts from the previous chapters, with focus on surface appearance, textures, boundaries and some many other information about way different objects appear in different lighting setups. Many exercises included, things that you should try by yourself.
5. Revealing shape and contour. A very good read about methods of adding 3D appearance to 2D images using shadows, tonalities, surface detail etc. This is a chapter with a lot of info about "providing real life appearance" of your 2D images.
6. Metal. How to photograph metal surfaces. Detailed examples and information about reflection on metal surfaces, ways to reveal detail and avoid loss of detail in different lighting setups, information and exercises on photographing metal boxes, special challenges imposed by round metal objects (like globes) and the special issues such photos pose.
7. The case of the disappearing glass. This is one of the most interesting chapters and deals with photographing glass and glass objects. Various methods are explained and actions needed for succesful photographs are detailed in very clear steps, with plenty of rationale and concepts in behind. A special section deals with glass objects with liquid inside, that act as lenses and pose special problems to inexperienced photographer.
8. An arsenal of lights. This chapter will be the favourite for portrait shooters, people that want to learn and understand ways of lighting for portraits. The images are "disassembled" in their components by each light source in order to familiarize yourself with the effects of light characteristics, placement, intensity etc.
9. The extremes. This deals mainly with high-key, low-key and special (under or overexposed) images, situations that require such artwork and the interaction of environment (backgrounds etc) and the objects to be photographed.
10. Traveling light. This deals entirely with strobes (flash photography) and with special issues using flash. If you are new to concepts like guide number, bounce, feathering etc., this chapter will place more... light to it. Also, provided are a lot of practical examples that you should also try.
Overall this is one of the best educational books about photography - in general - and lighting - in particular - I have ever read. The language used is plain, concise and extremely to the point, the concepts are extremely well explained, reasons for different results are given and principles are well laid, just to be followed.
I would STRONGLY recommend (actually I have already ordered one for myself) this book to anyone is interested in understanding more the light, lighting, studio setups and general knowledge about light and photography, actually the most important ingredient for each image you might take.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Lighting from a scientific point of view, 2008-10-05
The explanations "how to" are great. For those who want to go further in lighting comrehension and fundamentals. I tried some of the exercises, and it...works.
Highly recommended (it is a strobist.blogspot.com/ choice).
I don't think this book is for the very beginners.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
essential for all photographers, 2008-09-21
If you are just starting or have been working for awhile with artificial lighting I really recommend you buy a copy of "Light, Science and Magic" , third edition. I have never come across as comprehensive yet down to earth guide for understanding and using the properties of light as this book. I have no connection with the authors and in fact only recently (early Sept. 08) bought a copy after hearing certain people here on photo.net rave about it. I was skeptical because of the title and feared it was yet another lighting cookbook of cookie cutter approaches to using light. it emphatically is not . It is very useful even if you never intend to never use artificial light. It is both well written and well illustrated.
As a companion volume I also recommend Kirk Tuck's book " Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Lighting" if you are using small strobes such as the Canon, Nikon, Metz or Sony Speedlights. Together these two books virtually 100% of the ideas concepts and practices of using light dynamically to make more creative and visually powerful photographs.
Price is accurate as of the date/time indicated. Prices and product availability are subject to change. Any price displayed on the Amazon website at the time of purchase will govern the sale of this product.
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