Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting,   ISBN:9780240808192

Customer Rating: 

The strength of this book is that it provides a totally different aspect in the study of light: that of geometry optics, which is quite useful.
The weakness is that it remains on the exact same subject for too long and most importantly, it does not provide the exact photographic setup utilized for each shot, a fact that I personally regard as a great disapponointment.

It is worth having it in your library, but don't expect a complete and sufficient guide to use light in your portrait or still photography.

Customer Rating: 

This book is very informative. The authors have not written the book in a technical way but very down to earth which is helpful for those of us who are not technical people.

I'm not quite half way through the book and it can get confusing but I've learned a few things that I've never thought about and I'm excited to only learn more.

If you're looking for a book that has diagrams on where to place your lights for different scenarios this book isn't for you. If you're looking for a book to understand the way lighting works and how you can arrange your lights for the look you want this book is for you.

Customer Rating: 

I have been looking for a book like this for years: it is packed with ideas and principles while retaining very little fluff. The section on metal alone will keep me busy for weeks. Thanks!

Customer Rating: 

This book is awesome. I am not a technical person so I have a little bit of difficulty with understanding the actual verbage but can understand the diagrams and the points they are trying to make. I wished there were photographs for each and every lighting situation they review in the book. IE: if there is a diagram, take a photo so we can see a real life end result. As it is difficult to picture in your minds eye with a diagram even though you can 'pretty much' figure it out.

This book is so thorough. It is essential to those of you / us learning about lighting. Lighting is can be frustrating and challenging, but I know once I get it (with help from this book - fellow amazoner's, the forums, youtube, my mentors and all of the magazines I subscribe to - I will eventually be light queen (right now, I am not even in the queens court, I am still out in the field picking berries and cleaning the proverbial toilet).

Without lighting, without knowing how to appropriately light a situation your work will be sub-par and will be junk. You can fix some of it with software in post. However, isn't it easier to get it right during set up and shoot!?? It is for me and I am lazy, I hate doing things 4-5 times just to get it to a point where I am happy. Even though some editing is un-avoidable at times, bad lighting is no excuse, accident yes, unprepared yes, lazy lighters - well, thats your fault because you didn't buy the book!

I wished also there were laminated cheat cards, (like the 8x11 cards they have for Algebra/Chemistry/Geometry etc.) even 3x5 laminated cards on a d ring so you can take them with you to shoots until you memorize your lighting possibilities. They are unlimited.

This doesn't have to do directly with the book, just some helpful advice from someone who has been there and going thru it with you.

***Do yourself a favor - have patience with yourself understanding this, it takes time! (at least for most folks and if you don't understand something, go to expertvillage videos on youtube- they have some decent ones, VERY BEGINNER. Nice to start out with.. Go here to the forums on here and ask questions. Subscribe to Shutterbug and outdoors Photography (you can get CHEAP subscriptions thru Amazon) these magazines review lighting and scenarios and tell you where to purchase. Shutterbug has a KILLLLER website too. [...] has great forums as well. Also, you can call lighting vendors and retail oulets like Adorama, B&H, Calumet they ALL have superior customer service and ALL are willing to help you 100%. OR if you are lucky, you have local photography houses where you can go inside and have them SHOW you stuff!

I have never had a bad experience with any of them. Even the gazillion lighting vendors out there, the 9 or 10 that I have called (yes, I am searching for the perfect budget scenario right now) - and they all are very honest and want to help. I've not once been car-salesmaned into a corner to buy stuff I don't need. They ALL want me to make informed and appropriate purchases, they really know how to cultivate the customer and hold your hand if you need it.

Anyways, im off my soap box, good luck and happy reading!

remember, lighting is a Science for sure, with a little bit of luck and magic tossed in for good measure.


Kimmy in Cali

Customer Rating: 

This book is not really about taking photographs. It is more about understanding how light behaves and how it relates to the photographic process. Not just a book about studio lighting & flashes, it applies to every shot you take. Going way beyond simply throwing tons of light on a subject to get the right exposure, the techniques and concepts explained enable the photographer to understand and to control the aspects of their lighting sources. Once you wrap your head around the ideas, it becomes relatively simple to figure out the correct arrangements to achieve your desired effects.

You don't need to understand physics or chemistry to benefit from this book. All ideas are well explained and use real world examples.

In terms of publishing, you get your money's worth. Nice binding and paper. The text and image quality is quite good. Certainly a book you will keep around and come back to over the years.