Lighting and Portraiture Tutorials

New Book: Basic Lighting For Portraits

My new book, Basic Lighting For Portrait Photography, has just been released.  I believe this is an important learning guide for any photographer interested in better lighting.  It’s been designed to quickly walk you through several lessons which will allow you to create sophisticated lighting from day one, and you’ll learn more each step of the way.  You can start from anywhere in the book and use any of the setups right away, but I suggest going through each chapter in order, learning a fundamental technique and building upon it as you progress through the book.

Each setup, each example adds more to your understanding of professional photographic lighting.  The text is straight to the point without the verbiage and discussion of lighting theory of other books.  The lighting diagrams I’ve created are so easy to understand you’ll get it the moment you see it!   More info is available here:  Basic Lighting For Portrait Photography.

Basic Lighting eBook

book diagram

Lots of helpful diagrams.  I believe my 3D diagrams are among the best, and easiest to understand, in photography instruction.

behind the scenes

I’ll show you how to use simple light to get impressive results right away.

example

You’ll see what works, and how to create it yourself.  Straight, out-of-camera examples.

Get more info at: Basic Lighting For Portrait Photography.

David Busch’s Guide to Canon Flash Photography, 1st Edition

Canon Flash Photography BookI’m proud to announce that I’ve recently co-authored and released a new book for the hugely popular David Busch series of photography guides.  David Busch’s Guide to Canon Flash Photography is a comprehensive reference for any photographer interested in working with the Canon flash system.

The book is available through all major booksellers and online at Amazon.  David and I cover everything you need to know to get up and running with Canon flash, from the basics of using your flash on- and off-camera, to lighting theory, to detailed information and instructions on several of Canon’s most popular flashes.

Table of Contents:

1. Canon Flash System.
2. Quick Start to Canon Flash.
3. Shooting Modes and Flash Modes.
4. Flash Theory.
5. 270EX II.
6. 320EX.
7. 430EX II.
8. 580EX.
9. 580EX II.
10. 600EX-RT.
11. Flash Gear and Accessories.
12. Wireless Flash Basics.
13. Using Wireless Flash.
14. Indoor Flash.
15. Outdoor Flash Photography.

To see more about this new book and for ordering information, you can click this link to Amazon.  Or pick up a copy at your local Barnes and Noble.

New Photography Book by Neil van Niekerk

Direction & Quality of Light:  Your Key to Better Portrait Photography Anywhere (Amherst Media) is now available!  My good friend Neil van Niekerk’s newest book has hit the shelves.  Here’s the official description of what this new one’s all about:

nvn-book-cover

Providing readers with a study of learning how to turn poorly lit images into finely crafted, masterfully lit photographs, this guidebook instills photographers with the self-confidence to think on their feet and photograph any portrait subject anywhere. Acclaimed photographer Neil van Niekerk presents seven distinctly different lighting scenarios—available light, exposure metering, a touch of flash, bounced on-camera flash, off-camera flash, video light, and hard sunlight—to show readers how to manipulate the direction and quality of light, the subject’s and photographer’s position, and numerous other variables so as to turn a bad image into a stunning, professional-level portrait. Packed with dozens of instructional, full-color photos, this work also features 10 sample photo sessions, allowing readers the opportunity to see the seven lighting scenarios put to practice.

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