Basics Photography 02: Lighting

"Basics Photography: Lighting" textbook offers a good introduction to many of the basic topics in photographic lighting. Much of this has been covered in some detail in other reviews. One thing I liked are some simple images of how to convey 3D form with light for solid shapes, which many other lighting books seem to overlook this basic concept. I also liked the portrait lighting images that breakdown separately each individual light (key, fill, rim) to show how each contributes to the overall image. A weakness in the book is the lack of an index in the back. Also, some example lighting diagrams showing how the lights are set up would be useful to explain how some images were lit. Another issue, not just limited to this lighting text, is defining three-quarter (3/4)lighting. It seems to be contradictorily defined among different authors. This author seems to imply that it is similar to quarter (1/4) lighting which is a combination of front & side lighting. Other books distinguish 3/4 lighting to be a combination of front, side and TOP lighting which is the bases of creating 3D form in lighting in many cases. This text didn't have a directional term for front + side + top. Again, I reiterate that overall, I think this is a good introductory book, but has some areas that could be improved, so I rated it 4-star instead of 5-star. The BASICS Photography series from AVA Publishing's Academia imprint comprises a collection of five titles including: Lighting, Composition, Capturing Colour, Post-Production Black & White and Post-Production Colour that underpin the fundamentals of photography. As such, they offer an essential introduction to the subject and form a comprehensive reference for students of photography, design and other visual arts subjects as well as amateur photographers seeking a sound technical and aesthetic coverage of the subject.

Understanding lighting is fundamental to good photography and a good photographer learns to paint with light. How any image is lit will change how the viewer sees and interprets the content. The book is split into six sections. The first section looks into the theory and background of how all light 'works' for the photographer; the different types of light and the rules it obeys. Natural light, available light and photographic light sources in the studio are all explained and key guidance given on how to measure light for the best photographic exposure. The book concludes by looking at how to control and use light. Mastery of the basics of lighting will give the reader confidence to explore and experiment. Technical concepts are explained through the use of clear diagrams and in a glossary that runs throughout each section. The book is beautifully illustrated with inspiring and compelling images, many taken especially for this publication.

Title Page......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Contents......Page 5 How to get the most out of this book......Page 7 Introduction......Page 9 What is light?......Page 11 Basic theory......Page 13 Colour theory......Page 21 Exposure......Page 33 Polarized light......Page 51 Imaging at the endsof the spectrum......Page 53 Natural light......Page 57 Daylight......Page 59 Evening light......Page 65 Night......Page 67 Seasonal quality......Page 69 Effect of location......Page 71 Available light......Page 73 Flames......Page 75 Incandescent lamps......Page 78 Fluorescent light......Page 79 Street lighting......Page 81 Neon light ......Page 83 Gig photography......Page 85 Photographic light......Page 87 Continuous light......Page 89 Flash......Page 91 Controlling light......Page 111 Studios......Page 113 Shaping light ......Page 117 Building lighting......Page 127 Rembrandt lighting......Page 133 Butterfly lighting......Page 136 Commercial lighting......Page 137 Light tents......Page 139 Cinematic lighting......Page 142 Using light ......Page 143 Quality of light......Page 145 Revealing shape......Page 155 Revealing form......Page 158 Revealing texture......Page 159 Revealing tone and colour......Page 162 Experimenting withlight......Page 163 Conclusion......Page 173 Contacts......Page 174 Glossary......Page 175 Acknowledgements and credits......Page 177 Back Cover......Page 178 The first book in the series, Lighting , is essentially about how you see. Artists paint with oils or watercolors, photographers paint with light. It is the fundamental ingredient of every photo. How a shot is lit can greatly change the feeling it gives the viewer. Whether bright and happy or dark and moody, light is a very useful tool, but it is not always possible to control (unless you can afford a studio) and so this book aims to teach readers how to make the best with what they have. It is split into five sections, which will study the natural light, controlled light, artificial light, and capturing light. The final section uncovers different methods of capturing images using light in a creative way, like camera-less images known as photo grams, or holding sparklers in front of an open shutter. The final section will inspire both students and those wising to push their creative boundaries. Providing an in-depth exploration of lighting and how to achieve results without resorting to expensive equipment, this book looks at cutting-edge examples which can inform and inspire the photographer