Light Science & Magic

Photographic lighting is a topic that will never go out of style, no matter how sophisticated cameras and other technology get. Even with the most high-tech gear, photographers still need to put a lot of thought and vision into lighting their photographs in order to get great results. This key skill has the power to dramatically and quickly improve photographs. Light Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light, with examples and instructions for practical application. Featuring photographs, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions, this book speaks to photographers of varying levels. It provides invaluable information on how to light the most difficult subjects, such as surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and portraits. This new edition includes:All new chapter titled &quote;Setting Up Your New Studio&quote;A re-vamped and expanded chapter 8 now titled &quote;Making Portraits&quote;New appendix of reliable photo gear sourcesOver 100 new photographs and informational sidebarsUpdated information about advances in flash equipment, LED panels and fluorescent lightsStyles of lighting continue to change, but the nature of light will always remain the same. Once photographers understand the basic physics of lighting, they can apply that knowledge to a broad range of photographic styles.

Auteur

Fil Hunter was a highly respected commercial photographer specializing in still life and special effects photographs for advertising and editorial illustration. During a career spanning over three decades, he worked for such clients as America Online, US News, Time-Life Books, Life Magazine (27 covers), the National Science Foundation, and National Geographic. He taught photography at the university level and served as technical consultant on a number of photographic publications. Mr. Hunter won the Virginia Professional Photographer's Grand Photographic Award three times. Steven Biver has over twenty years of experience as a commercial photographer specializing in portraits, still life, photomontage, and digital manipulation. His client list includes Johnson & Johnson, USDA, William & Mary College, Conde Nast, and IBM. He has been honored with awards from Communication Arts, Graphis, HOW Magazine, and Adobe, who have also included his work on a Photoshop 'extras' disc to inspire other photographers. He is also the co-author of FACES: Photography and The Art of Portraiture, another Focal Press publication. Paul Fuqua has worked as an editorial and wildlife photographer for more than thirty-five years. He started his own production company in 1970 and is dedicated to teaching through the use of visuals. Paul has written and produced educational and training material in a variety of fields including law, public safety, history, science, and the environment. For the last ten years he has produced educational material dealing with the natural sciences and the need for global habitat stewardship. Paul is also a co-author of FACES: Photography and The Art of Portraiture for Focal Press.

Contenu

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - How to Learn lighting Lighting Is the Language of Photography

What Are the "Principles?" Why Are the Principles Important?

How Did We Choose the Examples For This Book?

To Do or Not to Do?What Kind of Camera Do I Need?A Word of Caution

What Lighting Equipment Do I Need?What Else Do I Need to Know to Use This Book?

What Is the Magic Part of This Book?

Chapter 2 - Light: the Raw Material of Photography What is light?

How Photographers Describe Light * Brightness

Color

Contrast

• "Light" Versus "Lighting"

How the Subject Affects Lighting * Transmission

• "Direct" Versus "Diffuse" Transmission * AbsorptionReflection

• Chapter 3 - The Management of Reflection and the Family of Angles Types of Reflections * Diffuse Reflections

The Inverse Square LawDirect Reflections

• Breaking the Inverse Square Law * The Family of AnglesPolarized Direct Reflection

Is It Polarized Reflection or Ordinary Direct Reflection?Turning Ordinary Direct Reflection into Polarized Reflection

• Applying the Theory

  Chapter 4 - Surface Appearances The Photographer As an Editor

Capitalizing on Diffuse ReflectionsThe Angle of Light

The Success and Failure of the General RuleThe Distance of LightDoing the Impossible

Using Diffuse Reflection and Shadow to Reveal Texture

Capitalizing on Direct ReflectionComplex Surfaces

Chapter 5 - Revealing Shape and Contour Depth Clues

Perspective Distortion * Distortion as a Clue to Depth

Manipulating Distortion

• Total Variation

The Size of the Light * Large Lights versus Small Lights

Distance From the Subject

• The Direction of the Light

*Light on the Side

Light Above the Subject

Fill Light

Adding Depth to the Background

• How Much Total Variation is Ideal

*Photographing Cylinders: Increasing Total Variation

• The Glossy Box * Use a Dark to Medium Toned Background

Eliminate Direct Reflection from the Box Top

• Eliminate Direct Reflection From the Box Top

Move the Light Source Toward the Camera

Raise or Lower the Camera

Use Falloff

Eliminate Direct Reflection From the Box's Sides

Put a Black Card on the Table Top Tip the Box

Use a Longer Lens

Try a Polarizer

Used Dulling Spray

Use Direct Reflection Chapter 6 - Metal

Flat Metal * Bright or Dark

Finding the Family of Angles

• Position a White Target Where You Think the Family of Angles Will Be

Place a Test Light at the Camera lens

Aim the Test Light * Lighting the MetalKeeping the Metal BrightWhat is a Normal Exposure for Metal?Keeping the Metal Dark

The Elegant Compromise

Controlling the Effective Size of the Light

Keeping the Metal Square

• Use a View Camera or Perspective Control LensAim the Camera Through a Hole in the Light Source

Photograph the Metal at an AngleRetouch the Reflection Metal Boxes * A Light BackgroundA Transparent BackgroundA Glossy Background

• Round Metal * Camouflage

Keeping the Light Off the CameraUsing a Tent

• Other Resources * Polarizing FiltersBlack MagicDulling Spray
• Where Else Do These Techniques Apply?

Chapter 7 - The Case of the Disappearing Glass

Principles

ProblemsSolutions

Two Attractive Opposites * Bright - Field Lighting

• Choose the Background

Position the Light

Position the Camera

Shoot the Picture * Dark - Field Lighting

*Set Up a Large Light Source

Position the Camera

Position the Subject and Focus the Camera

Shoot the Picture The Best of Both Worlds

Some Finishing Touches * Defining the Surface of Glassware

Illuminating the Background

Minimizing the Horizon

Stopping Flare

Eliminating Extraneous Reflections

• Complications From Non-Glass Subjects * Liquids in Glass

*Liquids As a Lens

Keeping True Color * Secondary Opaque Subjects

• Recognizing the Principal Subject

Chapter 8 - An Arsenal of Lights

The Single light Portrait Setup * The Basic Setup

Light Size

Skin Texture

Where to Put the Main Light

The Key Triangle

• Key Triangle Too Large: Main Light Too Near the Camera

Key Triangle Too Low: Main Light Too High

Key Triangle Too Narrow: Main Light Too Far to Side * Left Side? Right Side?

Broad Lighting or Short Lighting?

Eyeglasses

• Additional Lights * Fill Lights
• Reflector Cards as Fill Lights

Background *Lights

Hair Lights

Kickers

Rim Lights

• Mood and Key * Low-Key Lighting

High-Key Lighting

Staying in Key

• Dark Skin

The Unfocused Spot

Using Colored Gels

Chapter 9 - The Extremes

The Characteristic Curve * Th…