Light: Science and Magic : An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

by Biver; Fuqua; Hunter

• ISBN13: 9780240808192
• ISBN10: 0240808193
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-21
• Publisher: Elsevier Science

Summary

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

Author Biography

Fil Hunter, has worked for such clients as US News & World Report, Time Life Books, and National Geographic

Table of Contents

How to Learn Lighting	p. 3
What Are "The Principles"?	p. 4
Why Are the Principles Important?	p. 4
How Were the Example Subjects Chosen for This Book?	p. 5
Do I Need to Do These Exercises?	p. 6
What Kind of Camera Do I Need?	p. 7
Should I Shoot Film or Digital?	p. 8
What Lighting Equipment Do I Need?	p. 10
What Else Do I Need to Know to Use This Book?	p. 11
What Is the "Magic" Part of This Book?	p. 11
Light: The Raw Material of Photography	p. 13
What Is Light?	p. 14
How Photographers Describe Light	p. 17
Brightness	p. 17
Color	p. 18
Contrast	p. 19
Light versus Lighting	p. 22
How the Subject Affects the Lighting	p. 24
Transmission	p. 24
Direct and Diffuse Transmission	p. 26
Absorption	p. 27
Reflection	p. 28
The Management of Reflection and the Family of Angles	p. 31
Types of Reflection	p. 32
Diffuse Reflection	p. 32
The Inverse Square Law	p. 36
Direct Reflection	p. 37
Breaking the Inverse Square Law?	p. 38
The Family of Angles	p. 39
Polarized Direct Reflection	p. 41
Is It Polarized Reflection or Ordinary Direct Reflection?	p. 45
Turning Ordinary Direct Reflection into Polarized Reflection	p. 46
Applying the Theory	p. 47
Surface Appearances	p. 49
The Photographer as Editor	p. 50
Capitalizing on Diffuse Reflection	p. 51
The Angle of Light	p. 52
The Success and Failure of the General Rule	p. 55
The Distance of Light	p. 57
Doing the Impossible	p. 59
Using Diffuse Reflection and Shadow to Reveal Texture	p. 62
Capitalizing on Direct Reflection	p. 65
Competing Surfaces	p. 68
Try a Lens Polarizing Filter	p. 70
Use a Still Larger Light	p. 71
Use More Than One Light	p. 72
Use a Gobo	p. 73
Complex Surfaces	p. 74
Revealing Shape and Contour	p. 79
Depth Clues	p. 81
Perspective Distortion	p. 81
Distortion as a Clue to Depth	p. 82
Manipulating Distortion	p. 83
Tonal Variation	p. 84
The Size of the Light	p. 85
Large Lights versus Small Lights	p. 86
Distance from the Subject	p. 86
The Direction of the Light	p. 87
Light on Side	p. 89
Light above the Subject	p. 90
Fill Light	p. 91
Adding Depth to the Background	p. 95
How Much Tonal Variation Is Ideal?	p. 97
Photographing Buildings: Decreasing Tonal Variation 99 Photographing Cylinders: Increasing Tonal Variation	p. 100
Remember Surface Detail	p. 101
The Glossy Box	p. 102
Use a Dark Background	p. 103
Eliminate Direct Reflection from the Box Top	p. 104
Eliminate Direct Reflection from the Box Sides	p. 105
Finish with Other Resources	p. 107
Use Direct Reflection?	p. 109
Metal	p. 111
Flat Metal	p. 112
Bright or Dark?	p. 113
Finding the Family of Angles	p. 113
Lighting the Metal	p. 116
Keeping the Metal Bright	p. 117
What Is a "Normal" Exposure for Metal?	p. 120
Keeping the Metal Dark	p. 120
The Elegant Compromise	p. 124
Controlling the Effective Size of the Light	p. 126
Keeping the Metal Square	p. 130
Metal Boxes	p. 132
A Light Background	p. 135
A Transparent Background	p. 136
A Glossy Background	p. 137
Round Metal	p. 140
Camouflage	p. 141
Keeping the Light off the Camera	p. 141
Using a Tent	p. 142
Other Resources	p. 144
Polarizing Filters	p. 144
Black Magic	p. 145
Dulling Spray	p. 145
Where Else Do These Techniques Apply?	p. 146
The Case of the Disappearing Glass	p. 149
The Principles	p. 149
The Problems	p. 150
The Solutions	p. 150
Two Attractive Opposites	p. 152
Bright-Field Lighting	p. 152
Dark-Field Lighting	p. 156
The Best of Both Worlds	p. 160
Some Finishing Touches	p. 162
Defining the Surface of Glassware	p. 162
Illuminating the Background	p. 166
Minimizing the Horizon	p. 166
Stopping Flare	p. 168
Eliminating Extraneous Reflections	p. 170
Complications from Nonglass Subjects	p. 171
Liquids in Glass	p. 172
Secondary Opaque Subjects	p. 176
Recognizing the Principal Subject	p. 179
An Arsenal of Lights	p. 181
The Single-Light Setup	p. 182
The Basic Setup	p. 182
Light Size	p. 183
Skin Texture	p. 185
Where to Put the Main Light	p. 185
Left Side? Right Side?	p. 191
Broad Lighting or Short Lighting	p. 192
Eyeglasses	p. 194
Additional Lights	p. 195
Fill Lights	p. 197
Background Lights	p. 203
Hair Lights	p. 205
Kickers	p. 207
Rim Lights	p. 209
Mood and Key	p. 210
Low-Key Lighting	p. 211
High-Key Lighting	p. 212
Staying in Key	p. 215
Dark Skin	p. 215
Available-Light Portraiture	p. 216
A Window as a Main Light	p. 217
The Sun as a Hair Light	p. 219
Combining Studio and Environmental Light	p. 220
Keeping the Light Appropriate	p. 223
Setting Rules?	p. 223
The Extremes	p. 227
The Characteristic Curve	p. 228
The Perfect "Curve"	p. 228
A Bad Camera	p. 230
Overexposure	p. 232
Underexposure	p. 234
A Real CCD	p. 235
Using Every Resource	p. 238
White-on-White	p. 238
Exposing White-on-White Scenes	p. 241
Lighting White-on-White Scenes	p. 243
Subject and Background	p. 243
Using an Opaque White Background	p. 245
Using a Translucent White Background	p. 250
Using a Mirror Background	p. 253
In Any Case, Keep the Background Small	p. 254
Black-on-Black	p. 254
Exposing Black-on-Black Scenes	p. 255
Lighting Black-on-Black Scenes	p. 255
Subject and Background	p. 257
Using an Opaque Black Background	p. 257
Using a Glossy Black Surface	p. 260
Keep the Subject away from the Background	p. 261
The Histogram	p. 263
Preventing Problems	p. 266
Overmanipulation	p. 266
Curves	p. 268
New Principles?	p. 269
Traveling Light	p. 273
Choosing the Right Strobe	p. 273
Getting the Exposure Right	p. 274
Letting the Strobe Determine the Exposure	p. 275
Using a Flash Meter	p. 275
Calculating the Exposure	p. 276
Calculating the Guide Number	p. 276
Using the Guide Number	p. 276
Getting More Light	p. 278
Focused Flash	p. 279
Multiple Strobes	p. 279
Multiple Flash	p. 280
Improving the Quality of Light	p. 282
Bounce Flash	p. 282
Feathering the Light	p. 285
Lights of Different Colors	p. 287
Why Is the Color of the Light Important?	p. 288
Nonstandard Light Sources	p. 289
Do the Colors Mix?	p. 292
The Remedies	p. 295
Lights of Different Duration	p. 297
Is Studio Lighting Possible on Location?	p. 299
Index	p. 301
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