Sketching Light An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash

by McNally, Joe

• ISBN13: 9780321700902
• ISBN10: 0321700902
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-12-06
• Publisher: New Riders

Summary

Following up on the great success ofThe Moment It ClicksandThe Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes,legendary magazine photographer Joe McNally takes us on another memorable ride with Sketching Light, another trip into the land of light--but this time running the gamut from small flash to big flash, and everywhere in between. Of course, Joe includes coverage of Nikon Speedlights, but he also covers big flash, as well as "in-between" lights as the Elinchrom Quadra. The exploration of new technology, as well as the explanation of older technology. No matter what equipment Joe uses and discusses, the most important element of Joe's instruction is that it is straightforward, complete, and honest. No secrets are held back, and the principles he talks about apply generally to the shaping and quality of light, not just to an individual model or brand of flash. He tells readers what works and what doesn't via his let's-see-what-happens approach, he shows how he sets up his shots with plentiful sketches and behind-the-scenes production shots, and he does it all with the intelligence, clarity, and wisdom that can only come from shooting in the field for 30 years for the likes ofNational Geographic, Time, Life,andSports Illustrated--not to mention the wit and humor of a clearly warped (if gifted) mind.

Author Biography

JOE McNALLY is an internationally acclaimed American photographer and longtime photojournalist. His most notable series is “Faces of Ground Zero—Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th,” a collection of giant Polaroid portraits. He also photographed “The Future of Flying,” the first all-digital story for National Geographic. His award-winning work has appeared in numerous magazines. Joe's previous books are the critically acclaimed and bestselling The Moment It Clicks and The Hot Shoe Diaires: Big Light from Small Flashes. 

Table of Contents

Notes on the Book
And Now, Time for a Short, Brisk Whipping!
More Light-Shaping Tools!
• Things I Think I Know: Risking “No”
Northern (One) Light
But Then, I Just Couldn’t Take It Anymore
One Light, One Window, One Room
Of Frosted Glass and Dirty Windows
The ABCs
Build a Wall of Light
Make the Light Jump…and Other Lessons
Big Flash, Small Flash, Far Away
• Things I Think I Know: News Flash
Here’s Sunshine Up Your Skirt!
Set the Table with Light
The Two-Speedlight Character Portrait
Industrial Light
Finding Faces
• Things I Think I Know: How Do You Get Fired from LIFE?
Big Light, Small Flash
The Aesthetics of High-Speed Flash
Up Against the Wall
• Things I Think I Know: I Thought the Lights Would Be On
Radio TTL
The Shape of Light
A Tale of One Face, Lit Two Ways
• Things I Think I Know: Mamie and Barbara, and a Lesson Learned
Lessons from the Acetate Era
Finding a Picture on the Edge of the Canyon
Sometimes, the Main Light Is in the Back
• Things I Think I Know: Don’t Mess with the Photog
Working with D
Light as an Exclamation Point
One Light, One Shadow
This Looks Hard, But It’s Not
• Things I Think I Know: Flash Frenzy
A Couple of Joes
The Lady, the Light, and Some Luck
Lighting the Wind
More Wilma
This Looks Hard, and It Is
This Just In
Index