Learn to use a one-light approach for recreating the look of beautiful, natural window light for portraiture!

At its best, natural light is magical for portraiture. The quality of natural light streaming through a window can be extraordinary—gorgeous, wrapping light that flatters your subject and can be used to create multiple looks. For years, photographer Sandra Coan exclusively used natural light in her portraiture work. And while the results could be magnificent, she also learned that she could not rely on it to build a business and create consistently great photographs. That’s because natural light is frustratingly unpredictable: sometimes it rains, sometimes the light is too harsh when your clients are available, and sometimes—depending on the time of year—it’s just too dark.

In order to grow her business with dependably great results and a high level of professionalism, Sandra finally decided to tackle artificial light. She spent years honing her ability to use artificial light to recreate the look of beautiful, natural light. And now, with a simple one-light approach, she produces “natural” light whenever and wherever she likes, creating great portraits in any situation, at any time of day or night. It’s an approach that has led to a successful career spanning two decades and a signature look to her work. Here, in Crafting the Natural Light Look, Sandra shares her knowledge and techniques so that you, too, can learn to quickly and dependably create the look of natural light in your own portraiture. Unlike other books that address artificial light, Sandra’s tone is conversational and easygoing, and she does not cover everything there is to know about artificial light. In fact, there are no two- or three-light setups here. Instead, Sandra’s method is straightforward and easily actionable. She covers:

• The key characteristics of light (intensity, distance, direction)

• Equipment: strobes, flashes, light meters, triggers, receivers, modifiers, reflectors, and light stands—including what she uses, and what she recommends if starting out on a budget

• Shutter speed and its relationship with artificial light

• Where to position the light and the subject for consistent, flattering results

• Creating four lighting patterns and looks with one setup—flat light, loop light, side light, and backlight

• Using a light meter to determine the perfect flash power (whether you shoot film or digital)

• Working with individuals, families, and groups

• The role of shadows in its contribution to the drama and mood of a portrait

• Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• What she does in post-production (very little!)

Finally, in a series of case studies, she brings it all together and shares her thought process as she works through a number of real-world portrait shoots from start to finish. If you’re a “natural light photographer” who’s been either struggling with flash or reluctant to learn it at all, Crafting the Natural Light Look is exactly the book you need to improve the quality and consistency of your portraiture.

The fundamentals of exposure and the essentials of lighting are explored in this photography reference that uses progressive images from portrait sessions as its basis of explanation. Starting with how light is perceived differently by the camera than the human eye, this resource clarifies the more complicated laws that govern light, breaking the rules down with clear, effective examples. Various light sources are investigated—from simple sunlight to advanced professional and studio systems—as well as the types of lighting units used at different times during the sessions. By adding or modifying one light at a time, a sequence of images shows how the desired effect was achieved, offering photographers step-by-step troubleshooting tips. Concise text paired with photo examples offer any portrait photographer the techniques needed to create perfectly lit images.

Learning to work with light is an important milestone in every photographer’s career, and the ability to craft light to fit your vision for an image is a skill that cannot be overrated. Most often, that crafting of light is spoken of in terms of the quality and quantity of light. But there is an important, third component of light that heavily influences the final look of the image: the color of light. In Chroma: A Photographer’s Guide to Lighting with Color, photographer Nick Fancher helps you elevate your game when it comes to introducing the bold, creative, and intentional use of color into your work.

Whether you’re using a high-powered strobe or a small hotshoe flash, Chroma is for you. Nick begins with a discussion of color theory, gels, and white balance, then examines how to determine which colors complement your subject matter (whether that’s people or products). He moves on to cover topics such as:

• Balancing, mixing, and overpowering ambient light with artificial light
• Layering colors for unique color combinations
• Mixing hard and soft light to achieve extremely rich color
• Lighting detail and texture
• Modifier options, such as ring flash, snoots, barn doors, softboxes, and filters
• Gobos to control the light
• Post-processing for vibrant, powerful colors
• How (and why) to light with color, even when the end goal is a black and white image

Illustrated throughout with innovative and expressive imagery, Chroma also includes behind-the-scenes photos, lighting diagrams, and Lightroom settings so you can follow along from the initial concept through to the final edit.

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Without light, there is no photograph. As almost every photographer knows, the word “photograph” has its roots in two Greek words that, together, mean “drawing with light.” But what is less commonly acknowledged and understood is the role that shadow plays in creating striking, expressive imagery, especially in portraiture. It is through deft, nuanced use of both light and shadow that you can move beyond shooting simply ordinary, competent headshots into the realm of creating dramatic portraiture that can so powerfully convey a subject’s inner essence, communicate a personal narrative, and express your photographic vision.

In The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shadow, Chris Knight addresses portraiture with a unique approach to both light and shadow that allows you to improve and elevate your own portraiture. He begins with the history of portraiture, from the early work of Egyptians and Greeks to the sublime treatment of light and subject by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. Chris then dives into a deep, hands-on exploration of light, shadow, and portraiture, offering numerous lessons and takeaways. He covers:

• The qualities of light: hard, soft, and the spectrum in between

• The relationships between light, subject, and background, and how to control them

• Lighting patterns such as Paramount, Rembrandt, loop, and split

• Lighting ratios and how they affect contrast in your image

• Equipment: from big and small modifiers to grids, snoots, barn doors, flags, and gels

• Multiple setups for portrait shoots, including those that utilize one, two, and three lights

• How color contributes to drama and mood, eliciting an emotional response from the viewer

• How to approach styling your portrait, from wardrobe to background

• The post-processing workflow, including developing the RAW file, maximizing contrast, color grading, retouching, and dodging and burning for heightened drama and effect

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• How all of these elements culminate to help you define your personal style and create your own narrative

What would your life be like if you could shoot absolutely amazing portraits? If you could be in any natural lighting situation, indoors or out, and know that you’d be able to create an amazing image every time? If you’ve ever dreamed of making such incredible portraits that your friends and family say, “Wait a minute, this is your photo!? You took this?” then you’re in luck.

Award-winning photography book author Scott Kelby teaches you exactly how to shoot and edit gorgeous natural light portraits. Scott shares all his secrets and time-tested techniques, as he discusses everything from his essential go-to portrait gear to camera settings to the portrait photography techniques you need to create absolutely stunning images. From window light to taming harsh outdoor light, from the tools and accessories you need to capture beautiful portraits in any lighting condition, Scott has got you covered.

Among many other topics, you’ll learn:

• The secrets to getting super-sharp portraits every time without breaking a sweat.

• Exactly which camera settings work best for natural light portraits (and which ones you should avoid).

• How to create separation with a silky smooth, out-of-focus background no matter which lens you have.

• How to tame even the harshest light and turn it to your advantage to create soft, beautiful, wrapping light.

• Which lenses will get you the best results and why.

• What gear you need, which accessories work best, and a ton of killer tips that will help you create better images and make the entire experience that much more fun.

It’s all here, including an entire chapter on post-processing and retouching, and another with detailed portrait recipes, and best of all, it’s just one topic per page, so you’ll get straight to the info you need fast. There’s never been a natural light portrait photography book like it!

Models need to get hired, designers need to sell their clothing, magazine editors need to attract readers—and to do this, they all need one thing: attention-grabbing images. Satisfying these savvy and demanding fashion-photography clients requires a photographer with both a strong command of lighting and a dash of ingenuity. In this book, veteran fashion shooter Billy Pegram (whose past clients include Fila, Swatch, Pussycat Dolls, and Tony Hawk) shows you how to attain that goal with cutting-edge techniques that showcase flawless skin, accentuate stunning figures, and highlight gorgeous products. Through careful control of the light, whether in the studio or on location, you’ll learn how to manage every nuance of the model’s appearance, drawing attention to his or her standout qualities and minimizing any problem areas. Short, to-the-point lessons with ample lighting diagrams and image sequences make learning easy. Armed with these techniques, you’ll be ready to approach fashion shoots (or fashion-inspired portrait sessions) with confidence—and deliver memorable images to your clients.

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 Niekirk 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.