Foreword by Skip Cohen Translating the chaos of the real world into a breathtakingly simple, beautiful photograph can often seem like an impossible task. With busy, cluttered backgrounds and subjects who don’t know how to pose, how can you take control and get a great shot no matter the situation? In Picture Perfect Practice, photographer Roberto Valenzuela breaks down the craft of photography into three key elements–locations, poses, and execution–that you can use to unlock the photographic opportunities lying beneath every challenging situation. Valenzuela stresses the need for photographers to actively practice their craft every day–just like you would practice a musical instrument–in order to master the art of making great images. With chapters that offer practice exercises to strengthen your photographic abilities, you’ll learn how to approach a scene, break it down, and see your way to a great photograph. The Location section features chapters that cover symmetry, balance, framing, color elements, textures, and much more. The Posing section includes the Five Key Posing Techniques that Valenzuela uses every time he’s shooting people, as well as a complete list of poses and how to achieve, customize, and perfect them. The Execution portion, with sections like “Lighting through Direction” and “Simplicity through Subtraction,” reveals Valenzuela’s overall approach to getting the shot. The book also includes an inspiring and helpful chapter on deliberate practice techniques, where Valenzuela describes his system for practicing and analyzing his work, which leads to constant improvement as a photographer. If you’ve been frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of real-world locations, posing your subjects, or executing a great image–or if you simply want to become a better shooter but don’t know where to start– Picture Perfect Practice gives you the tools and information you need to finally become the kind of photographer you’ve always wanted to be: the kind who can confidently walk into any location, under any lighting condition, with any subject, and know that you can create astonishing photographs that have a timeless impact.

Photographer, author, and educator Roberto Valenzuela has a proven track record for teaching and explaining difficult concepts to photographers of all skill levels. His remarkable ability to break down complicated ideas into understandable, approachable elements that photographers can truly grasp–and then use their newfound knowledge to improve their photography–made his first book, Picture Perfect Practice, a breakout success. In Picture Perfect Posing, Roberto takes on the art of posing. For many photographers, after learning to compose an image and even light it properly, a portrait can still easily be a failure if the pose is not natural, elegant, and serving the needs of both the subject and the photographer. Instead of just showing page after page of poses–like most posing books on the market–Roberto actually breaks down the concept of posing by examining the anatomy, starting with the core foundation: the spinal chord and neck. Building from there, Roberto discusses every component of what makes poses work, as well as fail. How should the model hold her hands? Bend her elbows? Position her fingers? Should the model look toward or away from the camera, and why? It all depends on what the photographer wants for the shot, and Roberto discusses the entire process, from the intent of the photographer through the execution of the pose. For those who have been discouraged by an inability to pose their subjects, or who have simply not known where to start in order to "figure it out," Picture Perfect Posing is the essential resource they need to learn how posing truly works, and how they can learn to direct the exact pose they need for the shot they want.

Conquer portable strobes and hot shoe flash to create extraordinary portraits! Whether you use small, portable strobes or hot shoe flash, flash photography has always been daunting for most photographers. Without a system and workflow for thinking about and working with flash, you can easily end up feeling stuck, or you end up flailing—randomly changing settings, positions, and modifiers—and hoping for the best. It’s not surprising that this leads to failure and frustration. Enter bestselling author Roberto Valenzuela and the Picture Perfect Flash System, which he created to empower you to finally conquer your flash and create photographs that fulfill your intention and vision. There are two key components to this system, which Roberto calls FACES and NAME. The FACES component provides a framework for thinking about how you want or need to use flash in a particular scene: • Fix the Light: Do you need to fix a low light problem, an unwanted color cast, or a situation with poor quality of light? • Add Light: Do you need to add more light to boost or enhance the available light or create separation? • Create a Mood: Are you using light to create a desired mood for a location or subject? • Effects with Flash: Are you using flash for creative visual effect? • Sculpt the Light: Do you need to sculpt the light to add drama, shape, and contouring? Once you’ve found your purpose for the light, the NAME component provides an essential workflow for carrying out your flash photography in a methodical way so that you get consistent and predictable results: • Number of Flashes: How many flashes do you need? • Angle of Flashes: Where do the flashes need to be positioned? • Modifiers for Flashes: How do you need to modify your flashes? • Energy of Flashes: What power do the flashes need to be? The Picture Perfect Flash System is covered in Part One: The Flash Advantage, which is the core framework of the book. In Part Two: Flash Basics Explained, Roberto covers the flash features you need to know: TTL, Manual, 1st and 2nd Curtain Sync, High Speed Sync, and Channels and Groups. Finally, in Part Three: Dynamic Flash Exercises, Roberto gives you a dozen lighting exercises that will substantially hone and advance your skills. With Picture Perfect Flash, you’ll finally be able to conquer your flash...and make the kind of portraits you’ve always wanted to create. TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword by Miss Universe, R’Bonney Nola Gabriel Introduction PART ONE: The Flash Advantage Chapter 1: The Picture Perfect Flash System Chapter 2: Fix the Light Chapter 3: Add Light Chapter 4: Create a Mood Chapter 5: Effects with Flash Chapter 6: Sculpt the Light Chapter 7: NAME: Your Game Plan PART TWO: Flash Basics Explained Chapter 8: TTL: Let the Flash Decide Chapter 9: Manual Mode Chapter 10: 1st Curtain Sync, 2nd Curtain Sync, and High Speed Sync Chapter 11: Channels and Groups PART THREE: Dynamic Flash Exercises Chapter 12: Lighting Exercises

"Roberto has created a ... system for understanding and controlling light in photography. After discussing the universal nature of light, [he] introduces the five key behaviors of light, which are essential to understand in order to improve your knowledge of light. With those behaviors established, Roberto introduces his concept of 'circumstantial light,' [a] way of examining and breaking down the light around you in any given situation. Providing a detailed analysis of circumstantial light, Roberto develops the top ten circumstantial light elements you need to know in order to fully harness the power of the light around you to create an image that is true to your vision"--Amazon.co

From a master of professional photography, a book that explores the exciting possibilities of artificial light. This guide to on- and off-camera flash picks up where Peterson's previous title, Understanding Exposure, left off--helping free photographers from the limitations of auto to get the images they want when natural light isn't enough. For the many amateur photographers afraid to venture past natural lighting, here is the book that will finally help them master artificial light. In his trademark easy-to-understand style, Bryan Peterson explains not only how flash works, but how to go beyond TTL automatic flash exposure to master manual flash, allowing readers to control the quality, shape and direction of light for a perfect exposure, every time.

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.

Aspiring photographers are always looking for that edge, that fresh point of view to add drama to their images. Photographer Joey L. found his vision early, drawing critical acclaim as a brilliant commercial photographer with a distinctive technical expertise for lighting. In Photographing Shadow and Light, Joey lifts the curtain on his dramatic, creatively fearless approach to portraiture, sharing his personal philosophy and a behind-the-scenes look at 15 striking photo sessions—from personal projects shot in Africa, India, and Brooklyn to commercial shoots for 50 Cent, the Jonas Brothers, and Project Runway All Stars. Joey provides readers with a step-by-step description of how he visualized each shoot, formed meaningful connections with his subjects, and “built” his signature dramatic lighting effects—one light at a time. Featuring more than 85 stunning portraits, detailed lighting diagrams, and a foreword from industry icon David Hobby (aka Strobist), Photographing Shadow and Light shares the creative process behind one of today’s most exciting photography talents, providing serious amateurs and professionals a fresh perspective on creating compelling, professional quality portraits. “Joey Lawrence is . . . the future of photography. Get used to it.” —David Hobby (Strobist) Get inside the images of commercial and fine art portrait photographer Joey L. with this behind-the-lens guide to his fearless approach, creative vision, and signature lighting techniques. Also available as an ebook