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Light Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting 4th Edition
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$152.00
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- ISBN-100240812255
- ISBN-13978-0240812250
- Edition4th
- PublisherFocal Press
- Publication dateSeptember 8, 2011
- LanguageEnglish
- Dimensions7.5 x 0.75 x 9 inches
- Print length328 pages
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Fil Hunter Paul Fuqua Steven Biver
We photographers now live in a gadget-based world. If you don’t believe me, just look at the Web or any photography magazine. What do you see but item after item extolling the virtue of this or that gizmo?
The lighting side of picture making is no exception. In fact it has become so intense that a huge proportion of questions I’m asked are of the “How can I work without a . . . ?” or “Will I ever be able to make good portraits without a . . . ?”
Fortunately two sentences written for the first edition of Light--Science & Magic some 25 years ago by our co-author, Fil Hunter are just as relevant today as they were then, a quarter of a century ago:
To put those two pithy lines another way, it’s what you do with what you’ve got that counts.
Sure, there most certainly are those times when the newest and niftiest piece of gear would make life a lot easier. But if you can’t afford it, don’t go out and shoot yourself. Instead, start trying to figure out a different way of getting the job done.
You’ll be amazed at how many times you can.
--Fil Hunter, Paul Fuqua, and Steven Biver
Amazon Exclusive: An Example from Paul Fuqua, One of the Authors of Light--Science & Magic, on LightingFor the most part, my co-author, Steven, and I specialize in very different kinds of photography. Steven usually works using lights. I almost always work with only the ambient light I find where I’m shooting.
But as different as these two ways of working are, the approaches we use to lighting our subjects are almost identical. That’s because no matter where you find it or what its sources may be, light always behaves in certain predictable ways.
Take this portrait of my friend Howard. To make it I moved him into the “open” shade of a nearby barn. This flooded him with the kind of softly diffused light I had pre-visualized for the picture.
I then positioned Howard close to the edge of the barn’s shadow. This allowed a small number of the sun’s brighter rays to fall on the camera right side of his face.
The result of this slightly uneven lighting was twofold. First, Howard’s facial features were nicely modeled and second, the diffused light prevented any unattractive hard-edged shadows on it.
What’s important about the above is that I was able to use the ambient light I found on a location to make this portrait using exactly the same basic approach that Steven could use to produce identical looking lighting using studio strobes. Simply put, light is light, and it always follows the same laws of nature wherever it is and whatever produces it.
And that’s exactly what Light--Science & Magic is all about.
-- Paul Fuqua
Featured Photographs from the Authors of Light--Science & MagicThis glass of water was photographed with two lights--one on the background and the other in the foreground. (For more on photographing glass see Chapter 7). This dramatic studio portrait was created using three lights--a Fresnel for the hair light, a grid spot and, a strip light for the face. (For more on portrait lighting see Chapter 8). Exterior lamp on building wall shot with available light. The hard-edged shadow is a result of the bright specular light, the sun.
Still life was lit with one large soft box. This type of light modifier enables you to create as soft and often pleasing “window light” look. Location portrait photographed with dappled ambient light.
Featured Excerpts from Light--Science & Magic
Read a few sample pages on how the cover was made. [PDF]
Read a few sample pages on how to photograph glass. [PDF]
Review
"If you are a photographer of any type, especially on who does studio work, this is a must have reference." - BC Books (May 2007) "The first book on photographic lighting that is worth using as a text. Light - Science and Magic is about principles, not cheap tricks or the authors' portfolio." -Pete Christman, Savannah College of Art and Design.
"I've found Light Science and Magic to be an invaluable tool." -Pointsinfocus.com
"This is the indispensable guide to photographic lighting for photographers at all stages of their craft." -Professional Photographer Magazine "I believe Light: Science & Magic should be a part of every serious photographer's library, and I feel strongly about it." -Photofidelity.com
About the Author
Paul Fuqua, Virginia, USA, started his own audiovisual production company in 1970. Dedicated to teaching through visuals, he has written and produced educational and training material in a variety of fields, including law, science, and nature. His photography takes him all over the world, but he makes his home in Arlington, VA.
Steven Biver, Virginia, USA, Commercial photographer, former clients include Adobe, Mobil, Newsweek, Black and Decker
Product details
- Publisher : Focal Press; 4th edition (September 8, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 328 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0240812255
- ISBN-13 : 978-0240812250
- Item Weight : 1.95 pounds
- Dimensions : 7.5 x 0.75 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #954,663 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #110 in Photography Lighting (Books)
- #900 in Digital Photography (Books)
- #4,726 in Professional
- Customer Reviews:
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Light--Science & Magic
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About the author
Fil Hunter received a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double major in Psychology and Religion (Religion being a social science at a U.S. state-supported university). However, his chief interest was photography, which occupied most of his time during his four years at the school.
Although Hunter had grown up in a photography tradition (his grandfather invented multi-lens printing and his father made his own camera to photograph his experiences as a U.S. Marine in WWII), his most influential mentor was Ross Scroggs, Sr., Director of Photography at UNC-CH.
Although Scroggs was an acclaimed photographic technology teacher and also handled lighting brilliantly, lighting was the only area he had difficulty teaching. Since Scroggs had taught everything else, Hunter set out to fill that gap. The book Light – Science and Magic, written with Paul Fuqua and Stephen Biver, is the result.
Hunter has also been the lead writer of The McGraw-Hill Photography Course and Illusion: The Art and Science of Photographic Special Effects.
He is married to Robin Reid, a portrait specialist who has done the official portraits of several high-ranking U.S. officials. He and Robin are now working together on a new book with an expected publication date of mid-2011.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book informative and useful for learning about lighting. They appreciate the clear explanations and diagrams. The book provides a solid treatise on the topic of light, even if you work by natural light. Readers find the information helpful and well-organized, with basic concepts explained in a simple yet comprehensive manner. Overall, they consider it a worthwhile resource that covers the essentials concisely and thoroughly.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book useful and interesting. They say it's a good resource for learning about light and lighting. The first chapter provides an introduction to the physics of light. It also covers problem-solving techniques and conveys knowledge effectively. Overall, customers find the book informative and helpful.
"...you are trying to reduce to practice, then this is a wonderful book to have and study...." Read more
"...Yes... this means this is a good bathroom reader. This is certainly the best $21 I've spent in a great while." Read more
"...set ups for product photography and general lighting, this is a great book...." Read more
"...This is very useful. It's like if you know engineering, you'll know how to design different types of cars...." Read more
Customers find the book provides a clear and simple explanation of lighting laws. It provides good diagrams and an organized overview. The information is well-organized chapter-by-chapter and easy to scan. Readers appreciate the common sense clarity and real-life examples.
"...There are a few useful hints geared towards digital photographers for instance on how underexposing makes sense for digital where overexposing did..." Read more
"...The material covered is not simple, but the explanations are uniformly clear and approachable...." Read more
"...The book delves reasonably deep into topics, but is arranged so you can assimilate new methods and tips with sporadic readings...." Read more
"...to this reader, this book more than makes up for it with the common sense clarity with which the authors demonstrate fundamental concepts of..." Read more
Customers find the book helpful for learning about lighting. It provides a solid introduction to the topic and helps them understand how to manipulate light, even with natural light. The book covers various aspects of lighting, including reflections, glass, metal, and shiny surfaces. While it doesn't deal with specific lighting equipment, it takes an elementary approach to choosing lighting setups and illustrating how and why various lighting setups work.
"...All in all an excellent reference book on lighting, one I found myself thumbing through over and over even before I was done reading it the first..." Read more
"...It discusses the three aspects of lighting that affect how a subject is illuminated, and then goes on to discuss how light interacts with different..." Read more
"...pro looking for a new trick or two, this book is a solid treatise on the topic of light generally and photographic lighting specifically...." Read more
"...sense clarity with which the authors demonstrate fundamental concepts of photographic lighting without undue jargon...." Read more
Customers find the book informative and useful. It explains basic concepts and ideas in a clear manner. The book covers topics in depth, with practical examples and real-life applications. They appreciate the problem-solving approach and the information on understanding reflections, lighting glass, metal, and shiny objects.
"...of all the photography books I read that properly explains polarizing versus non-polarizing reflections and the proper usage of polarizing filters..." Read more
"...The book delves reasonably deep into topics, but is arranged so you can assimilate new methods and tips with sporadic readings...." Read more
"This is truly a great book on lighting. It explains the concepts clearly first, so that you get the idea of the characteristics of the..." Read more
"The book is a technical how to on light. It contains a number of exercises that can be set up in the studio and experimented with...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's value for money. They say it covers the fundamentals of photography concisely and thoroughly.
"Deals concisely and thoroughly with the fundamentals of photographic lighting...." Read more
"...It reads more like a textbook than most photo books but it is worth the effort. The price is hefty so I went for the Kindle rent option." Read more
"...Owning/reading this book is not a waste for money or time." Read more
"...The chapter on hoe to light glass was worth the price of the book." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2013I have been reading a lot of photography books of late, on average two a month for over a year, and they usually address different concerns. This one deals exclusively with lighting and takes the problem at the root.
This is the only one I read so far that starts with the fundamentals of what is light and how it behaves, and leads the reader down the thought process required for proper illumination of any subject starting from first principles.
Many other books deal with the pure portrait lighting (Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers comes to mind), only flash photography (Joe MacNally's excellent Sketching Light) or lighting gear (Syl Arena's Speedliter's Handbook).
"Light, Science and magic" is explicitly positioned as a textbook on lighting and only lighting. The reader is supposed to know his or her camera and how to get a proper exposure.
There are a few useful hints geared towards digital photographers for instance on how underexposing makes sense for digital where overexposing did for film, the histogram and the effects of over manipulation, the curves etc. The only remark I would question in the whole book is on page 278, where the authors suggest that Ansel Adams' zones would be 0 on the left side and X on the right side of the histogram - that would be true if the sensor covered the whole dynamic range of the possible pictures, from pitch black to clean, sun-lit snow.
The book starts with a recap of what is light. Full disclosure, I was trained a physicist and considering this book is subtitled "An introduction to photographic lighting" I was expecting heavy-handed approximations. Not so. The subject matter is exposed in a very simple yet not simplistic way. This is the first of all the photography books I read that properly explains polarizing versus non-polarizing reflections and the proper usage of polarizing filters with a very striking example (figures 4.11 and 4.13).
It then addresses all the classic problems: diffuse versus direct reflection (how to shoot shiny surfaces, flat versus round objects, from small objects to buildings etc.) and proposes a number of solutions to the usual and more unusual issues such as with white on white or black on black pictures.
(I am surprised that the words "dynamic range" do not seem appear in the book.)
It ends with portrait and how to manage the real world lighting indoors or outdoors, strobes and speedlights but without dwelling on such techniques as bouncing flash as much as many other books I have seen.
All in all an excellent reference book on lighting, one I found myself thumbing through over and over even before I was done reading it the first time.
If you are looking for an overview of digital photography including composition, exposure, color management etc., this book is probably too specialized (try one of my favorites in that category, one I open regularly: Digital Photography Lighting For Dummies).
If what you want is a collection of hints and tips on how to get a nice picture in such or such situation, check out Scott Kelby's The Digital Photography Book, Part 2 and Part 4 (not part 3). If you are interested in composition, pausing etc., have a look at Picture Perfect Practice.
However if what you want is a solid foundation for how light behaves and what are the classic thought processes when addressing lighting issues, this is the book for you.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2011This book is not for everybody. If you are more interested in a "recipes" approach to lighting problems than in understanding the "whys" behind the techniques, you will probably be disappointed in this book. But if you want to be able to deal with lighting issues intelligently and work out your own solutions to create the lighting effects that will support the vision you are trying to reduce to practice, then this is a wonderful book to have and study. It discusses the three aspects of lighting that affect how a subject is illuminated, and then goes on to discuss how light interacts with different kinds of materials and what lighting approaches highlight which aspects of a subject. It is all quite theoretical, but not at all dry or hard to understand.
This is the fourth edition of this book, which was first published a quarter of a century ago, and the authors have gotten their discussion down to a very clear and conversational level by now. The material covered is not simple, but the explanations are uniformly clear and approachable. The first couple of chapters are a tad on the wordy side, but once the pure physics is behind them the authors hit their stride and communicate the understanding necessary to make you knowledgeable about lighting and what you are trying to do with it.
One thing that I have noticed already (I haven't finished reading the book yet) is that I am able to evaluate other photographers' photographs with considerably more sophistication already -- appreciating where they have made proper use of lighting opportunities and better understanding why some photographs "just don't work." It is that self-conscious recognition of how lighting can be used to create visual experiences that is the great payoff of this wonderful book.
If you are serious about photography, this is one of the few "must read" volumes to add to your library. You will likely want to add more prescriptive books, too, like Off-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Photographers. But you will read those practical books with much greater understanding, and will feel much more comfortable setting out on your own to solve new lighting problems once you are armed with the understanding this book imparts.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2014Books that are hard to put down once picked up are rare these days. Be you a budding photographer in need of education or a seasoned pro looking for a new trick or two, this book is a solid treatise on the topic of light generally and photographic lighting specifically. Topics range from light science to light placement to light polarization, etc. Lots of real examples help nail down concepts and invite the curious to try the techniques themselves.
My library is mostly electronic these days. Shelf space for real books is reserved for only the most special, seasoned or useful writings. A new print book almost always never makes the grade. For photographers this book easily makes the cut.
The book delves reasonably deep into topics, but is arranged so you can assimilate new methods and tips with sporadic readings. Yes... this means this is a good bathroom reader.
This is certainly the best $21 I've spent in a great while.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2012While the modeling section of this book is not entirely complete to this reader, this book more than makes up for it with the common sense clarity with which the authors demonstrate fundamental concepts of photographic lighting without undue jargon. For seasoned photographers this might be a little too basic, but for an intermediate photographer wishing to nail some concepts down and become more proficient in studio set ups for product photography and general lighting, this is a great book. There is a considerable amount of time spent explaining the different qualities of light and how to position cameras to achieve certain results, and the authors are willing to back away from pat recommendations to detail the pros and cons of standard set ups.
Top reviews from other countries
- Chris McDonaldReviewed in Canada on November 28, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars The S&M book of light
If you're a masochist, this book is the absolute best way to learn about lighting. In all seriousness, this book is the gold standard and if you want to get serious about flash photography, this is the book for you.
- somnathReviewed in India on November 23, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, must read for photographers
Very good , written by Masters. Students of photography will gain knowledge and understanding of lighting. A good reference book for intermidiate & pro.
-
T. BergReviewed in Germany on March 30, 2013
5.0 out of 5 stars Anpornendes Basiswissen in unprätentiösem Englisch
Ich wurde durch einen Link auf der VisualPursuit-Webseite auf das Buch aufmerksam und kann Herrn Quack nur beipflichten insofern, daß ich dieses Buch als außerordentlich lehrreich und inspirierend empfinde.
Natürlich ist es schade für einen Germanen, daß es nur in englisch-amerikanischer Sprache erhältlich ist, aber dafür ist die sprachliche Qualität der Autoren derart schlicht und auf den Punkt formulierend daß es tatsächlich eine Freude ist, ein Kapitel nach dem anderen zu verschlingen. Easy reading of complex matter, sozusagen.
Nach spätestens dem Kapitel "Glas" sollte man aber mit Nur-Lesen aufhören und praktische Übungen machen sonst verfehlt das Werk womöglich sein Ziel.
Obwohl ich in Buchhandlungen schon so einige "Standardwerke" über Fotografie (speziell Richtung Fotolicht) durchgeblättert habe, konnte mich noch keines in der Sache so überzeugen wie dieses Buch. Ich meine, es ist ein tolles Sachbuch für mitdenkende und lernwillige Leser. Anekdoten und Worthülsen finden sich hier nicht. Jeder Satz, jeder Absatz ist zielgerichtet ausformuliert in einer derart leseflüssigen Wortwahl und Sprachqualität wie ich sie selten in einem Sachbuch vorgefunden habe.
Wer Lichtführung lernen möchte und englisch lesen kann, macht mit diesem preis-werten Buch sicher keinen Fehlkauf!
- Graeme FinlaysonReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive text on photographic lighting
Firstly, I'm a little puzzled by the very low ratings given by a couple of the reviewers. I don't really understand their viewpoints.
This book explains photographic lighting in a simple, easy to understand way. There's a little bit of science - things like family of angles and the relative size of light sources etc, but nothing that requires the intellect of Einstein to understand. By incorporating that little bit of science and applying a little creative thinking, you can create a whole lot of magic.
The book takes a very stepwise approach, starting from very simplistic lighting and progressing to more complex scenarios, all the while providing detailed explanations and diagrams of the lighting setups and clear colour photos of the results.
Whether you're a beginner, or an experienced photographer venturing into the realms of multi-light setups, there's a lot to learn from this book.
Everything is presented in a straightforward, jargon free way that makes this book a very easy going and enjoyable read.
Whether you want to do product photography, portraits, or any kind of available light photography, this is one text you shouldn't be without.
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L. D. S.Reviewed in Italy on September 27, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars Eccellente introduzione all'illuminazione in fotografia.
Il miglior libro che ho letto sulle basi dell'illuminazione in fotografia. Non aspettatevi un libro di "ricette precotte" per illuminare un dato soggetto. Gli autori spiegano dettagliatamente come si comporta la luce - e i soggetti che la riflettono - dal punto di vista del fotografo.
L'appoccio è "scientifico" (da qui la parola "Science" nel titolo, ma non è un libro di Fisica della Luce, le spiegazioni sono sempre semplici e alla portata di tutti - niente formule ed equazioni da risolvere!) nel senso che gli autori non si limitano ad offrire soluzioni preconfezionate senza vere spiegazioni, ma guidano il lettore-fotografo a comprendere il fenomeno "luce" e la sua interazione con gli oggetti da fotografare passo per passo, e pertanto a gestirlo nel migliore dei modi possibile, fino ad ottenere la "Magia" del titolo.
Si parte dagli oggetti più semplici, per poi passare a quelli più difficili (metallo e vetro), al ritratto, fino alle situazioni più estreme (bianco su bianco e nero su nero), e all'illuminazione fuori dallo studio. Ovviamente occorre dedicare un po' di tempo per sperimentare e comprendere appieno quanto illustrato nel libro, e gli autori esplicitamente incoraggiano a non copiare ciecamente i loro esempi, ma di usarli come basi per giungere ad illuminare il soggetto come il lettore desidera.
Questa edizione è stata aggiornata ai tempi della fotografia digitale, e presuppone che il lettore sia già a conoscenza delle basi della fotografia.