Light ― Science & Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedications
Contents
Introduction
1 Light: the Beginning
Lighting Is the Language of Photography
What Are the “Principles?”
Why Are the Principles Important?
How Did We Choose the Examples for this Book?
To Do or Not to Do?
What Kind of Camera Do I Need?
A Word of Caution
What Lighting Equipment Do I Need?
What Else Do I Need to Know to Use this Book?
What Is the Magic Part of this Book?
2 Light: the Raw Material of Photography
What Is Light?
How Photographers Describe Light
Brightness
Color
Contrast
“Light” versus “Lighting”
How the Subject Affects Lighting
Transmission
“Direct” versus “Diffuse” Transmission
Absorption
Reflection
3 The Management of Reflection and the Family of Angles
Types of Reflections
Diffuse Reflections
The Inverse Square Law
Direct Reflections
The Family of Angles
Polarized Direct Reflection
Is It Polarized Reflection or Ordinary Direct Reflection?
Turning Ordinary Direct Reflection into Polarized Reflection
Applying the Theory
4 Surface Appearances
The Photographer as an Editor
Capitalizing on Diffuse Reflections
The Angle of Light
The Success and Failure of the General Rule
The Distance of Light
Doing the Impossible
Using Diffuse Reflection and Shadow to Reveal Texture
Capitalizing on Direct Reflection
Complex Surfaces
5 Revealing Shape and Contour
Depth Clues
Perspective Distortion
Distortion as a Clue to Depth
Manipulating Distortion
Tonal Variation
The Size of the Light
Large Lights versus Small Lights
Distance from the Subject
The Direction of the Light
Light on the Side
Light above the Subject
Fill Light
Adding Depth to the Background
How Much Tonal Variation Is Ideal?
Photographing Cylinders: Increasing Tonal Variation
The Glossy Box
Use a Dark- to Medium-Toned Background
Eliminate Direct Reflection from the Box Top
Move the Light Source toward the Camera
Raise or Lower the Camera
Use Falloff
Eliminate Direct Reflection from the Box’s Sides
Put a Black Card on the Tabletop
Tip the Box
Use a Longer Lens
Finish with Other Resources
Try a Polarizer
Use Dulling Spray
Use Direct Reflection
6 Metal
Flat Metal
Bright or Dark
Finding the Family of Angles
Position a White Target where You Think the Family of Angles Will Be
Place a Test Light at the Camera Lens
Aim the Test Light
Study the Position and Shape of the Area Marked on the Test Surface
Lighting the Metal
Keeping the Metal Bright
What is a “Normal” Exposure for Metal?
Keeping the Metal Dark
The Elegant Compromise
Controlling the Effective Size of the Light
Keeping the Metal Square
Use a View Camera or Perspective Control Lens
Aim the Camera through a Hole in the Light Source
Photograph the Metal at an Angle
Retouch the Reflection
Metal Boxes
A Light Background
A Transparent Background
A Glossy Background
Round Metal
Camouflage
Keeping the Light off the Camera
Using a Tent
Other Resources
Polarizing Filters
Black Magic
Dulling Spray
Where Else Do these Techniques Apply?
7 The Case of the Disappearing Glass
Principles
Problems
Solutions
Two Attractive Opposites
Bright-Field Lighting
Choose the Background
Position the Light
Position the Camera
Position the Subject and Focus the Camera
Shoot the Picture
Dark-Field Lighting
Set Up a Large Light Source
Set Up a Dark Background Smaller than the Light Source
Position the Camera
Position the Subject and Focus the Camera
Shoot the Picture
The Best of Both Worlds
Some Finishing Touches
Defining the Surface of Glassware
Illuminating the Background
Minimizing the Horizon
Stopping Flare
Eliminating Extraneous Reflections
Complications from Nonglass Subjects
Liquids in Glass
Liquids as a Lens
Keeping True Color
Secondary Opaque Subjects
Recognizing the Principal Subject
8 Making Portraits
The Single-Light Portrait Set-up
The Basic Set-up
Light Size
Skin Texture
Where to Put the Main Light
The Key Triangle
Key Triangle Too Large: Main Light Too Near the Camera
Key Triangle Too Low: Main Light Too High
Key Triangle Too Narrow: Main Light Too Far to Side
Left Side? Right Side?
Broad Lighting or Short Lighting?
Eyeglasses
Additional Lights
Fill Lights
Reflector Cards as Fill Lights
Background Lights
Hair Lights
Kickers
Rim Lights
Mood and Key
Low-Key Lighting
High-Key Lighting
Staying in Key
Dark Skin
The Unfocused Spot
More than One Person
Using Colored Gels
9 The Extremes
The Characteristic Curve
The Perfect ”Curve”
A “Bad” Camera
Overexposure
Underexposure
Using Every Resource
White-on-White
Exposing White-on-White Scenes
Lighting White-on-White Scenes
Subject and Background
Using an Opaque White Background
Light the Subject from Above
Use a Gobo above the Subject
Add Dimension
Using a Translucent White Background
Using a Mirror Background
In Any Case, Keep the Background Small
Black-on-Black
Exposing Black-on-Black Scenes
Lighting Black-on-Black Scenes
Subject and Background
Using an Opaque Black Background
Using a Glossy Black Surface
Keeping the Subject away from the Background
Histograms
Preventing Problems
Overmanipulation
Curves
New Principles
10 Working on Location
The Lights We Use
Heavy-Duty Portable Strobes
“Hot-Shoe” Flashes
LED Panels
Getting the Exposure Right
Letting Your Flash Do the Figuring
Using a Meter
Meters and LEDs
Getting More Light
Multiple, or “Ganged,” Flashes
Battery Packs
Flash Extenders
Getting Better-Quality Light
The Problems
Take It Off
Bouncing from Hard to Soft
The Omni-Bounce—a Big Help for a Little Money
“Raccoon Eyes”
Feathering Your Light
Forcing the Shadow
Lights of Different Colors
Why Is the Color of the Light Important?
Tungsten
Daylight
Nonstandard Light Sources
Do the Colors Mix?
The Remedies
Correcting Mixed Colors
Correcting Unmixed Colors
Filtering Daylight
Correcting Errors in Reproduction
Lights of Different Duration
Different Approaches
Other Useful Gear
11 Setting Up Your First Studio
Lights: an Early Issue
Getting Your Lights Right
What Kinds of Lights?
Flash
Continuous Lights
How Many Lights?
Light Stands
Booms
Light Modifiers—Which Do I Need?
Diffusers
Reflectors
Snoots, Grids, and Barn Doors
Gobos and Flags
Backgrounds
Computers and Associated Gear
Miscellaneous Equipment
What Sort of Space?
Appendix: Reliable Suppliers
Index