Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

This highly respected text, now in paperback, has been thoroughly updated and revised. It introduces a logical theory of photographic lighting --- one that teaches beginning photographers to predict results before setting up lights. This is not primarily a how-to book with only set examples for photographers to follow. Rather, Light: Science and Magic provides the reader with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light to allow individual photographers to use lighting to express their own creativity. Numerous photographs and illustrations provide clear examples of the theories delineated within the text, while sidebars highlight special lighting questions.

Although styles of photographic lighting continue to change, Light: Science and Magic does not go out of fashion because it is not based on style; rather it is based on the behavior of light. These principles will not change until fundamental physics does.

*Now in paperback
*Highly respected text on lighting theory covering the principles, applications, and equipment for informed lighting decisions
*Sidebars highlight special lighting questions

User review
Very Good Book!
This book was recommended as the bible for flash photography, and it is. It covers the subject of using light for photography from A to Z. The parts that I have read so far have been easy to read and understandable, but covers the subject in depth. How to photograph metal objects and glass objects each get a chapter. The lengthy chapter on photographing people starts with a basic one-light setup and progresses up in complexity from there. Each example is illustrated with a setup diagram and a color photograph of the result that it produces. Makes it easy to understand what each light placement produces in the photograph. I've already implemented some of the ideas and had excellent results. I highly recommend this book!

User review
Must have book on lighting
I've been photographing for a while, and seriously too, but this is one of the best books I've read purely on the subject of lighting! I wish I had found it sooner,,. The authors have a very good tone throughout the book and try to teach the basics,,. without telling you too much about what to *do*. They tell you about what to expect when you light something a certain way. Great primer for photographing glass/metals and even everyday objects. I strongly recommend this to anyone who takes lighting seriously.

User review
Good Book,,.


The book is really good. Especially the cases about different photos of different objects are very usefull. The book includes teoric and pratic knowlage both,,.

User review
Good enough but not as expected
The strength of this book is that it provides a totally different aspect in the study of light: that of geometry optics, which is quite useful.
The weakness is that it remains on the exact same subject for too long and most importantly, it does not provide the exact photographic setup utilized for each shot, a fact that I personally regard as a great disapponointment.

It is worth having it in your library, but don't expect a complete and sufficient guide to use light in your portrait or still photography.

User review
Informational
This book is very informative. The authors have not written the book in a technical way but very down to earth which is helpful for those of us who are not technical people.

I'm not quite half way through the book and it can get confusing but I've learned a few things that I've never thought about and I'm excited to only learn more.

If you're looking for a book that has diagrams on where to place your lights for different scenarios this book isn't for you. If you're looking for a book to understand the way lighting works and how you can arrange your lights for the look you want this book is for you.