Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Studio Photography

Copyright\n......Page 2
Table of Contents\n......Page 3
Acknowledgments......Page 7
Preface......Page 8
A New World......Page 9
Space Considerations......Page 13
Other Amenities......Page 15
Classic Portraits......Page 16
Still-Life and Product Photography......Page 17
Design Objectives......Page 20
The Garage: The Modern Iteration of the American Workshop......Page 21
Commercial vs. Residential Spaces......Page 22
Moving Forward......Page 24
Different Light Sources, Different Color Temperatures......Page 25
Avoid Mixing Light Sources......Page 26
Use Blue-Channel Compensation to Reduce Noise......Page 28
A Single Source, A Single Direction......Page 29
The Effects of Direction......Page 30
Soft Light or Hard Light......Page 31
Background Control......Page 33
Using Reflected Sunlight......Page 34
Controlling the Tonal Range......Page 36
Passive Fill Light......Page 37
Practical Example......Page 38
Motivation......Page 44
Positive Attributes......Page 46
Drawbacks......Page 47
Camera Compatibility......Page 48
Positive Attributes......Page 49
Monolight Systems......Page 50
Pack-and-Head Systems......Page 52
Battery Packs for A/C Strobes......Page 53
Cost and Power......Page 55
Equipment......Page 56
Safety......Page 57
Balancing with Ceiling-Mounted Lights......Page 58
Free Light!......Page 59
Practical Example......Page 60
My Recommendations (and Predictions)......Page 62
Things You Might as Well Just Buy......Page 63
Tripods......Page 64
Your Basic Inventory......Page 65
Computers and Monitors......Page 66
Printers......Page 67
How It Works—And Why......Page 68
Controlling Reflected Light......Page 69
Flat Panels......Page 70
Pop-Up Reflectors......Page 71
Positioning Reflectors......Page 72
Umbrellas......Page 73
Tuning Your Umbrella......Page 74
My Favorites......Page 75
My Recommendations......Page 76
The Birth of Softboxes......Page 77
What to Purchase......Page 78
Parabolic Reflectors......Page 79
Grids......Page 80
Radio Triggers......Page 81
Incident Metering......Page 82
The One-Light Portrait......Page 85
Glancing Backlight......Page 88
My Favorite Way to Shoot a Portrait......Page 89
Set Up and Test in Advance......Page 90
Be Prepared with First-Aid Makeup......Page 92
Adjust the Color Balance......Page 94
Setting Up......Page 95
Start with a Top Light......Page 96
Using a Plexiglas Background......Page 97
Shooting Tethered......Page 98
Single-Plate Food Shots......Page 99
Adding a Blue Glow......Page 101
Another Demo: The Wine Bottle......Page 105
It’s Not About the Lighting......Page 106
Add the Main Light......Page 107
Some Final Thoughts......Page 108
Seamless Does Double Duty......Page 109
Muslin and Canvas......Page 110
Custom Designs......Page 111
Light the Background......Page 112
A “Dramatic” Case Study......Page 113
Choose the Right Lens......Page 116
Temporal Quicksand (Or, “I Can Fix it Later in Photoshop.”)......Page 118
Control Your Spending and Stay in Business......Page 119
The Wrap-Up......Page 121
Magazines......Page 123
Good Books......Page 124
Your Local Camera Stores......Page 125
Index......Page 126