book

Light Science & Magic, 5th Edition

by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua

January 2015

Intermediate to advanced

382 pages

8h 43m

English

Focal Press

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Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Dedication
Special Thanks
Introduction
Chapter 1 Light: the Beginning
Lighting Is the Language of PhotographyWhat 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 CautionWhat Lighting Equipment Do I Need?What Else Do I Need to Know to Use This Book?What Is the “Magic” Part of This Book?
Chapter 2 Light: the Raw Material of Photography
What is Light?How Photographers Describe LightBrightnessColorContrast“Light” Versus “Lighting”How the Subject Affects LightingTransmission“Direct” Versus “Diffuse” TransmissionAbsorptionReflection

Chapter 3 The Management of Reflection and the Family of Angles
Types of ReflectionsDiffuse ReflectionsThe Inverse Square LawDirect ReflectionsThe Family of AnglesPolarized Direct ReflectionIs It Polarized Reflection or Ordinary Direct Reflection?Turning Ordinary Direct Reflection into Polarized ReflectionApplying the Theory
Chapter 4 Surface Appearances
Photographer as an EditorCapitalizing on Diffuse ReflectionsThe Angle of LightThe Success and Failure of the General RuleThe Distance of LightDoing the ImpossibleUsing Diffuse Reflection and Shadow to Reveal TextureCapitalizing on Direct ReflectionsComplex Surfaces
Chapter 5 Revealing Shape and Contour
Depth CluesPerspective DistortionDistortion as a Clue to DepthManipulating DistortionTonal VariationThe Size of the LightLarge Lights Versus Small LightsDistance from the SubjectThe Direction of the LightLight on the SideLight above the SubjectFill LightAdding Depth to the BackgroundHow Much Tonal Variation is Ideal?Photographing Cylinders: Increasing Tonal VariationThe Glossy BoxUse a Dark- to Medium-toned BackgroundEliminate Direct Reflection from the Box TopMove the Light Source toward the CameraRaise or Lower the CameraUse FalloffEliminate Direct Reflection from the Box’s SidesPut a Black Card on the TabletopTip the BoxUse a Longer LensFinish with Other ResourcesTry a PolarizerUse Dulling SprayUse Direct Reflection
Chapter 6 Metal Flat Metal
Bright or Dark?Finding the Family of AnglesPosition a White Target Where You Think the Family of Angles Will BePlace a Test Light at the Camera LensAim the Test LightStudy the Position and Shape of the Area Marked on the Test SurfaceLighting the MetalKeeping the Metal BrightWhat Is a “Normal” Exposure for Metal?Keeping the Metal DarkThe Elegant CompromiseControlling the Effective Size of the LightKeeping the Metal SquareUse a View Camera or Perspective Control LensAim the Camera through a Hole in the Light SourcePhotograph the Metal at an AngleRetouch the ReflectionMetal BoxesA Light BackgroundA Transparent BackgroundA Glossy BackgroundRound MetalCamouflageKeeping the Light Off the CameraUsing a TentOther ResourcesPolarizing FiltersBlack MagicDulling SprayWhere Else Do These Techniques Apply?
Chapter 7 The Case of the Disappearing Glass
PrinciplesProblemsSolutionsTwo Attractive OppositesBright-field LightingChoose the BackgroundPosition the LightPosition the CameraPosition the Subject and Focus the CameraShoot the PictureDark-field LightingSet Up a Large Light SourceSet Up a Dark Background Smaller Than the Light SourcePosition the CameraPosition the Subject and Focus the CameraShoot the PictureThe Best of Both WorldsSome Finishing TouchesDefining the Surface of GlasswareIlluminating the BackgroundMinimizing the HorizonStopping FlareEliminating Extraneous ReflectionsComplications from Nonglass SubjectsLiquids in GlassLiquid as a LensKeeping True ColorSecondary Opaque SubjectsRecognizing the Principal Subject
Chapter 8 Making Portraits
The Single-light Portrait Set-upThe Basic Set-upLight SizeSkin TextureWhere to Put the Main LightThe Key TriangleKey Triangle Too Large: Main Light Too Near the CameraKey Triangle Too Low: Main Light Too HighKey Triangle Too Narrow: Main Light Too Far to SideLeft Side? Right Side?Broad Lighting or Short Lighting?EyeglassesAdditional LightsFill LightsReflector Cards as Fill LightsBackground LightsHair LightsKickersRim LightsMood and KeyLow-key LightingHigh-key LightingStaying in KeyDark SkinThe Unfocused SpotUsing Colored Gels
Chapter 9 The Extremes
The Characteristic CurveThe Perfect “Curve”A “Bad” CameraOverexposureUnderexposureUsing Every ResourceWhite-on-WhiteExposing White-on-White ScenesLighting White-on-White ScenesSubject and BackgroundUsing an Opaque White BackgroundLight the Subject from AboveUse a Gobo Above the SubjectAdd DimensionUsing a Translucent White BackgroundUsing a Mirror BackgroundIn Any Case, Keep the Background SmallBlack-on-BlackExposing Black-on-Black ScenesLighting Black-on-Black ScenesSubject and BackgroundUsing an Opaque Black BackgroundUsing a Glossy Black SurfaceKeeping the Subject Away from the BackgroundHistogramsPreventing ProblemsOvermanipulationCurvesNew Principles
Chapter 10 Traveling Light
The Lights We UseHeavy-duty Portable Strobes“Hot-shoe” FlashesLED PanelsGetting the Exposure RightLetting Your Flash Do the FiguringUsing a MeterMeters and LEDsGetting More LightMultiple, or “Ganged”, FlashesBattery PacksFlash ExtendersGetting Better-quality LightThe ProblemsTake It OffBouncing From Hard To SoftThe Omni-Bounce—A Big Help For a Little Money“Raccoon Eyes”Feathering Your LightForcing the ShadowLights of Different ColorsWhy Is the Color of the Light Important?TungstenDaylightNonstandard Light SourcesDo the Colors Mix?The RemediesCorrecting Mixed ColorsCorrecting Unmixed ColorsFiltering DaylightCorrecting Errors in ReproductionLights of Different DurationDifferent ApproachesOther Useful Gear
Chapter 11 Setting Up Your First Studio
Lights: An Early IssueGetting Your Lights RightWhat Kind of Lights?FlashContinuous LightsHow Many Lights?Light StandsBoomsLight Modifiers—Which Do I Need?DiffusersReflectorsSnoots and GridsGobos and FlagsBackgroundsComputers and Associated GearMiscellaneous EquipmentWhat Sort of Space?
Appendix: Reliable Suppliers
Index

Content preview from Light Science & Magic, 5th Edition

2
Light: the Raw Material of Photography

In some ways, photographers resemble musicians more than painters, sculptors, and other visual artists. This is because photographers, like musicians, are more interested in the manipulation of energy than that of matter.

Photography begins the moment light is emitted from a source. It climaxes with still more light reflected from a printed page or beaming from a monitor and striking a human eye. All steps in between involve the manipulation of light—whether to control it, to record it, or, ultimately, ...

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Light Science & Magic, 5th Edition

by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver, Paul Fuqua

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
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