50 Portrait Lighting Techniques for Pictures That Sell

Being new to portrait work I found this book to be an amazing resource. The images are exciting, bright, colorful . It is a great way to learn about lighting as you can see where you are directing light. You can buy a couple of hot lights and reflectors and start creating vivid portraits taking inspiration from the diagrams and images. It is not meant to be copied. Keep the positions and intensities of lights in your mind and apply them to your own subjects in your way. My work has impoved. Thanks for sharing John

I have just discovered this revealing book by successful photographer, Master of Arts John Hart, in which he explains more than just lighting the client whose portrait he is taking. He discusses every aspect of the entire business from greeting the client, creating client rapport, coaching the client through the session, the positioning of the client, applying facial makeup, indoor and outdoor portraiture and direct and indirect lighting, to record keeping, legal releases, equipment and everything else necessary for operating a successful business. As for lighting, he explains the why, how and what light should be used. This is an invaluable aide for even those going digital.

This book is the bible for the industry. As a professional photographer I have used the original version of this book extensively and I now use this newer edition even more. There is something for everyone in this book no matter your level of expertise in photography. You need this volume in your library!Buy 2 because you will wear out the pages from overuse.It answers your daily shooting problems professionaly and completely.I hope he writes more books!!

Personally, I found this book very interesting and well worth the money. While the book is a little dated, it deals concisely with how to achieve a wide range of lighting techniques, both indoor and out, old and modern. The book is definitely biased towards commercial headshot photography but many of the techniques and ideas described are applicable to photographers in all fields, whether professional or amateur. Several areas I particularly liked were the hints and tips spread among the pages and the FAQ sections dealing with setting up in business, legal aspects, working with clients, retouching, etc.

If you're looking for fine art techniques, this may not be exactly for you, but if you know the difference between a Key and a Kick light, if you know what a 1:3 lighting ratio is, and if you're looking for a cookbook to teach you the basics and fundamentals of portrait lighting that are second nature to the working professional, then this is the book to do it. No nonsense and no fluff, concise and to the point, this book covers a wide range of lighting and posing scenarios that will stand you in good stead throughout your career. Having purchased close to a dozen books on portraiture, this one is one of the best. If you're a budding pro, a student, an advanced amatuer, or just someone who wonders how they light the types of professional photos you see in magazines and in the windows of portrait studios everywhere, this book will provide you with a veritable wealth of information.