Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Celebrity and Editorial Photography

Incredible insights and instruction. Mr. Grecco shares all without being coy or steering towards other books or seminars. How I wish I had known all this 20 years ago, or had worked with a mentor with 1/10th of the talent and teaching skill! This is not for somebody who just wants to do formulaic headshots and family group shots. This is for photographers who seek to capture and project the vital personality and character of their subjects. What a gem!

This book is great for learning conventional and unconventional lighting methods. Most setups is explained-not only how the lights were positioned, but why, and the circumstances surrounding the choices. I would recommend it to anyone.

I don't follow celebrity photography closely, and I didn't know Michael Grecco's name before I purchased the book. But I was amazed to see how many photos I already recognized while flipping through its pages--"wow, that guy took all these shots!?!" Even though I specialize in photojournalism and natural light shooting it's a real pleasure to read how such carefully planned and staged shots can be made to appear so spontaneous. This book is a real find. Almost any photographer should enjoy it. It has certainly encouraged me to think about new ways to shoot.

Don't read it cover-to-cover. Just flip though this book and stop at the first picture that grabs you. Grecco is that rare photographer who can actually put into words the creative process behind his images. He is smart, honest, funny, and frank about what it takes to make the beautiful, unique, and skillfully executed portraits that lavishly illustrate this book. There is a wealth of detailed, specific information about how the photographs were created (lighting diagrams, actual cameras, lenses, and lights used, etc.), however, most valuable is his emphasis on WHY he made his various creative and technical decisions. This volume would be worthwhile for the pictures alone, or for the diagrams, the behind-the-scenes anecdotes, or just for the insights into the technical, practical, strategic, interpersonal, and financial components that contribute to the successful outcome of what is typically thought of as a simply artistic endeavor. Rather than regarding it as a book of recipes to be rigorously replicated, he suggests using it as a jumping-off point; as an opportunity to facilitate and fine-tune your own creative process.

This book is great. Grecco didnt not just give diagrams so you can duplicate the image, but he gives you details and information on how to make it happen with your own sense of style

For anyone interested in celebrity portraiture and what it takes to make the images you see in today's magazines, this book has it all! Grecco has taken highlights from his career as one of the top celebrity photographers in America and not only broken down the technical aspects into easy to understand terms (including concise lighting diagrams), but he has peppered the book with candid, behind-the-scenes anecdotes that show what it's like to make a truly inspired image and remain fresh in a very competitive photography market. That's what I like about it...this book is not simply a monograph of pretty pictures, but instead shows beautiful photography and the work involved in making it.