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Professional and Advanced Portraiture
Recommendation for the best book(s) on studio portrait lighting.
Jan 14, 2019 13:31:24   #
ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA
 
I mainly do architectural and landscape photography. I have been asked by several people to do some portrait work. I realize this is a different ballgame. I have the cameras (D 750 and D 850), and lights (Flashpoint 600, 360, 200, and speed light as well as a Flashpoint ring flash), and for this purpose a Sigma 105, F 2.8. I have several Glow 28 " diffusers, reflectors, stands and controllers, but lack the experience or expertise to use them in a studio portrait environment. What book(s) or videos would you suggest to get me started? Thanks in advance for any guidance you may be able to provide.

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Jan 14, 2019 14:26:52   #
DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area
 
Scott Kelby's book, The Flash Book, simplifies the process and might be a good starting point.

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Jan 14, 2019 18:02:30   #
ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA
 
DWU2 wrote:
Scott Kelby's book, The Flash Book, simplifies the process and might be a good starting point.


Thanks. I’ll check it out. Appreciate the response.

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Jan 14, 2019 20:56:39   #
E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
 
GOOGLE- Joseph Zeltzman- Portraiture Lessons.

The series is online.

Joe was my most influential teacher. Sadly, he passed away some time ago, however, his lessons remain online. It's not quick tips and it quite the read- It may take you several days just to get through the essentials. It predates digital photography so there is mention of film, however, the principles of lighting, camera angle and placement, aesthetics and the concept of contemporary classic portraiture are comprehensive, definitive and beautifully explained and illustrated. Joe was a grand master and a great teacher. There is no book that I know of that can match theses lessons. Among Joe's former students are today's leading portrait professionals.

You can easily adapt any of the methods and technique to modern equipment. Your mono lights with modeling lamelps will do the job.

You can also post here in this section with some of you images and get some guidance, tips and critiques.

You may get to really enjoy portraiture once you grasp the techniques. Good luck!

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Jan 14, 2019 21:24:41   #
ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA
 
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
GOOGLE- Joseph Zeltzman- Portraiture Lessons.

The series is online.

Joe was my most influential teacher. Sadly, he passed away some time ago, however, his lessons remain online. It's not quick tips and it quite the read- It may take you several days just to get through the essentials. It predates digital photography so there is mention of film, however, the principles of lighting, camera angle and placement, aesthetics and the concept of contemporary classic portraiture are comprehensive, definitive and beautifully explained and illustrated. Joe was a grand master and a great teacher. There is no book that I know of that can match theses lessons. Among Joe's former students are today's leading portrait professionals.

You can easily adapt any of the methods and technique to modern equipment. Your mono lights with modeling lames will do the job.

You can also post here in this section with some of you images and get some guidance, tips and critiques.

You may get to really enjoy portraiture once you grasp the techniques. Good luck!
GOOGLE- Joseph Zeltzman- Portraiture Lessons. br ... (show quote)


Thanks so much for your very thoughtful response. I totally agree the principles should remain regardless of whether film or digital is the medium. I will definitely review the suggested on line series. Thanks again.

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Jan 15, 2019 11:58:15   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
Unless you really want a book, check out http://strobist.blogspot.com That's pretty much everything you'd want to know. Also look for Phillip McCordall (https://www.youtube.com/user/pmcc150) on youtube. He has a very good 3 or 4 part intro to strobes. He also has great tutorials on studio work, as well.
--Bob
ahudina wrote:
I mainly do architectural and landscape photography. I have been asked by several people to do some portrait work. I realize this is a different ballgame. I have the cameras (D 750 and D 850), and lights (Flashpoint 600, 360, 200, and speed light as well as a Flashpoint ring flash), and for this purpose a Sigma 105, F 2.8. I have several Glow 28 " diffusers, reflectors, stands and controllers, but lack the experience or expertise to use them in a studio portrait environment. What book(s) or videos would you suggest to get me started? Thanks in advance for any guidance you may be able to provide.
I mainly do architectural and landscape photograph... (show quote)

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Jan 15, 2019 12:30:20   #
ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA
 
rmalarz wrote:
Unless you really want a book, check out http://strobist.blogspot.com That's pretty much everything you'd want to know. Also look for Phillip McCordall (https://www.youtube.com/user/pmcc150) on youtube. He has a very good 3 or 4 part intro to strobes. He also has great tutorials on studio work, as well.
--Bob


Thanks. I will check out these resources. Thank you.

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Jan 15, 2019 17:47:44   #
roxiemarty Loc: Florida
 
I went to my local library system and checked out books on photography for years, over and over. I kept getting some of them and reading them again until I had exhausted their books of the knowledge. They have newer digital photo books now, but all the older lighting and posing books are still a wealth of knowledge. And now we have the world at our fingertips with Google and you tube how-tos.

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Jan 16, 2019 16:29:21   #
bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana
 
If you are a visual learner, this one helped me out a LOT when I was a whipper snapper. It's from 1969, but light is light, and it shows the effect of lights in certain positions, and using multiple lights, all using the same manikin head. You can actually learn to "sculpt" a face using the light and some knowledge

https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-portraiture-application-Walter-Nurnberg/dp/0240506774/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1547674051&sr=8-3&keywords=lighting+for+portraiture

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Jan 26, 2019 21:24:30   #
CaptainC Loc: Colorado, south of Denver
 
I REALLY second the Joseph Zeltzman series. I have been through the whole set of lessons and still go back and review it on occasion.

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Feb 19, 2019 17:30:16   #
Tim Stapp Loc: Mid Mitten
 
There were some Monte Zucker videos out there too. I need to review them and some of the others posted here.

BTW, you have received responses from some very accomplished portait photographers here.

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Feb 19, 2019 18:09:02   #
ahudina Loc: Browns Point, WA
 
Noted and much appreciated. Thanks to all redponders.

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Apr 19, 2019 06:45:59   #
CO
 
After going through a lot of studio lighting books, I finally found the books by photographer Christopher Grey. He has a direct approach and gives information that can really be used. He has many photos to go with the text. I have these four books. You can do a "Look Inside" on Amazon.

Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers
Studio Lighting Techniques for Photography
Advanced Lighting Techniques: Tricks of the Trade for Digital Photographers
Lighting Techniques for Beauty and Glamour Photography: A Guide for Digital Photographers

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