Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Instead, this is a book on what photographers really need to know to effectively light just about anything in the studio.

This book talks about types of reflections and the nature of reflected light. You will learn how to light people, very reflective metal, transparent glass, and and various combinations.

I am a professional photographer and this book gave me a better foundation on WHY to light things a particular way. I feel much more confident in my lighting skills and I think my work has improved. (If only someone would write a similar book on how to get clients to pay faster!)

The book flows from simple to complex in a very logical and easy to follow way. There are plenty of relevent diagrams and example photos too.

If you do any studio work with artificial lighting this is the very next book you should by.


You realy learn ligthing with this book   March 7, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

The authors teach how the light works and its relationship with the objects that it illuminate in a plain language.
Using several examples, they teach how to light the most common and harder subjects.
You won't find recipes of how you must light, but you will learn how and why to light in a specific way.
Really a very good book.


Outstanding and Essential!   February 16, 2003
 81 out of 81 found this review helpful

Fil Hunter and Paul Fuqua have written a truly essential reference for product photographers and an outstanding educational text for all photographers. Light, Science and Magic teaches its readers the principals of lighting. It describes in detail how to light surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and people for different effects. These subjects were chosen because they are reputed to be the most difficult subjects to light. But because the book emphasizes the principals of lighting, those lessons can be applied to all lighting situations. The examples in Light,Science and Magic are in-studio, but the principals apply out-of-doors and anywhere that there is light. You don't need to have a background in studio photography or a knowledge of lighting equipment to understand and benefit from this book. You need to have only a good understanding of exposure and camera operation. Information on basic lighting equipment is found in the appendices for those who are unfamiliar with studio equipment. Because the principals of lighting apply equally to film photography and digital image capture, most of this book's content will not go out of date. No photographer should be without the knowledge in this book. If you can absorb all of the book's content, there is nothing that you will encounter in all your photographic adventures that you won't know how to light to get the effect you want. It is well worth its price!


Technical but vital   August 15, 2002
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

This is a great book. The authors concentrate on how light behaves, the vital componant to great images. Reading this book alongside practical study has increased my knowledge enormously. As an aspiring photographer I think this book will be a constant companion until I have mastered the principles. This book doesn't try to be fashionable it is for people who truely want to understand what makes an image the way it is. Learn the principles then play with the ideas to develop your own style.