The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shadow

Description

Without light, there is no photograph. As almost every photographer knows, the word "photograph" has its roots in two Greek words that, together, mean "drawing with light." But what is less commonly acknowledged and understood is the role that shadow plays in creating striking, expressive imagery, especially in portraiture. It is through deft, nuanced use of both light and shadow that you can move beyond shooting simply ordinary, competent headshots into the realm of creating dramatic portraiture that can so powerfully convey a subject's inner essence, communicate a personal narrative, and express your photographic vision. In The Dramatic Portrait: The Art of Crafting Light and Shado w, Chris Knight addresses portraiture with a unique approach to both light and shadow that allows you to improve and elevate your own portraiture. He begins with the history of portraiture, from the early work of Egyptians and Greeks to the sublime treatment of light and subject by artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. Chris then dives into a deep, hands-on exploration of light, shadow, and portraiture, offering numerous lessons and takeaways. Review: Best photography book I've bought in years. - This is a fantastic book. Really nicely written, with lots of wit and detail. Having purchased lots of 'how to light' type books over the years, this is far and away the best of the bunch. The pictures and diagrams are clear and concise and Chris shows you the effects of different modifiers from different distances as well as going over some slightly more advanced subjects like art history and the inverse square law. I initially thought that these subjects (that I know a fair amount about already) would be a bit boring, but the way Chris writes is very readable and easy going. It's more like he's having a chat and explaining it to you, rather than a purely academic approach with nothing but f/stops and equations. As a time-served professional photographer who wanted a bit more knowledge about the subject of lighting dramatically I've found this book invaluable. If you are a beginner then I strongly recommend you pick this up as it will teach you an awful lot about how to light a subject or scene without being too heavy going. I've included a couple of examples of the work I did the second I'd finished reading it. Review: Remarkable book! - Such a remarkable book! Useful; one learns a lot from reading it. If you're keen on getting into studio portrait, this a must!