Are there any good books on Lighting?

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mdodwell

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Hi All,

Are there any good books on lighting and lighting techniques you could recommend. I have a long list of suggested books on various aspects of photograph but you never know what there like without thumbing though them yourself and our local bookstores don't carry much.

I am looking for something that is simple and based on people with limited knowledge. I'm looking for something the discusses the basics and covers a range of areas just to start me off understanding the subject.

Any suggestions based on things you've read?

Matt
 
I highly recommend the Photolearn series of lighting tutorial written by Garry Edwards:)

I also highly recommend Light: Science & Magic, 3rd edition - it's the bible of lighting, but not a particuarly easy read.

Neither Light: Science & Magic nor my own tutorials are a recipe book, i.e. they explain how light works and how to get various different effects, they don't tell you that such and such a lighting arrangement is 'right'. The ones that do are a waste of good paper.
 
Another vote for Light: Science and Magic from me. Like Garry said, it's not an easy read though; I'm on about my third read through and still picking things up that didn't sink in the first two times.
 
Light: Science and Magic --- I just bought it from Amazon.. great stuff even for a newbie like me. I found lots of information from YouTube too!!
 
Another for Light: Science and Magic.

& below, Hot Shoe Diaries!
 
You could try Joe McNally's The Hot Shoe Diaries which is slowly becoming one of my favourite photography books. It's not a book which will tell you which button to press or when, but over the piece you'll gradually learn the thinking, theory and strategy behind flash lighting by assimilation as he explains how he sets up shot after shot. It's a book to browse time and time again rather than read at a single session. He also happens to be the guru of flash photography at the moment and has an easy chatty style about him. His blogs are also readable.
 
Light Architecture by Urs Recher (Swiss). He shows diagrams of exactly how he does each set up. One of the best studio/location lighting photographers I have seen.
 
I have read the Hot shoe diaries, great book, I love McNally, It's not very technical but very inspiring. Currently I'm reading "Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait" by Michael Grecco, it's ok so far.
 
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