Fil Hunter was a highly respected commercial photographer specializing in still life and special effects photographs for advertising and editorial illustration. During a career spanning over three decades, he worked for such clients as America Online, US News, Time-Life Books, Life Magazine (27 covers), the National Science Foundation, and National Geographic. He taught photography at the university level and served as technical consultant on a number of photographic publications. Mr. Hunter won the Virginia Professional Photographer's Grand Photographic Award three times.Steven Biver has over twenty years of experience as a commercial photographer specializing in portraits, still life, photomontage, and digital manipulation. His client list includes Johnson & Johnson, USDA, William & Mary College, Conde Nast, and IBM. He has been honored with awards from Communication Arts, Graphis, HOW Magazine, and Adobe, who have also included his work on a Photoshop 'extras' disc to inspire other photographers. He is also the co-author of FACES: Photography and The Art of Portraiture, another Focal Press publication.Paul Fuqua has worked as an editorial and wildlife photographer for more than thirty-five years. He started his own production company in 1970 and is dedicated to teaching through the use of visuals. Paul has written and produced educational and training material in a variety of fields including law, public safety, history, science, and the environment. For the last ten years he has produced educational material dealing with the natural sciences and the need for global habitat stewardship. Paul is also a co-author of FACES: Photography and The Art of Portraiture for Focal Press.

Light Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light, with examples and instructions for practical application.

Table of ContentsChapter 1 - How to Learn lightingLighting Is the Language of PhotographyWhat Are the "Principles?" Why Are the Principles Important?How Did We Choose the Examples For This Book?To Do or Not to Do?What Kind of Camera Do I Need?A Word of CautionWhat Lighting Equipment Do I Need?What Else Do I Need to Know to Use This Book?What Is the Magic Part of This Book?Chapter 2 - Light: the Raw Material of PhotographyWhat is light?How Photographers Describe LightBrightnessColorContrast"Light" Versus "Lighting"How the Subject Affects LightingTransmission"Direct" Versus "Diffuse" TransmissionAbsorptionReflectionChapter 3 - The Management of Reflection and the Family of AnglesTypes of ReflectionsDiffuse ReflectionsThe Inverse Square LawDirect ReflectionsBreaking the Inverse Square LawThe Family of AnglesPolarized Direct ReflectionIs It Polarized Reflection or Ordinary Direct Reflection?Turning Ordinary Direct Reflection into Polarized ReflectionApplying the TheoryChapter 4 - Surface AppearancesThe Photographer As an EditorCapitalizing on Diffuse ReflectionsThe Angle of LightThe Success and Failure of the General RuleThe Distance of LightDoing the ImpossibleUsing Diffuse Reflection and Shadow to Reveal TextureCapitalizing on Direct ReflectionComplex SurfacesChapter 5 - Revealing Shape and ContourDepth CluesPerspective DistortionDistortion as a Clue to DepthManipulating DistortionTotal VariationThe Size of the LightLarge Lights versus Small LightsDistance From the SubjectThe Direction of the LightLight on the SideLight Above the SubjectFill LightAdding Depth to the BackgroundHow Much Total Variation is IdealPhotographing Cylinders: Increasing Total VariationThe Glossy BoxUse a Dark to Medium Toned BackgroundEliminate Direct Reflection from the Box TopEliminate Direct Reflection From the Box TopMove the Light Source Toward the CameraRaise or Lower the CameraUse FalloffEliminate Direct Reflection From the Box's SidesPut a Black Card on the Table Top Tip the BoxUse a Longer LensTry a PolarizerUsed Dulling SprayUse Direct ReflectionChapter 6 - MetalFlat MetalBright or DarkFinding the Family of AnglesPosition a White Target Where You Think the Family of Angles Will BePlace a Test Light at the Camera lensAim the Test LightLighting the MetalKeeping the Metal BrightWhat is a Normal Exposure for Metal?Keeping the Metal DarkThe Elegant CompromiseControlling the Effective Size of the LightKeeping the Metal SquareUse a View Camera or Perspective Control LensAim the Camera Through a Hole in the Light SourcePhotograph the Metal at an AngleRetouch the ReflectionMetal BoxesA Light BackgroundA Transparent BackgroundA Glossy BackgroundRound MetalCamouflageKeeping the Light Off the CameraUsing a TentOther ResourcesPolarizing FiltersBlack MagicDulling SprayWhere Else Do These Techniques Apply?Chapter 7 - The Case of the Disappearing GlassPrinciplesProblemsSolutionsTwo Attractive OppositesBright - Field LightingChoose the BackgroundPosition the LightPosition the CameraShoot the PictureDark - Field LightingSet Up a Large Light SourcePosition the CameraPosition the Subject and Focus the CameraShoot the PictureThe Best of Both WorldsSome Finishing TouchesDefining the Surface of GlasswareIlluminating the BackgroundMinimizing the HorizonStopping FlareEliminating Extraneous ReflectionsComplications From Non-Glass SubjectsLiquids in GlassLiquids As a LensKeeping True ColorSecondary Opaque SubjectsRecognizing the Principal SubjectChapter 8 - An Arsenal of LightsThe Single light Portrait SetupThe Basic SetupLight SizeSkin TextureWhere to Put the Main LightThe Key TriangleKey Triangle Too Large: Main Light Too Near the CameraKey Triangle Too Low: Main Light Too HighKey Triangle Too Narrow: Main Light Too Far to SideLeft Side? Right Side?Broad Lighting or Short Lighting?EyeglassesAdditional LightsFill LightsReflector Cards as Fill LightsBackground LightsHair LightsKickersRim LightsMood and KeyLow-Key LightingHigh-Key LightingStaying in KeyDark SkinThe Unfocused SpotUsing Colored GelsChapter 9 - The ExtremesThe Characteristic CurveThe Perfect "Curve"A "Bad" CameraOverexposureUnderexposureUsing Every ResourceWhite on WhiteExposing White-On-White ScenesLighting White-On-White ScenesSubject and BackgroundUsing an Opaque White BackgroundLight the Subject From AboveUse a Gobo Above the SubjectAdd DimensionUsing a Translucent White BackgroundUsing a Mirror BackgroundIn Any Case, Keep the Background SmallBlack-On-BlackExposing Black-On-Black ScenesLighting Black-On-Black ScenesSubject and BackgroundUsing an Opaque Black BackgroundUsing a Glossy Black SurfaceKeeping the Subject Away from the BackgroundHistogramsPreventing ProblemsOver ManipulationCurvesNew PrinciplesChapter 10 - Traveling LightThe Lights We UseHeavy-Duty Portable Strobes"Hot Shoe" FlashesLED PanelsGetting the Exposure RightLetting Your Flash Do the FiguringUsing a MeterMeters and LEDsGetting More LightMultiple, or "Ganged" FlashesBattery PacksFlash ExtendersGetting Better Quality LightThe ProblemsTake It OffBouncing From Hard to SoftThe Omni-Bounce - a Big Help for a Little Money"Raccoon Eyes"Feathering Your LightForcing the ShadowLights of Different ColorsWhy Is the Color of the Light Important?TungstenDaylightNonstandard Light SourcesDo the Colors Mix?The RemediesCorrecting Mixed ColorsCorrecting Unmixed ColorsFiltering DaylightCorrecting Errors in ReproductionLights of Different DurationDifferent ApproachesOther Useful GearChapter 11 - Setting Up Your First StudioLights: An Early IssueGetting Your Lights RightWhat Kind of Lights?FlashContinuous LightsHow Many Lights?Light StandsBoomsLight Modifiers - Which Do I Need?DiffusersReflectorsSnoots and GridsGobos and FlagsBackgroundsComputers and Associated GearMiscellaneous EquipmentWhat About Space?EOF

Photographic lighting is a topic that will never go out of style, no matter how sophisticated cameras and other technology get. Even with the most high-tech gear, photographers still need to put a lot of thought and vision into lighting their photographs in order to get great results. This key skill has the power to dramatically and quickly improve photographs. Light Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light, with examples and instructions for practical application. Featuring photographs, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions, this book speaks to photographers of varying levels. It provides invaluable information on how to light the most difficult subjects, such as surfaces, metal, glass, liquids, extremes (black-on-black and white-on-white), and portraits. This new edition includes: All new chapter titled "Setting Up Your New Studio" A re-vamped and expanded chapter 8 now titled "Making Portraits" New appendix of reliable photo gear sources Over 100 new photographs and informational sidebars Updated information about advances in flash equipment, LED panels and fluorescent lights Styles of lighting continue to change, but the nature of light will always remain the same. Once photographers understand the basic physics of lighting, they can apply that knowledge to a broad range of photographic styles.