Customer Reviews

Interior Photography: Lighting and Other Professional Techniques with Style

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Eric Roth is a terrific interior photographer and this book is perfect for the aspiring interior photographer because Eric gives very good advice in approaching a space visually and preparing it, that said from someone who already has his own style i was a little disappointed because i was hoping to get more technical info regarding lighting but this 150+ plus page book only has around 40 pages devoted to lighting and unfortunately these are principles i already know, the rest are devoted to design throries, tips and tricks and the like.If your looking for a more hardcore lighting and technicalbook, this isn't it. If your interested in starting a career in interior photography, this book is an excellent starting point, if your already an experienced shooter of interiors and are looking for more sophisticated technical skill lessons, stay away, get the Steve Bavister book instead, that gives more technical info.

I was a little disappointed after reading through this book the first time. While the author is an experienced photographer, many of the photographs and rooms he uses as examples, are less than inspiring. No doubt each of us has days when we shoot ordinary looking homes to pay the bills, but that's not really what I paid to learn about in this book.

That's not to say there aren't *some* compelling photographs and useful tips for professionals, but there is more filler than gems. This book doesn't really seem to have an obvious audience. It's not nearly deep enough in a technical sense to get beginners up and running, and it's not advanced enough to be of great help to those who already know photography well, but who want to take things to the next level. One example is that the section with lighting diagrams (which is brief), doesn't even use examples where the diagram matches the neighboring photo. Call me crazy but in order to see the benefit of a specific lighting set up on a specific room, it helps to see the actual photograph of that room afterward, otherwise you're not comparing apples to apples.

Also, it is clear his knowledge of digital technology and Photoshop is lagging behind his knowledge of film photography. Some of the references he makes to "digital quality" are quite simply off the mark in today's context (and the book is only a year old). Unless you're forced into a very dark shooting environment, nicely lit interiors are where professional DSLRs (or digital backs), combined with Photoshop, can yield seemless and beautiful results. I had hoped for some detailed examples and ideas of how to achieve such results, but no such luck.

One final bit that bugged me: the author takes a very commercial approach to shooting interiors, where apparently it's the norm in his world to be able to completely re-arrange furniture in a room, bring in decorations and paintings from the outside, etc etc. In effect, he's describing show-room photography in someone's home, instead of shooting the essence of what the home owner or designer has created. These are two very different things!

See how many luxury realtors or reputable designers are going to let you (or some art director) move their clients' furniture and artwork around all day while you search for "the perfect shot". Not going to happen. In essence, this book should more aptly be entitled "Tips for Shooting Commercial Interiors", where everything is fluid and you can make a room or office into whatever you want it to be. Shots for advertising, essentially.

While it's not a total loss (just seeing some of the photos can give you ideas for your own work, and there is some good advice on using reflectors and such), this book is far from an authoritative reference on the subject of shooting home interiors or interior designers' work. Not unless you know some designers who like to work on-the-fly and photograph it as they go....

It's rare to find someone who is both great at what they do, and great at writing about it, but Eric Roth is both. I am a professional muralist, and in the past I've been frustrated trying to take good pictures of my interior work. I loved Eric's book because he went beyond the technical details (which were clearly and elegantly explained) to show an artist's approach to taking pictures.

Looking at the book, I realized than many of the interior pictures I've clipped from magazines over the years were in fact done by Eric. His work just sings. The light is amazing, the placements inspired. The info on prepping and styling for shots was invaluable. Any one who has ever drooled over a beautiful magazine spread and wondered "how do they do it?" would love this book.

Reading the book, I was tremendously impressed by his professionalism and dedication. It was clear to me that he had carefully thought through every aspect of the work, and was eager to explain away any difficulties. I've seldom learned so much, so painlessly, reading a how-to. In fact, his style was so pleasant it was a real page-turner.

Though I am a novice at photography, I am sure the aspiring professional would find a ton of useful advice as well. My husband, who does professional photo work and 3-D architectural renderings, was enthralled with it and gleaned many useful tips.

Highly recommended for anyone interested in interiors, or photography in general!

For anyone even remotely interested in producing beautiful photographs of interior spaces and outdoor gardens, this book will not disappoint. It's filled with an abundance of helpful "how to's", but not only with regards to technical information. There is plenty of that to be sure, but throughout the book, the author speaks freely about creative inspiration, and emphasizes and advises on the importance of approaching the subject with a confident and critical eye. In the end, though, it is the photographs that say the most. The photographer is obviously a master of his craft. The images cover a broad range of wildly diverse interiors, beautiful, lush gardens, and colorful, impeccably composed details and still lifes. The lighting in every shot compliments perfectly, and adds as much to the image as the physical elements of the compositions. They are each easily worth more than a thousand words...

I met Eric briefly at a location we had both been hired to photograph. As I am fairly new to the business and he's one of our regional masters of interior photography (New England), I deferred to him and just watched him work for a few minutes. He was gracious and engaging.

When he learned I was just starting out, he suggested I look at his new book. I bought and read it . . . over and over. As a starting photographer, some of the book covered things I already knew and Eric was spot on in his observations. Parts of the book were new to me and were very, very helpful. It is written in a friendly,self-deprecating style (just like Eric), is easy to understand and covers a whole lot more than lighting. It might better be called "Getting started in the Craft and the Business of Interior Photography".

I highly recommend it to those of you, like me, who are new to the business.

I loved Eric Roth's Interior Photography book. It is brimming with sage advice. The photographs are visual poetry, each stunning image draws you into it's beautiful little world. Eric is truly a master of lighting. The lighting in the interiors is seamless, everything looks as though it has been lighted with the most lovely, natural light. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in not only shooting interiors but also doing any kind of commerical photography. There is a plethora of valuable information and wisdom in this book.

Yes, there are some diagrams, but poorly presented relative to other books on lighting. So the "Lighting" part of the title is misleading. There is plenty of pontification on theory and "what makes a good photo" but not too much on the photo's actual execution. Nothing on long exposure, stops, ratios, etc. So if you want a book on improving your creative eye or how do properly "art direct" the room, this book is for you. Don't get me wrong, the guy does great work. It would have been nice to see how.

This book has some nice photos but has little in the way of technical information on how to create the photos. The descriptions of technique is nebulous and surface skimming at best. For example when there is a photo with a lighting diagram the example photos and the diagrams do not match up. There is also no indications of light ratios when talking about fill lights in the rooms. It is almost a book written by someone who really doesn't want to share there knowledge. If you want to read full of artsy babble about what a photo should feel or what inspires the author then you might enjoy this book.

I have an extensive photography library (wedding, portraiture, glamour, fine art, "how to", etc.) and this is now one of my favorite books on the book shelf. As mentioned in a few critiques, this book is a priceless introduction for the novice or even an experienced photographer "testing the waters" of interior photography. Eric is at the top of his game and has graciously shared from his 30 years of experience in order to "inspire" the reader. His interior photographs can be viewed on the covers of magazines and he provides to the reader a formula for creating these same images. This book is stuffed with beautiful images, lighting diagrams, technical direction and witty text. If you are already producing cover shots for national magazines you may choose to borrow a friend's copy of "Interior Photography". To everyone else... you will be glad you purchased this book.

The author keeps a tight focus on his subject. Lots of good photos to use as models. A wider range of issues covered than I expected. A pleasant breezy style. My only disappointment was that lighting was not given nearly as much coverage as I wanted. It's almost as if that part of the book's subtitle was dropped in at the last moment in recognition that that's what most readers would be after. I enjoyed the book and expect to keep returning to it for tips.