Learning to Light: Easy and Affordable Techniques for the Photographer [Paperback]

Roger Hicks (Author), Frances Schultz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

book about photography

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Amphoto Books (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817441794
• ISBN-13: 978-0817441791
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.4 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #705,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reader friendly, inspiring, and informative., April 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Learning to Light: Easy and Affordable Techniques for the Photographer (Paperback)

This book helped to improve my understanding of lighting and is particularly useful to those on a restricted budget. It covers a wide range of styles and subjects both clearly and concisely. The writing manages to avoid the dryness and sterility I've so often encountered elsewhere, and I can personally vouch for the fact that suprisingly good results can be obtained by working with the simple diagrams and recommendations. There are also many handy hints, from buying gear to setting up a studio. This book encourages the reader to improvise and experiment whilst informing and educating, and I wish I had discovered it sooner!

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not the best in its class, April 6, 2000

By 

Wade McNary (Fort Lauderdale) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Learning to Light: Easy and Affordable Techniques for the Photographer (Paperback)

I bought the book because I thought the "Easy and Affordable Techniques" would be clever and insightful, which they were not. The author's ultimate advice is to buy the standard lighting equipment, but slowly. While he does explain how/why the standard studio lighting equipment works, so does virtually every lighting book. I prefer the Pro Lighting Series for better photos, better diagrams, and better writing.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good information, but showing it's age, June 21, 2006

By 

Jim (Santa Clara, CA, United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Learning to Light: Easy and Affordable Techniques for the Photographer (Paperback)

I regard myself as a reasonably knowlegable amateur - I know all about how exposure works, and I can use my flash bounced.

But I know pretty much nothing about studio lighting.

This book teaches, and teaches well, all about studio lighting, what equipment to buy and how to use it. The prose is clear, and the examples are more than up to the task of teaching the beginner. I learned alot from this book. I suspect that the people who found it inadequate simply knew more going in than I did. For a complete novice to studio lighting, I'd recommend this book without reservation.

But the book is seriously showing its age. There's far too much discussion of film and it's uses, and the lightmeters that it discusses aready look a little... old. Hence the four star rating. If you can find another book on amazon for the complete beginner that actually handles digital issues instead of film, then consider buying that instead. I didn't, and I'm happy with my purchase.