Customer Reviews

The Photographer's Studio Manual

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Detailed, precise and easy to understand information about: professional view-cameras, (medium and 35mm cameras are not the focus of attention of this book, but you'll find some information about them); pro equipment; films; lighting techniques; portraits (very good lighting guide - all kinds of lightings!!!); still-lifes; copy work; special effects... EVERYTHING... Doesn't have lots of information about developing and printing. Above all things it's a very creative book, from a very talented and creative photographer. It's a book for those who have some knowledge of photography and want to know more about studio and professional work.

I am a book junkie, and I really enjoy reading older photography books as I think there is considerable wisdom to be gleaned from them. I purchased this book specifically because it was by Michael Freeman, and I love some of his newer books, and because I thought perhaps it would cover studio management, which is my achilles heel at the moment.

However, it is a basic book about studio photography and not studio management. The first part of the book covers Setting up a Studio, Equipment, exposure, and film. The second part of the book focuses on making pictures -- people, portraits, food, animals, still lifes, and objects are covered.

I am only giving it 3 stars because it is very much a generalist book and quite dated, so it isn't as useful to a modern portrait photographer as other books. But it does contain some interesting tidbits, and some of the pictures are quite lovely, showing Freeman's incredible talent for cropping and composition...