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Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light 1st Edition

by
Lou Jones (Author)
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Lou Jones (Author), Bob Keenan (Author), Stephen Ostrowski (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars 15 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0240812076
ISBN-10: 9780240812076
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (May 14, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9780240812076
  • ISBN-13: 978-0240812076
  • ASIN: 0240812077
  • Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,536,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsNOT What I Had Hoped For
By Michael on March 17, 2010
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I read the book twice; gleaning little nuggets here and there.
The book highlights standard lighting techniques (which could be used with any type of artificial lighting)using speedlights. GREAT! What are my problems then, you might be wondering.
One "problem" with the book is that the author,chapter after chapter, continually attempts to "sell" the reader on the idea that using speedlights is a "great way" of shooting with flash. "YA, I KNOW THAT, that's why I bought the book in the first place" is what I was grumbling into the air as I continued read on to the end. His propensity to do this was annoying and left me feeling like I was getting cheated out of more helpful information. I don't need the author to tell me WHY I am using speedlights I want him to tell me HOW.
Another "problem" was that, like the title says (it finally dawned on me...), the book is only about using Nikon and Canon ETL speedlight/speedlite flashes. I was hoping that this was going to be a tome about off-camera flash using flashes in manual and setting up with shots using wireless triggers and etc. Maybe there would be some exposure tricks and tips that help the photographer get around using a light meter. I was hoping for, well, meat and potatoes..."strobist" stuff I guess. Maybe like how to train my eye and to be able to see the forest for the trees and vice versa when it comes to lighting. Oh well.
Don't get me wrong, I learned some stuff but...
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4.0 out of 5 starsIlluminating Flash
By Conrad J. Obregon VINE VOICE on June 18, 2009
Format: Paperback
The relatively new flash systems offered by Nikon and Canon, which allow an amazing degree of automated control over illumination (with an increase in a certain type of complexity) offer amazing opportunities for photographers to capture images. Lou Jones and his fellow authors address those opportunities in this book.

There are just two chapter headings: One Light and Two Lights. But within those two chapters are discussions of many of the ways to use the new speedlights (as Nikon calls them) or speedlites (as Canon refers to them). The book is aimed at owners of the flagship flashes of each of the manufacturers: the Nikon SB 900 and 800 and SU800 and the Canon 550EX, 580EX, 550 EXMKII and 580 EXMKII, as well as compatible cameras. Owners of other flash units may or may not benefit from reading the text.

The publisher is to be congratulated for trying many techniques to make the information accessible. Instructions applicable solely to Nikon or Canon are coded purple and green respectively. Distinctions between textbook, anecdotes, warnings, etc. are also color coded. Lighting diagrams for each of the illustrative images are included in the back of the book.

One of the book's strong points is the discussion of the nature of light, whether natural or from flash, and the point that thinking of all light the same way will make it easier to control. Moreover the book urges you to allow the automated systems to do their work and to control the results by a few simple adjustments. There were also occasional tips on how to get more from a flash, like how to rotate the head of the flash to overcome the effect of the inverse square law.

I must confess that I was confused on my initial reading.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsLou Jones & small strobes rock!
By Mr. Scott Eccleston on August 26, 2009
Format: Paperback
If you want to learn about small strobes, and if you are a "visual" learner, then this is the book for you.

"Speedlights & Speedlites" has some very cool features, first there are only two chapters in the book, chapter one is "One Light" (25 one light setups) and chapter two is (you may have already guessed) "Two Lights" (20 two light setups), each image is accompanied with the "inspiration, how's, and whys" of the shot and a complete lighting diagram.

To make it as simple as possible to follow along the book is even color coded (Nikon - purple, Canon - green) so you can quickly and easily determine if the discussion is about a Nikon Speedlight or a Canon Speedlite.

Sandwiched in between each of the images are one and two page educational segments that start with the fundamentals of flash, inverse square law, mastering distance, characteristics of light, comprehending the direction of bounce flash, and so much more.

The authors also cover mixing speedlights with studio strobes.

This book is for all levels of photographers and the images cover just about anything you might ever want to photograph, still life, portraiture, corporate, commercial, architectural, and sports.

We learn to talk by listening to others, we learn to walk by watching others, and "Speedlights & Speedlites" is a great educational opportunity for those who want to "walk & talk" small strobes.

[...]
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1.0 out of 5 starsWordy, repetitive and short on useful information
By Bic Sharpie on March 4, 2010
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I was excited to read a book dedicated solely to speedlights and how to use them to enhance creative photography. When I finished the book I was hardly more knowledgeable than when I started. There is too much verbiage and digression and woefully little clear, practical instruction. The image examples are uninspiring and the lighting diagrams are inadequate. For example, instead of showing a figure to represent the subject of the photo the authors have put the photo itself in the middle of the diagram. This is confusing and does not help in the visualization of the relationship of the lighting to the subject. I don't like to be so critical but this book really disappointed me.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 starsThree Stars

Interesting but could give more complete info.

Published 15 months ago by Almont
3.0 out of 5 starsInsightful - but a little hard to read

As books go, its not bad - there are some great photos with background about how the scene was lit, and some good tips. Read more

Published on December 18, 2011 by Andrew Mercer
3.0 out of 5 starsA bit on the technical side but worth a second reading

I own a Canon 580EX II and find its instruction manual unhelpful. This book is helpful but a bit too technical. I had to read it a second time to understand some concepts. Read more

Published on August 18, 2010 by Wilson
2.0 out of 5 starsWeakly written beautiful book

I am actively trying to improve my flash photography and thought this book would be perfect to help me improve my use of my Nikon Speedlight and thereby help me take more... Read more

Published on July 11, 2010 by Sam Hill
3.0 out of 5 starsGood, not great

-While the book says 210 pages...that is a bit misleading. The 'meat' of the book only covers 151 pages. Read more

Published on May 4, 2010 by E. Gamble
5.0 out of 5 starsSpeedoflight

As a veteran commercial and studio portrait photographer, I found the info in this book to be sound and very digestible-it was a even a "good read. Read more

Published on January 23, 2010 by G. Riegel
1.0 out of 5 starsDissapointing

I was expecting much better. The book is badly written and structured and really didn't teach me anything. I far prefer the McNally Hot Shoe Diaries.

Published on October 18, 2009 by Bike
5.0 out of 5 starsVery informative

I have been a Canon user for years. I recently purchased a set of Radio Poppers for my Canon equipment. I was having fun using my equipment wirelessly but I knew I could do better. Read more

Published on October 3, 2009 by R0dan in Iowa
5.0 out of 5 starsSimply invaluable

Every digital photographer knows how vast the difference between the old print camera and the new ones, but few may realize an equally dramatic evolution in lighting has taken... Read more

Published on August 19, 2009 by Midwest Book Review
2.0 out of 5 starsSpeedlights & Speelites

Not really a review - just a note:
description says 315 pages - it has only 210

Published on July 2, 2009 by MJ

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