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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Publisher
- Amherst Media
- Accessibility
- Learn more
- Publication date
- August 1, 2009
- Language
- English
- File size
- 25.0 MB
- Screen Reader
- Supported
Description
With this guidebook, photographers learn how to create stunning, professional images while avoiding the common pitfalls of using an on-camera flash. Techniques for using simple accessories such as bounce cards and diffusers, as well as how to improve a lighting scenario by enhancing it rather than overwhelming it, show photographers how to master this challenging aspect of portraiture. Read more
Specs 9
| Publisher | Amherst Media |
|---|---|
| Accessibility | Learn more |
| Publication date | August 1, 2009 |
| Language | English |
| File size | 25.0 MB |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Not Enabled |
No specs match.
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Top Amazon Reviews
My new favorite in my extensive photography book library
Format: Paperback
Background (you can skip) Since so many reviews have already been written about this book I will keep this brief with my personal reasons why this book is so useful. I have bought TONS of photography books (at least 35), always looking for useful tips to get that pro look to my photos and extort Oooh's and Aaaah's from people looking at my collection. Lighting has always been my downfall, since I cannot seem to get the contrast, shadows, directions etc right. I bought expensive soft boxes and strobes and yet never learned to properly use them, even with all the books at hand. So I have been steadily looking for books that could give me good useful instruction on how to create positive results that would fuel inspiration (success is great fuel)!! I tried some of the books my pro friends recommended. like Light, science & Magic and found that those were too advanced and required too much skill / experience with some of the equipment (like strobes) to be the best start. And then I found this little 20 dollar lesson. About this book There are a few things that many photography books do that do not work for me: - The are THICK, I mean endless pages going through basics about cameras that I do not need, forcing me to spend too much time reading, which I do not have - They often assume deep wallets, ie. access to expensive equipment - They often assume everyone wants to be a pro-sumer / semi-pro, whereas what I wanted was just darn good looking pictures without excessive knowledge I will rarely use - Most of all, they assume you have tons of space and great lighting equipment. My reality is: I am a father of many kids, I have a busy busy life. I rarely have time to go shoot outdoors. Mostly I take pictures indoors and often in the evenings, but rarely in studio conditions. In fact, my house is cramped so I cannot set up backgrounds and strobes very easily nor do I enjoy it. Reading is something I enjoy with novels, not with photography or instruction books. Here are the reasons why I think this book excels: - It is thin and to the point - I think it immediately gives you USABLE, applicable instructions to take good looking photos, augmented by flash - It understands that not all of us have strobes, studio space and enormous soft boxes. - It focuses on flash photography albeit indoors or outdoors, augmenting natural light or being the main source. - It teaches quickly and efficiently The negative(s): - The first 10 pages are generic detailed scientific explanations of reflection and lighting. Tough material, but after that it gets applied!! - The actual size of the book: it should have been in a little smaller format as this is one you'd want to carry with you. Overall worth EVERY penny you pay for it.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2011 by Rick V
This book was a game changer for me
Format: Paperback
I am a professional photographer who does weddings, bar mitzvahs, portraits and events. I am a voracious reader of photography books (I have read over to 100) and I constantly practice and learn. This book took me to the next level in a way that no other resource has during my career. I constantly refer back to this book to improve my photography skills. If you are interested in improving your exposure metering skills, both with ambient light and flash, this is the book. The author explains the techniques for using the camera's built-in meter, using the histogram, using the blinking highlights display, the Sunny 16 rule and using the LCD. He explains the zone system and how to meter for dark and light subjects. The metering system in a digital camera wants to render both light and dark objects as middle grey, so understanding how to meter properly is crucial for the professional photographer, especially to make a wedding dress white and show off its detail. The author explains how to make on-camera flash a bigger light source to create soft, natural, diffuse light. He also explains how on-camera flash can be used to create directional light for texture, contrast, mood and more interesting photographs. The technique is called bounce flash and once you learn this technique your photography will reach new levels. There is great advice about using flash modifiers. Try making your own flash modifier and you will never go back to the "tupperware" modifiers. The biggest revelation in this book was how to squeeze the most out of my camera, lens and flash. I use professional Nikon cameras and professional Nikon lenses and speedlights. Until I read and digested this book I was not using these tools to their fullest. The book helped me learn how use the high ISO capabilities of my cameras and wide aperture capabilities of my lens and bouncing capabilities of my flash to get properly exposed, razor sharp pictures with just the right amount of light in dark banquet halls... and at the same time lighten the backgrounds so the picture opens up and does not suffer from picture killing black backgrounds. This is not easy to do, but once you understand how to do it, your pictures move to a higher level that the point-and-shoot photographers can not match. I have recommended this book to my partner and all my photographer friends. If you take the time to read and digest this book your photography will move to a higher level.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2009 by Jeffrey Steinberg
A Must Read for DSLR Photographers With Hot Shoe Flashes
Format: Paperback
On my 6 year journey from enthusiastic amateur to part time pro I have decorated a large part of my bookshelf space with all manner of photography books. While some inspire with amazing images (see The Moment it Clicks by Joe McNally) it is always those books which take you through the details of each shot with specifics about settings and the reasons behind their choices that I come back to most often. This book is possibly the best example I have come across of the latter and ranks up there with Monte Zucker's Portrait Photography Handbook in my indispensable book list. What I found to be a revelation in this book is the in depth discussion about TTL. Since the beginning of my journey with DSLRs when a few professional photographers steered me away from TTL exposure and encouraged me to use the manual flash settings I have never really cared about or played with TTL. I would even go a step further and say that I felt that TTL was for new camera owners who simply didn't know any better. Based on what I have learnt and hours of practicing these techniques I am now shooting about 80% of my on-camera flash shots using TTL. Moreover I am getting consistently better photographs and spending much less time in Photoshop correcting exposure. In terms of the level of the book, an understanding of exposure is required and assumed by the author and in all practical terms, photographers without a hot-shoe flash (i.e. those shooting with the popup) should spend their money on the flash before buying this book. There is very little discussion about external flash techniques, so those shooting predominantly with external strobes or in a studio environment should look elsewhere. As I mention above, the book is also unapologetic about focusing on using TTL to get optimal exposure so photographers who refuse to use automated flash metering should (open their minds and) look elsewhere. The best thing I can say about any photography book is that it had an immediate and noticeable effect on my end product. I read the book on a plane heading to a family gathering and tested some of the concepts throughout the trip. The final prints exceeded my expectations and I continue to see the positive influence of this book in all of the on-camera flash work that I do. Very highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2010 by Dave W
Practical advice
Format: Paperback
This is a short, easy-to-read book with good, practical advice on using on-camera flash. The only other *good* book I've read on flash so far is Joe McNally's "Hot Shoe Diaries", which is excellent. I found myself comparing these books after having read them both. The technical information presented at the beginning of the book was pretty good, and on par with other books I have read. I found it interesting how McNally's technique is quite different than van Niekerk's. Granted, "Hot Shoe Diaries" really focuses almost exclusively on off-camera flash(es!), and this book is about on-camera flash, but still, the choice of camera modes and techniques to measure exposure are very different. For example, Van Niekerk recommends the Zone System and manual exposure, and McNally recommends using aperture priority and using the camera's matrix metering. To each his own, I guess. I found the chapter on flash sync to be decent, but not as clear as it could have been. The chapter on light modifiers was pretty thin. Some of the example pictures near the beginning of the book I found difficult to relate to (since it seemed they weren't always apples-to-apples comparisons). There was a panel of images that was supposed to show varying the degree of ambient light, which I expected to show differences in shutter speed, but it showed comparisons of different apertures (which obviously affects DOF). The rest of the book is purely about how you should be bouncing the flash to get best results. There are some good examples given throughout the book showing ambient light, the setting, and the shot with and without flash, to really give you a good feeling of what's going on from the point of view of the photographer (and not just the final picture). Not every example is like this (it'd be nicer to have more). On the other hand, some examples did give the different view points, but it didn't always add to the explanation (sometimes, it was puzzling exactly what the picutre of the environment was supposed to show). I liked how this book shows some good examples of how a single on-camera flash combined with cheap gels and light shapers, can produce very good results if used properly. This is unlike McNally's book, which shows great images (often stunning!), but McNally is often using much more expensive equipment (even with just one flash, most picutres from the "Hot Shoe Diaries" use diffusers, panels, umbrellas, and other gear to get everything "just right"). I realize that again, it's difficult to compare, since that book is most about off-camera flash. All in all, this was a great read. Recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2011 by Alan Shi
Best book on photography
Format: Paperback
I've been an advanced amateur since minoring in photography in college. I've never made a penny off of a photography I've taken. I came to this book through Niel's website. And, I'm happy I did. I read the book through, and within hours, my flash photography had become wonderful. I hated using a flash for the last 20 years previously. In one hour, I suddenly realized that I could use a flash to take gorgeous pictures, and also realized that I was now virtually unlimited in where and what conditions I now had available to shoot in. Bringing artificial light with you in a small flash unit, and being able to take the same great pictures you take in bright daylight suddenly makes photography exciting and new to me again. This book has rejuvenated my hobby and improved my photographs better than any book I've ever read or studied on the topic Better yet, I decided to pick up the book a second time and started skimming through it again. I discovered yet MORE great tips that go beyond flash photography which I'd overlooked during my first read. I'm ecstatic with my new-found SLR abilities and the results that this book has brought me. I have gone through lots of photography books, but none of them have been so full of great info as this one. It's not just for portraits, and it's not just for flash - it's a great photography manual. It's as if a professional photographer sat me down and said, "Look. All those classes and workshops make SLR photography seem really complex and tough. Let me tell you a few secrets. It's really quite simple." And it is. This book simplifies, and improves photography like no other. I never would've expected that from a book about using a speed light. I shunned flash units for years. Now, I love 'em as much as my lenses.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2012 by Erik S.
Must have for those learning flash photography
Format: Paperback
I used to be an "existing light" guy. I really hated the look of direct flash on a subject. I was having a nice chat with my brother-in-law when he told me about this website called planet neil. I read through it and I was amazed by this guy who talked about using flash in such a way that viewers wouldn't know that you used flash! I bookmarked it and told myself that I would throughly read it when I finally bought my flash. That moment came a few weeks ago. I bought a 430EXII and went through the website again. It had a ad about the site's author also writing a book. I bought the book as soon as Amazon released it and poured through its pages. I was just amazed at the amount of helpful information the book had. The author, Niel van Niekerk, was really obsessed about making sure that the subject didn't look like a flash was used on her. He showed a lot of examples of how a picture would look like if only existing light was used and how the lighting was greatly enhanced by using flash. I don't know but he made a believer out of me. He never suggested this but I went to a hobby store and bought a life-sized styrofoam head so I can practice bouncing the flash while creating a flattering kind of lighting. Sorry if this sounds weird but it is so hard for me to convince my wife to practice using the flash on her. I think this book would be very helpful for people new to using flash and also to people who already has some flash experience. He uses a lot of examples from his wedding shoots but his techniques can be applied to most situations. He talks about using flash in different types of lighting situations. He does so in a manner that is not very technical. In fact, he only used 1 chart in his entire book. If you want to read a bit about what he has to say, google "Planet Neil flash photography techniques". Like me, you will be amazed at what he has to say and you will probably buy the book too. I have already finished it and I will probably read it a couple more times. One last word about the author. I had a question about a gel he mentioned in his book so I sent him an e-mail. He responded promptly and was very nice.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2009 by Amazon Customer
A very approachable book about flash photography for portraits and weddings
Format: Paperback
Neil van Niekerk's "On-Camera Flash Techniques for Digital Wedding and Portrait Photography" provides techniques in obtaining great portrait and wedding photographs with just your camera and one flash that mounts to your camera. Using just the environment around him and one piece of black foam, he instructs you about how to make flash in your photographs subtle enough not to look like flash while properly exposing the subject. As important as the written material itself, there are a lot of photograph examples with setting information. Neil notes that he did not do post-processing on the photographs other than a white balance adjustment to show you the type of photographs you can achieve when you have read his book and have practiced his techniques. The book was easy to read and not overly technical. However, you do need a basic understanding of what aperture, ISO, and shutter speed is and how that affects exposure. The only thing I dislike about this book is the layout and presentation, which is not the fault of the author and is not reflected in the rating. Only the first paragraph in a section is indented. This is odd, because many modern technical books on the market no longer indent paragraphs and providing more spacing between paragraphs. I find that format easier to read than the way this book has been laid out. In addition, there is also a lot more hyphenation of words than I felt was needed. For example, when there is a page with a very narrow column of text next to a picture, many words on the right side of this column were hyphenated. While it was grammatically correct to hyphenate, I feel the layout could have been improved to remove them. Too much hyphenation does make the book less readable.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2009 by S. Tang
Worth every cent
Neil van Niekirk's book is an excellent read for many reasons. If you are a beginner, there is no better place to start to understand the interrelationship between aperture and shutter speed in order to produce very pleasing on-camera flash. For those who understand the basic principles of zone photography, Neil's book fleshes out the importance of placing the most relevant tone in the photograph in the correct zone, in an appropriate position on the histogram. As well, once finished with the book, and using Neil van Niekirk's methods of metering and flash exposure, the quality of the images made with on-camera bounce flash is nothing short of remarkable. It certainly frees one up from carting around gear and in this regard, the techniques used in the book are very liberating. The book is not at all gear oriented, and the principles therein will apply to any camera/flash DSLR. I have already tried out his suggestions and they work a treat. This is a very good book for enthusiasts to buy to learn professional on-camera flash techniques, or a book to buy as a professional if you want to make consistent flash exposures with the minimum of gear to cart around on location portraiture and weddings. Neil van Niekirk is very generous with his knowledge, and the book contains absolutely no padding; just solid detailed information about the techniques of producing saleable professional images. I am currently waiting on his forthcoming book on off-camera flash photography!!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2010 by Alan Meyer