Morrissey - Commercial photographers master lighting guide: food, architectural, interiors, clothing, jewelry, and more

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my beautiful wife, Angie; our daughter, Renya; and my son, Gavin.

SPECIAL THANKS

Special thanks to: Olympus, Terry Monahan (Chimera), Peter Pboremba (DynaLite), and Roger Carpenter.

Copyright 2014 by Robert Morrissey.

All rights reserved.

All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Commercial Photographers Master Lighting Guide is the second edition of Master Lighting Guide for Commercial Photographers.

Published by:

Amherst Media, Inc.

P.O. Box 586

Buffalo, N.Y. 14226

Fax: 716-874-4508

www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse

Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins

Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt

Editorial assistance from: Carey A. Miller, Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder

Business Manager: Adam Richards

Marketing, Sales, and Promotion Manager: Kate Neaverth

Warehouse and Fulfillment Manager: Roger Singo

ISBN-13: 978-1-60895-634-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013905041

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The authors and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

CONTENTS

R obert Morrissey has been behind a camera since 1988, when he first began taking classes at the Kansas City Art Institute. During the third year of his schooling, he interned with Nick Vedros, a top advertising photographer. Inspired by working with Vedros, Robert opened a studio of his own at the age of nineteen. By age twenty, his images had been published worldwide. While completing his senior year, Robert not only owned and operated his own photography studio but also worked with many other professionals in the Kansas City area. He assisted these photographers, learning as much as he could from them and applying techniques he learned to his paid assignments. After graduating with a B.F.A. in photography, Robert moved on, sold his studio, and traveled through the United States and Europe, photographing everything that interested him.

After landing in Virginia Beach, Robert got a job with Wright Studios. His duties were running an E-6 lab and photographing catalog work for the Navy. This was the first time Robert was exposed to the professional digital camera. After this, Robert became a lead photographer for the University of MissouriColumbia. In this position, he helped introduce the use of Adobe Photoshop as a tool for photographic illustration.

Once chosen by Phase One to be a featured photographer, Roberts career took off. Robert now works closely with Olympus and is sponsored by DynaLite and Chimera.

Now the owner and executive photographer of Morrissey & Associates, where the focus of photographic jobs is food and faces for advertising, Robert shoots for international advertising campaigns, catalogs, and television commercials. You may have seen his advertising work in National Geographic Explorer, The Wall Street Journal, Time, or at your local grocery or big box stores.

Self-portrait by Robert Morrissey, taken with an iPhone 5.

M y aim in writing this book was to demystify and simplify commercial photographic lighting. In these pages, youll learn about the qualities of light and gain tips for selecting essential photographic gear. Youll find a variety of professional lighting techniques explained and diagrammed in a clear, concise manner. I have used every one of the techniques described for paying jobs, and each time, my client was pleased.

I have also provided strategies for designing a studio for the particular type of photography you do. I will show you how to create sets inexpensively and how to stay within your clients budget and increase your bottom line. The straightforward insights into selecting backdrops and background materials will save you money, too.

You can also use this book to explain to clients the light you think will best enhance their projectwithout having to set up the shot.

If you want to be a professional commercial photographer, this book will give you the foundation you need to do it and do it well. There are no silver linings or half-truths about the business in this book. Photography has always been competitive and it always will be. To get to the top and succeed (i.e., make money), you must not only take great imagesyou must operate your studio within certain business parameters. I wish there was a book like this when I started out.

Working as a commercial photographer isnt always easy or glamorous. For me, it has been a long and strenuous journey. The downfalls and victories along the way have inspired me to write this book and to show you how to become the best photographer you can be. I believe that commercial photography is more competitive now than it was six years ago when I wrote the first edition of this book. What has allowed me to keep moving my career forward is positivity, determination, and knowing the technical aspects of commercial photographic production like the back of my hand.

I have used every one of the techniques described for paying jobs.

I now own and operate Morrissey & Associates. My advertising and editorial photographs have been published globally. I have had the good fortune to truly make a good living as a commercial photographer. By learning to provide your clients with standout, evocative images that sell their merchandise in print ads and on the web, you too can achieve this level of professional success. By engaging with the information in this book, you will have the foundation you need to make your dreams come true.

Good luck.

These images prove that commercial photography relies not only on great lighting but also a complete understanding of Photoshop. To make seamless final images, you must fully understand light and shadows.