Tony L. Corbell - Light and Shadow: Dynamic Lighting Design for Location Portrait Photography

Copyright 2016 by Tony Corbell

All rights reserved.

All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

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

Editors: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt, Harvey Goldstein, Beth Alesse

Associate Publisher: Kate Neaverth

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

Business Manager: Adam Richards

Warehouse and Fulfillment Manager: Roger Singo

ISBN-13: 978-1-60895-995-2

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015953685

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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 author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

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Table of Contents

Contents

by Gregory Daniel, M. Photog. Cr., CPP, F-ASP

S o heres the thing: you know those stunning location portraits that blow your mind with jaw-dropping fidelityimages so wrapped with dimension it feels as though you can see around the subject? There are very simple concepts and principles behind creating these every time. Without a doubt, Tony Corbell has been one of the most renowned and sought-after educators in this arena for over three decades. With his simple and fundamentally sound approach to controlling lighting, you will gain the confidence and control it takes to create beautiful portraits every time.

I met Tony over twenty-five years ago. It was during one of his lectures on lighting control with Dean Collins. I was instantly impressed with his ability to communicate how to harness the power of light. Today, these concepts are at the core of each and every one of the images I create. My confidence to create beautifully lit portraits in any setting, at any time of day, is rooted in the controls that Tony lays out in this book. Our friendship has grown over the years as we have shared projects with Kodak, lecture venues for teaching, Professional Photographers of America affiliated school programs, and Camera Craftsmen of America meetings. He is so willing to give his all to our profession through participating in countless state, regional, national, and international conventions as well as authoring articles, books, and videos. There is no person better-qualified than Tony to share with our industry the techniques of location lighting control.

He will take us though a journey of self-discovery by demystifying applications of light and uncovering old mythsand share the historical relevance behind technology and change. Mastering the applications of light is a game-changer in everyones pursuit for better image creating. As a student of these lighting applications, I remember the first time I could see the light. What a powerful day! All these lighting principles and controls started to unfold and make sense. I saw how light and shadow play their roles in creating depth, shape, form, and texture. It is amazing how simple things like a small movement in your position relative to the subject and light source can affect the quality of the end product. This knowledge opened the door to my creativity and set me on the path of what would become the foundation of my career in photography.

Without question, learning Tonys applications of lighting principles will fill your toolbox with knowledge and help establish in you a habit of successful consistency. If you are new to the field of photography, you are starting at the right placeand if you are a seasoned professional, it is a very smart choice to take inventory and refresh your toolbox.

Enjoy seeing the light!

S unlight has always been the simple and logical way for photographers at all levels of experience to take pictures. The reasons are easy to understand. First, the sun is predictable and exists in literally every location in the world, each and every day. We know exactly when and where the sun will rise and set and can reasonably predict its direction, trajectory, brightness, and color cast. It is basically a constant on which we can rely day after day. People from all walks of life understand that the sun is often needed to take a nice, well-lit photograph. Most consumers have been told to put the sun at their back and aim the camera at their subject and the picture will be well lit and well exposed in most cases. It has always been a default way to take pictures.

Image I1. Direct sunlight can often result in a great imageas long as there is a high-impact subject and a great exposure.