The Beckstead Wedding

I have to say, this book was just incredible. What he accomplishes is almost beyond words it is THAT good. Nearly all of the photos showcased in this book were done with only ambient lighting or very little additional lighting and minimal to no processing work. There are a few exceptions where an image was more heavily altered however he describes these alterations in detail as well as who did the work if he didn't do it himself. He also only does heavy alterations when it is for the betterment of this piece to make it all that it can be. There are two images that I am in awe of, one is a wedding dress reflected in a mirror and the other is a couple reaching out to each other across a small stream. These are simple images but they are so incredibly eye catching I flip back to look at them again and again. The one with the mirror somehow reminds me of the Narnia book series. As if you're being transported elsewhere, somewhere beyond the room. The couple over the stream has almost a sadness to it but that's ok because it also has a feeling that it's fate and nothing can change it. I really have to say this book is a MUST read for anyone doing wedding photography and looking to step up their game. It will inspire you to push yourself.
Find it here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Book Review Special

I was again given the opportunity to read a preview copy of a book. This one is Lighting Design for Commercial Portrait Photography by Jennifer Emery. This book was very easy to read and I found it quite interesting. She of course covers different lighting set ups but she also talks about the prep work involved in doing a commercial shoot. This involves booking models and makeup artists as well as playing more than just the role of photographer, which is often times the case. This is all important information to know as well. As far as the actual lighting and sample images she does a wonderful job of describing, diagraming and photographing pull backs of the lighting she uses. I love when there are diagrams and pull backs because it makes it far more simple to understand the lighting used. We photographers are visual learners after all. It's clear that her lighting is very effective for whatever is being promoted or sold. Several of her techniques can even be tweaked for the regular portrait photographer too. It's not out in stores quite yet but when it is you can find it here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

A New Day A New Book

Today I am reviewing Alternative Portraiture by Benny Migs. I quite liked this book. The cover image is very eye catching mostly because of the lighting done with a ring light which you can see by telltale circular catchlight in the eyes. I learned later on in the book that the ring light used was not what I expected but a DIY ring light from the hardware store. So in other words I need to hit up the hardware store and work on one for myself. Benny really rocks the environmental portrait as well. I loved the hat maker photo and his photo of the farrier or the guy that puts on the horse shoes for those of us not familiar with equestrian terms. They are both just stellar images. So if you feel like learning how to create portraits that really capture the viewer and how to DIY a ring light get this book. Find it here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Review of Classic Family Portraits by Ed Pedi

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a fairly quick read because of the layout- one full page image with a full page description and set up diagram for the image. This also makes it easy to flip through and pick and choose what you want to read based on the image. I also liked that he includes a few images that are 10 or 15 years old as they wonderfully illustrate the title of the book. They are classic for a reason. While they might be old they do not look dated even the clothes and decor don't really give it away. He also has a few images from family reunions and offers spot on advice for making everyone in a large group look good. There are several families who appear more than once showing that if people are happy with your work they will come back again and again. He even has his own family portrait in the book which is something you don't often see. All in all an excellent book and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking at photographing families professionally.
Find it here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Time Travel

What can time travel have to do with a photography book? Well it's like this. I seriously wish this book- Portrait Pro by Jeff Smith, had been available when I was still in college as a photography student. I think it would have been instrumental in shaping my future. Roughly half of this book is about creating a salable portrait. The other half is creating a solid business at which you sell these portraits. There is a bit more than that but that's the basic concept of this book. Maybe a simple concept but executed with a wealth of excellent information delivered in the honest straight talk I have come to expect from Jeff Smith, since I have now read a number of his books. So there it is. Time Travel. I would love to bring this book back in time and give it to my younger self. If you're interested in purchasing it is available here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

The Mobile Photographer

The Mobile Photographer by Robert Fisher.
This is a great little guide to learn what options there are for adding mobility to your workflow. He discusses apps, hard drives, and gear giving recommendations on what has worked well for him. He discusses briefly what you need to know to at least get started with the basics on everything he recommends and a few tricks to make life a little easier. I was particularly interested in using a tablet as a remote while shooting tethered. I was happy to see he talked about wireless hard drives since I have been looking into them as well. Now I have something to go off of when I shop. If add mobility in your workflow is something you've been thinking about you should consider this book.
Find it here:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Fine Art

This morning while waiting for the little babe to wake up I read the book Fine Art Portrait Photography by Nylora Bruleigh. Her images are absolutely stunning. Some are styled after vintage photographs while others look like paintings and still there are more that look like a fantasy. It is art photography at its best. Creating something real while also making it look like what we photographers see in our mind's eye. She does heavily utilize photoshop, which isn't necessarily a bad thing by any means, but she does have quite a few where only minor adjustments were made. She has several images from her Fairytale series in the book. She does a wonderful job making Cinderella and Snow White come to life in these photographs. I could probably go on and on with my amazement at her images but you should really just see them for yourself so you can find Fine Art Portrait Photography by Nylora Bruleigh from these retailers:
Amherst Media
Amazon
Barnes & Noble