Mahalo Richard!

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the rebate. I finally had time to go through your book. I like the photos and the detail you provide on how the light modifiers were used. I especially appreciate you including your thought process behind each setup. The thought process is what is usually missing in books that would otherwise be excellent.

When I used to be in the qualilty control business it was my job to develop process and procedure manuals. One of the tools I used was a simple flowchart. You'd be surprised how people could usually give you the steps invovled in a task fairly easily but they had trouble when it came to revealing the thought process used to make the decisions that took them down path A instead of B. Forgive me, there I go talking too much again.

There is something else I wanted to mention about the book and it is that I had trouble following your set diagrams. Most of the diagrams seem to be turned around backward from what I am used too which made them a little less than intuitive for me. Obviously no one else has had that issue as I have not seen it mentioned here.

Just in case you're wondering, an example of what I am referring to is on page 33. I kept having to try to fisualize which side of the model was left and which was right. I think this is because I am not used to being in the models position so I relate to diagrams as as If I am looking at the photo straight on. I hope I described it adequately.

I also have a question about the 3/4 pose on page 33. Did the highlight on the models left knee come from the spot light raking across her right hip then falling on her knee or did it come from the strip box being used as a hair light?

Kudos Steve!

Hey George!

Thanks for the comments and props! I appreciate it. I'm glad that my writing style was helpful--I try to write as if I am talking with my readers. I have heard those comments regarding the diagrams before. I have two reasons for designing them that way. The first is logistics: my buddy created the icons to look as much like the actual light modifiers as possible. The icons have to be placed so it looks like they are pointed at the viewer to show the relative angle and position as best as I could. They simply don't work from ther other perspective. I struggled with this for a while until I realized that the diagrams do show the set from the photographer's viewpoint--which is how I build my set anyway. Put yourself behind the camera in the diagrams and they will make more sense.

The highlight that you talked about could be coming from the sopotlight. but it more likely coming from the strip dome on the side. She had a good deal of baby oil on so the reflections were intensified.

Thanks again for the support George!

Steve

After have been reading this thread I realize that I have to have the book. The book will arrive to Amazon in UK by December if I remember right.

Mahalo Robert!!!

Great book Steve! I like the commercial headshot and it seems to work fairly well considering I am only shooting the wife and kids at this point. The ages of my kids (2 and 4.5 yrs) really makes it hard to make the faces "pop" but I sometimes get lucky with props (toys).

On page 60 in your Softbox Lighting Techniques for Professional Photographers I notice on the caption for the photo the main light and fill light are metered at F5.6 7/10 for both. Next sentence says to forget the fractions for a minute the fill light is 1 stop less than the main light. I'm thinking this is a misprint as farther down in the same caption you use F8 7/10ths.

I'm looking forward to posting a few pics here real soon, just wanted to say great book and thanks for the whole soft/hard light technique--my pics are already starting to look better.

This is my first post, been doing a lot of reading on the forums. Thanks again,

G Holt