Studio Photography Essential Skills, 4th Edition P1 ppt

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Studio Photography Essential Skills

John Child Fourth Edition

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD

PARIS • SAN DIEGO • SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

Focal Press is an imprint of Elsevier

Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP

30 Corporate Drive, Burlington MA 01803

First published 1999

Reprinted 2000

Second edition 2001

Reprinted 2003 (twice)

Third edition 2005

Fourth edition 2008

Copyright  2008, John Child All rights reserved

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Notice

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or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use

or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

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Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress

ISBN 978-0-240-52096-4

Printed and bound in Canada

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Contents

Acknowledgements

Among the many people who have helped make this book possible, I wish to express my thanks to the following:

Mark Galer, Les Horvat and Michael Wennrich for their help and advice

•

The students of RMIT University, Melbourne, for their illustrative input,

•

enthusiasm and friendship

And to Gloria and my family for their continuing encouragement and

•

understanding throughout my photographic career, thank you

Studio Photography: Essential Skills

Contents

1 Introduction 1

Process and progress 2

Independent learning 3

Research and resources 4

Visual Diary 5

Record Book 6

Presentation 7

History 8

Advancements in technology 9

Current commercial practice 10

Methodology 11

2 Genres 13

Introduction 14

Advertising illustration 15

Still life 16

Portraiture 17

Commercial portraiture 18

Fashion 19

Fashion since 1950 20

3 Communication and design 23

Introduction 24

Context 25

Format 26

Content 27

Balance 28

Composition 29

Point of view 30

Line 31

Depth 33

Perspective 34

4 Art direction 37

Introduction 38

Layouts 39

Framing the image 40

Contents

5 The studio 45

Introduction 46

Health and safety 47

Equipment 48

Camera 49

Lenses 50

Light sources 52

Equipment detail 53

Organisation 55

6 Light 59 Introduction 60 Artificial light 61 Characteristics of light 63 7 Exposure 73 Introduction 74 Aperture and time 75 Light meter 77 Using the light meter 78 Lighting ratios 80 Interpreting the meter reading 82 Exposure compensation 84 Digital exposure 86

Limitations of film capture 98

Studio Photography: Essential Skills

Creative exposure compensation 111

Working with studio lights 117

Assignment 8 ‘Black and white’ 146

Contents

13 Lighting on location 163

On location 164 Interior location 166

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Studio photography covers a wide range of disciplines In its simplest form it is part of the

documentation process for a driver’s licence, ID, passport, etc.; at its most complex, cinematography and its role in the creation of films Within this spectrum fall portraiture, fashion, still life, film library, product, advertising illustration, industrial, corporate and architectural It may seem industrial, corporate and architectural are not studio photography but in most situations there is inadequate or non-existent illumination which must be supplemented or totally lit with artificial light As lighting is the essential element in photography it is important to understand and improve this skill, along with the many others that contribute to the successful creation of studio images This book deals with working in the studio using artificial light sources and on location using combinations of existing light sources and introduced lighting The activities, assignments, basic photographic theory and useful practical advice provide the essential techniques for creative and competent photography

Acquisition of technique

This book concentrates on the acquisition and application of skills necessary for studio photography The emphasis is on technique, communication and design within the genres of still life, advertising illustration, portraiture, fashion and lighting on location Terminology is kept as simple as possible using common usage and avoiding complicated theoretical explanations

Application of technique

The book concludes with several chapters devoted to the practical application of the skills acquired Assignments can be undertaken allowing the photographer to express their ideas through the appropriate application of design and technique This book offers a structured learning approach that will give the photographer a framework and solid foundation for working independently and confidently in a studio

or on location

The essential skills

The essential skills required to become a competent photographer take time and motivation Skills should

be practised repeatedly so they become practical working knowledge Practise the skills obtained in one chapter and apply them to the next Eventually these skills can be applied intuitively or instinctively and you will be able to communicate with clarity and creativity

Rodrick Bond