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Faces
Photography and The Art of Portraiture
Faces Photography and The Art of Portraiture by Paul Fuqua and Steven Biver
by Paul Fuqua and Steven Biver
   

Photography and portraiture : Lighting, lighting, lighting!
   
FACES: PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ART OF PORTRAITURE introduces the subject of portraiture with a few pages of large plates, mostly portraits of celebrities by contemporary photographers.  A brief section highlights photographs from the past while defining several different approaches and historical trends in portraits.  The largest and most useful section, "Making Portraits," includes 48 portraits with detailed explanations of the set-up, mostly focusing on the lighting.  Shorter chapters skim over tips on street shooting, preparations made a head of time, and a chapter on modifying light that defines and illustrates some of the most common lighting devices used in studios and on cameras.  The book concludes with some parting words on the art and craft of portraiture and a few additional tips on such matters as converting color images to BW, reading histograms and working with lighting ratios.

The authors include a selection of past photographs, none of which are ones most easily recognized by students of the history of photography and therefore refreshing.  Most of the photographs, however, are examples of their own work.  Although the lighting scenarios emphasize studio lighting, the authors give a good balance between tips on modifying natural lighting as well. 
FACES: PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ART OF PORTRAITURE is an excellent resource for tips to try new lighting techniques from the beginner to the more advanced photographer.  The authors do not bog the reader down with excessive technical information and yet, the lighting scenarios are detailed enough to give ideas to more intermediate-advanced photographers wanting to expand the range of their portrait-making or include more portraiture in their repertoire.  Only brief mention is made of digital or film techniques although the authors do use a combination of cameras from point-and-shoots, to digital SLR, to medium and large format film cameras. Although most of the examples use higher end studio lighting, the authors also give ideas for more spontaneous and lower end help such as wearing a white shirt as a reflector.  Most of all, FACES: PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE ART OF PORTRAITURE is a good resource for those wanting to experiment with different lighting techniques.

Publisher: Focal Press (February 10, 2010)


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