Master Guide For Professional Photographers

From the history of photography and how to shoot wedding portraits to creating stylish albums and working with digital output, everything a wedding photographer needs to know is included in this all encompassing manual. Photographers are provided with a shooting guide that walks them through the wedding day and offers advice on a variety of topics—including integrating detail, capturing the walk down the aisle, working in and out of doors, and finding and illustrating key relationships. Traditional and “in” methods of wedding photography are depicted in an educational timeline that explores past, present, and future trends in the field; current photo manipulation software, such as Adobe Photoshop and compatible plugins, are also discussed. Emphasis is placed on client interaction both before and after the big day, transforming prints into fine arts products, and developing and fine tuning a creative shooting style.

Master the demanding lighting needs for weddings of any variety with this comprehensive guide from an industry expert. All the basics are covered, including how to choose and use the right equipment, how to control light and shadow while outdoors, how to utilize ambient room light and natural light, and how to ensure the best color balance for each image. Technical tips from 40 top wedding photographers cover such specifics as producing window-light images and using such tools as scrims, umbrellas, and gobos. With the right lighting know-how, a photographer can capture with ease the candid looks and pure emotions of the wedding party.

From shooting basics to image editing, this textbook is an all encompassing reference that can be used by students in any level of photography class as well as those studying to complete the Certified Professional Photographer program. Beginning with an overview of camera choices and basic camera functions, this guide outlines the fundamentals of lighting equipment, light theory, composition, and digital imaging while providing a comprehensive roadmap for efficiently taking images from conception to client presentation. Tips for overcoming obstacles are offered from the hard-won advice of photographers who have successfully passed the Professional Photographer Certification Program tests.

Outlining a theory that combines the refinement of traditional posing techniques with the more organic, spontaneous techniques of photojournalism, this creative and informative resource offers poses that rely on personality and interaction. These instructions from a veteran wedding photographer provide the skills needed to recognize what makes a great pose and how to subtly direct your clients to achieve the needed balance between looking great and looking comfortable. Ultimately, this grouping of modern and traditional shots offers answers to the complications faced when attempting to pose wedding parties quickly while keeping the natural look that all wedding couples desire.

Photographers are guided through every aspect of posing—beginning with the consultation and continuing with specific tips for posing children, high school seniors, wedding parties, families, events, teams, groups, and pets—in this comprehensive manual. Maintaining that good posing is 80 percent mental and only 20 percent technical, this guide stresses the importance of communication between photographer and subject to creating a portrait that not only captures the subject’s personality but also makes the subject comfortable, fostering repeat business.

Light, vibrant and malleable, is the greatest tool at the disposal of portrait photographers. In this acclaimed book—with over 50,000 copies in print—Christopher Grey walks you through studio portrait lighting from start to finish. Dozens of image sequences and before/after pairings show you precisely how each change of light position and modifier affects the look of the lighting on the subject. From classic portrait lighting patterns to unexpected but powerful looks, Grey teaches you everything you need to know to control light effectively. Armed with these powerful skills, you’ll be able to create portraits that are more flattering, more marketable, and more creative.

In this instructive resource, seasoned photographers illustrate how to become an elite senior-portrait photographer. Whether the student wants a simple headshot for the yearbook, classic studio portraits, or fashion-oriented images shot on location, this resource outlines every phase of the process—from selecting the right equipment, poses, and light to generating great expressions and using the computer to retouch the face. An emphasis to stay ahead of the competition in terms of style, technology, customer service, and advertising offers photographers no-nonsense ideas for shooting better images and providing more variety within the often very limited time constraints of a senior-portrait session. Packed with before-and-after images, sequential illustrations that show posing variations, sample marketing materials, and much more, this is a must have book for those entering the market—or those seeking to chisel out a bigger share.