Location Photogrpahy for Commerical and Portrait Photographers

books:


	• The Moment It Clicks: Photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters (Voices That Matter) Joe McNally New Riders Press, 2008 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 99 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

a cool look at how the pros do it

well, unfortunately i don't have all the neat equipment and access joe has. but joe has a great eye for "the moment" and gives us an idea of what it takes to get it. it was an interesting read to see how he decides to capture his images. various elements we may overlook are a big help to the overall effect of the picture. flipping through the book of a well-known international photographer alone gives you a feel for the professional look. i was disappointed that this book wasn't about camera settings to shoot with for different situations, but i gotta say joe does impart interesting professional knowledge. just to review his work alone is a fascinating learning experience for young photographers like myself. in sum, don't expect to learn about exposure and settings so much, but prepare to observe how to capture "the moment" through a professional eye. joe gives us access to the professional world of photography that we normally don't have access to.

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Location Photogrpahy for Commerical and Portrait Photographers

I'll keep this short and sweet.

1. NOT a cookbook or "how to" book.
2. NOT a beginners book.
3. IS a book for high intermediate level and advanced photographers (see#4).
4. This book does not give F stops or other technical information. That's why it's an advanced book.
5. 100% LOCATION photography and how to overcome the hardships of this type of shot.
6. Emphasis on hard core commercial photography, as in Donald Trump, CEO's, Sports figures, etc. But if you know your stuff, you can use the information to your advantage for any location shooting.

Summary: This book made a lot of sense to me, but only because I understand light and the problems of location photography. If you do not understand the problems of light on location, how to use strobes, reflectors, etc., then you will not "get" this book.

McNally is pretty extraordinary in his element, which is fast thinking in a fast paced location based commercial environment. He hit everything I've experienced stress wise trying to create a nice image using natural and strobe light on location.

If you have ever tried location photography w/o a flash gun on your camera--because you do not use an ON CAMERA flash when doing location photography (and bouncing an on camera flash counts as having the light off camera, and yes there are exceptions)--then you understand the horrible chills you get when learning this skill, and even after you learn the basics the stress and abject FEAR involved. McNally does a great job of imparting this fear and stress and explaining how he works though it, or not--he admits sometimes you just fail, get use to it.

In that sense, the book gets 5 stars. If you think you are the only one who goes through these levels of fear, stress, self hatred, and messing up, then read this book. It will allow you, if nothing else, to see that you are on the right track and that even super pros like McNally go through these same anxieties.

In conclusion, this book is for advanced photographers looking to hone their skills and to understand if they are actually on the right track. Even if you don't do hard core commercial, you can impart this information to your skill set because all of the stuff he talks about is relevant to ANY location type photography, including weddings. The book also uses what I believe are perfect examples of what Joe is trying to convey to other photographers.

Thanks Joe. Good book!

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Understanding Concept

The photography in itself is terrific, but what makes it all work is the author's unique ability to execute a concept.

Joe rocks!

Fabulous book, hilarious but very useful comments, great pictures!
I'm sure Joe is a great teacher and person!

Someone here said Joe didn't reveal everything. That is not true. He gives you more details in the beginning and as you read further, it's more about particular atmosphere or thoughts he used to create the particular image - NOT an instant-recipe for perfect photo!
Doesn't matter if you are a pro or a rookie, his thoughts could provide you with something you accidentally overlooked!

This book makes you think and use your brain, rather than copy/paste or steal his ideas!

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Great pictures, but...

If you like to look at great pictures, and learn the story behind them, this book is for you! I really enjoyed reading this, and I will probably flick through it from time to time.

However, I did not learn much that will make me a better photographer. The reason is that Joe is on a very different level, and on a very different budget, than I am, so as long as I don't have a lot of strobes and soft boxes, I really can not apply his tips. I did learn some principles, but to me, the strength of this book is the great pictures and the amusing stories.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

THE FIRST BOOK WITH ONE FOOT ON THE COFFEE TABLE, AND ONE FOOT IN THE
CLASSROOM
Joe McNally, one of the world?s top pro digital photographers, whose celebrated work has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated, Time, and National Geographic (to name a few), breaks new ground by doing something no photography book has ever done?blending the rich, stunning images and elegant layout of a coffee-table book with the invaluable training, no-nonsense insights, and photography secrets usually found only in those rare, best-of-breed educational books.

When Joe?s not on assignment for the biggest-name magazines and Fortune 500 clients, he?s in the classroom teaching location lighting, environmental portraiture, and how to ?get the shot? at workshops around the world. These on-location workshops are usually reserved for a handful of photographers each year, but now you can learn the same techniques that Joe shares in his seminars and lectures in a book that brings Joe?s sessions to life.

What makes the book so unique is the ?triangle of learning? where (1) Joe distills the concept down to one brief sentence. It usually starts with something like, ?An editor at National Geographic once told me?? and then he shares one of those hard-earned tricks of the trade that you only get from spending a lifetime behind the lens. Then, (2) on the facing page is one of Joe?s brilliant images that perfectly illustrates the technique (you?ll recognize many of his photos from magazine covers). And (3) you get the inside story of how that shot was taken, including which equipment he used (lens, f/stop, lighting, accessories, etc.), along with the challenges that type of project brings, and how to set up a shot like that of your own.

This book also gives you something more. It inspires. It challenges. It informs. But perhaps most importantly, it will help you understand photography and the art of making great photos at a level you never thought possible. This book is packed with those ?Ah ha!? moments?those clever insights that make it all come together for you. It brings you that wonderful moment when it suddenly all makes sense?that ?moment it clicks.?

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