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Sketching Light: An Illustrated Tour of the Possibilities of Flash
By: Joe McNally
Publisher: New Riders
Pub. Date: December 06, 2011
Print ISBN-10: 0-321-70090-2
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-321-70090-2
Web ISBN-10: 0-321-71268-4
Web ISBN-13: 978-0-321-71268-4
Pages in Print Edition: 432
Subscriber Rating:
5 [1 Rating] Subscriber Reviews
Overview
Following up on the great success of The Moment It Clicks
and The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes,
legendary magazine photographer Joe McNally takes us on another
memorable ride with Sketching Light, another trip into the land of
light--but this time running the gamut from small flash to big
flash, and everywhere in between.
Of course, Joe includes coverage of Nikon Speedlights, but he also
covers big flash, as well as "in-between" lights as the Elinchrom
Quadra. The exploration of new technology, as well as the
explanation of older technology. No matter what equipment Joe uses
and discusses, the most important element of Joe's instruction is
that it is straightforward, complete, and honest. No secrets are
held back, and the principles he talks about apply generally to the
shaping and quality of light, not just to an individual model or
brand of flash.
He tells readers what works and what doesn't via his
let's-see-what-happens approach, he shows how he sets up his shots
with plentiful sketches and behind-the-scenes production shots, and
he does it all with the intelligence, clarity, and wisdom that can
only come from shooting in the field for 30 years for the likes of
National Geographic, Time, Life, and Sports
Illustrated--not to mention the wit and humor of a clearly
warped (if gifted) mind.
Subscriber Reviews
Average Rating: 
Based on 1 Rating
"Illuminating and Entertaining" - by Brightvillage on 30-DEC-2011
Reviewer Rating:
Joe McNally has to be one of the most entertaining educators I've ever come across, and "Sketching Light" is another exceptional volume from the master photographer. It may seem like an exaggeration, but his first book "The Moment It Clicks" literally changed my path as a photographer. "Hot Shoe Diaries" was another great installment, but I had already seen a lot of what was in the book through his Kelbytraining.com video courses and other places on the web and in print.
In "Sketching Light", I feel like Joe returns to his "Clicks" roots, opening the door even further on his personal experience through hilarious narratives and insightful parables. He revisits engaging stories like his shoot with Michelle Pfeiffer and takes us deeper into his thought process and focus on the personal interaction that made the shoot successful. He is an absolutely brilliant photographer, but also an amazingly personable director on the set. Apparently he also has an incredible memory to remember these details from every shoot he's been on!
If you love the McNally style of shooting or want to learn more about lighting and being a pro photographer (and its ups and downs spoken with brutal honesty), this is must read. His relentless enthusiasm about the craft of photography is contagious. Prepare to be inspired!
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