[.ca] Lighting Photo Workshop (ISBN 0470114339)

A one-size-fits-all Lighting book doesn't cut it in an already crowded field:
After reading the impressive Photo Workshop Series "Composition" book by Blue Fier, I expected this book to build upon that base of knowledge and move the reader to the next level. Instead, I learned that lighting is a basic ingredient for good composition, and if you understand good composition, reading about lighting is redundant. This book fails to build upon basic composition techniques, nor is it a proper first read for a beginning photographer to start off with. Lighting has many specialized subfields, and a one-size-fits-all lighting book underwhelms all audiences. Novice photographers would be better served by reading a book on composition. Advanced users will want more details on studio lighting, gray cards, night/low light photography, or using handheld light meters. Neither audience is well served by this book. The night & low light chapter was especially disappointing for me, with very little practical advice. The author could have improved the book by adding before & after teaching pictures in the book (e.g. various good and bad exposures of the same picture, direct versus bounced flash, snow pictures with/without a gray card) showing how applying the techniques improves the photograph. Instead, the author presents his photography exhibit throughout the book. While his photos are very impressive, they lack teaching acumen. A far better book is "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. I also suggest the "Composition Photo Workshop" by Blue Fier as the one book in the PWS series that is a must-read. Both books combined have better teaching photographs (before & after). They also both have easy to remember advice on metering in night and low light conditions, and will give readers a much more rounded perspective on how to take a great picture.