The moment it clicks : photography secrets from one of the world's top shooters

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.” Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 13 Chapter 1 Shoot What You Love......Page 18 Get Your Camera in a Different Place......Page 19 Turn Around!......Page 21 Persevere......Page 23 Pay Attention to the Small Pictures......Page 25 Get the Right Five Minutes......Page 27 Gradate the Light......Page 30 Don’t Pack Up Till You Leave......Page 31 Shoot It Now......Page 33 Keep Your Head on Straight......Page 35 Keep Asking Questions......Page 37 Take the Next Step......Page 39 Have Faith in Your Ideas......Page 41 Bring a Camera (Then Use It)!......Page 43 Nice Is Just...Nice......Page 45 Bullseye!......Page 48 Zoom with Your Feet......Page 49 Get Your Hands on Your Subjects......Page 51 Light, Color, Gesture......Page 53 Get Your Subjects Involved......Page 55 You Gotta Turn on a Dime......Page 57 Shoot What You Love......Page 59 Chapter 2 Keep Your Eye in the Camera......Page 62 Dress the Part......Page 64 The Light in the Doorway......Page 65 Try Something Different......Page 67 Hold It Steady......Page 70 Get a Permit......Page 71 Glamour Light......Page 73 Taste the Light......Page 75 Remember, You’re Not Spider-Man......Page 77 Surprise Me......Page 79 Put the Light in an Unusual Place......Page 81 Filter!......Page 84 Keep Your Eye in the Camera......Page 85 Where Does the Light Come From?......Page 87 Make Your Day Longer......Page 90 Better to Ask for Forgiveness......Page 91 People Will Think You’re Crazy......Page 93 Use a Mime......Page 96 Carry a Bed Sheet......Page 97 Warm Is Better Than Cool......Page 99 Don’t Light All of It......Page 101 Chapter 3 The Logic of Light......Page 104 Make Light Available......Page 105 I Like to Shoot Weddings—Ireland......Page 107 Baby Shoots Are Tough......Page 109 Make the Right Friends......Page 111 Check Out Their Hands......Page 113 Just Go Click......Page 115 Highlight the Subject......Page 117 The Subject Determines the Light......Page 119 Do Your Homework......Page 121 Get the Light Off the Camera......Page 123 Stay Close to the Candle......Page 125 Floor It!......Page 127 Never Let‘em See Ya Sweat......Page 130 It Never Hurts to Look......Page 131 The Logic of Light......Page 133 It’s Good to Have Friends......Page 135 Don’t Leave......Page 137 Yanko Supremo......Page 139 Think Like a Comic Book......Page 142 Bring It All!......Page 143 Keep Looking When the Light’s All Gone......Page 145 Chapter 4 There’s Always Something to Bounce Light Off Of......Page 148 Wing It......Page 149 Ring Light......Page 151 Bring a Chainsaw......Page 153 Get There Early......Page 155 Don’t Be So Darn Serious......Page 157 Tell ‘em Anything......Page 159 Be the Boss of the Light......Page 161 Push the Wide Lens......Page 163 Smile and Nod......Page 165 Stand in Front of More Interesting Stuff......Page 167 Play Catch......Page 169 Stick with Your Subjects......Page 172 Always Something to Bounce Light Off Of......Page 173 Soft Window Light Equals Studio......Page 175 Beware Straight Flash......Page 177 Pray for Bad Weather......Page 179 It’s Gotta Speak for Itself......Page 181 Remember: Light Picks Up Color......Page 183 Try Not to Be Too Self-Involved......Page 185 Keep Your Camera Ready......Page 187 Sometimes You Feel Bad......Page 189 Step Right Up!......Page 191 Joe’s Lighting Tips......Page 195 Joe’s Camera Bag......Page 199 Joe’s Grip and Lighting Gear......Page 201 The Barroom: The Bar Is Open......Page 204 Bad Days Can Make for Great Pictures......Page 205 It’s a Rocky Road to Freelanceville......Page 207 Be a Pest......Page 209 Never Live with a Model......Page 212 Dead Guys......Page 213 Just Go Make a Picture......Page 215 It Only Takes One......Page 217 Think Romance!......Page 219 Eddie Being Eddie......Page 221 Not Everyone’s Gonna Love You......Page 223 A Little Terror Can Be Quite Helpful......Page 225 It’s Hard to Strike a Balance......Page 227 Ask the Tough Question......Page 229 The Pucker Factor......Page 231 In Space, No One Can Hear You Puke......Page 233 Choosing Is Never Easy......Page 235 It’s All About Your Attitude......Page 237 Listen to Your Assistant......Page 239 Get a Camera Where You Ain’t......Page 241 Take a Chance......Page 243 The Best Pictures Are Right Under Your Nose......Page 245 Learn from Those Around You......Page 247 My Most Important Piece of Equipment......Page 249 Know Who You’re Talking To......Page 251 Maybe One Day They’ll Think You’re Cool......Page 253 Glossary......Page 255 B......Page 259 C......Page 260 D......Page 261 F......Page 262 G......Page 263 H......Page 264 L......Page 265 M......Page 267 O......Page 268 Q......Page 269 S......Page 270 U......Page 272 Z......Page 273 THE FIRST BOOK WITH ONE FOOT ON THE COFFEE TABLE, AND ONE FOOT IN THECLASSROOMJoe 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.”
Provides Information On The Techniques And Equipment Necessary To Take Great Digital Photographs. Joe Mcnally. Includes Index.