Joel Grimes - Photographers Guide to Lighting (2022) [PDF]

My goal as an artist/photographer is to achieve any end result I envision. Lighting can play such a key ingredient in the whole creative process, and I believe it is paramount to mastering the photographic process. Mastering lighting is no different than any other discipline; it takes a ton of practice and repeating the process over and
over. My goal in creating an image is not to necessarily replicate everyday real-world lighting conditions but to create the most flattering or, in some cases, the most dramatic light on my subjects.

This photographer's Guide to Lighting is by no means an exhausted breakdown of the multitude of different lighting techniques available to photographers. However, it covers a select set of lighting techniques that I feel are important to someone new to photography portraits and needs a starting point. When it comes to learning lighting, one thing you will discover is there can be multiple terms that describe the same thing. For example, Short light can be referred to as Edge Light or Rembrandt Light can be referred to as Cross Light. What name or term you attached to a particular lighting technique is not as important as achieving the outcome of the desired end result. Master getting to your end result, not the glossary of terms.

The single biggest asset you possess as an artist is working from your intuition. You have been making millions of decisions your whole life; why question your intuition now? Our uniqueness is what separates us from others. Stick with what feels right to you and take the risk of being criticized. Your intuition may lead you down a path that will ruffle a few feathers but don’t give in to the critics; there’s one around every corner.

The purpose of this quick guide is to give you a go-to reference to check occasionally to keep you familiar with a few go-to lighting techniques and ideas. With time, you can subconsciously dive in and start creating without hesitation. Like anything else, the more you make mistakes and practice, the better you will get. Set a goal of getting a subject in front of your lens as often as possible. At 65 years old, I am still setting up test shoots and seeking to learn something new every time I go through the process.

Download: The Photographers Guide to Lighting .pdf (38.41 MB)

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