So, why do I think LEDs will become increasingly important and why did I want to be the first person to write a book about it for photographers? The answer to the first part of the question is as simple as the shoot I did for a semiconductor manufacturer during the days on Thurs. and Fri. last week. I was shooting small objects with a mix of shiny and matte surfaces and I needed complete control of the lights. The combination of continuous lighting and live view on the screen of the Canon 5Dmk2 gave me a level of control and immediacy that I've never enjoyed in the "bad old days" of still life photography.
I've used "hot lights" in the past but having three, five hundred watt tungsten lights in close proximity to your camera and your subject quickly becomes an uncomfortable working situation. With live view engaged there is no mirror slap. With the LED panels I use there's lots of light and very little (if any) heat to deal with. One simple custom white balance and we're all set. Earlier in the week I photographed my friend, Natalie, and she ( a Brooks Institute graduate ) remarked about the wonderful light quality, the lack of flash (she'd always been a "blinker" before) and the fact that her pupils were not overly dilated which can happen with dark rooms and low powered modeling lights on flash. The LED lights are energy efficient, bring relief from thermal torture, are totally WYSIWYG and can actually be cheaper to buy and use than flash. Best of all, the meter in your camera is all you need for total control.
The final (and to many), most important consideration: If you do video you NEED a good set of LED lights.
But why did I want to write the book? Well, I've been photographing for a long time and I'd become used to all the lighting rigs that dominated our market for so long. The LEDs are a near total departure from everything I learned and grew up with. They represented the new challenge to master. And there's no better way to learn technique than to commit to new technology, dive in and test, test, test.
The book has in depth examples of interior and exterior portrait work done with the LEDs as well as an extended and well diagrammed food shoot at one of Austin's premier restaurants. You'll be able to take advantage of my learning curve in selecting and using the most cost effective LED panels.
The cost of the book is less than some magazines. If you like what I write here I think you're a natural for this book. And buying copies of the book will help support my writing here. I'm rarely so blunt or so marketing driven but I'd love it if you would pre-order a copy of the book. I'd love to see this one do as well as the four previous ones. The delivery date on the site says April 1st but I'm betting it will be here in early March.
It feels so good to see it as a finished piece of work on Amazon. I lived with the information and practice for six months. Count me as very happy today.
13 comments:
Well done that man!
And this is going on the Christmas List for the year.
WOO-HOO! Pre-ordered.
I immediately went to Amazon.co.uk (I live in Italy) to order it, and I can...only it says it will be available in Aril 2012!!!
check:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=led+lighting+kirk+tuck&x=0&y=0
i made a printscreen of the page
Excellent! Congratulations!
The book has already climbed into the top 6,000 book on all of Amazon. Thank you everyone who's already pre-ordered. Amazing.
Been looking forward to this one Kirk. Well done
OK. I ordered my copy as well. I liked your other books on lighting although I am strictly an amateur. I don't need to buy all the stuff, but knowing the full scope of possibilities does help me choose what I do need and use it more productively. I have seen LED lights at shows, but held off getting anything as I have no real idea what to get. Next year I can perhaps proceed. Thanks,
Really enjoyed following your blog while you were working out how to use the new LED light systems, and it peaked my interest. I never really got on with flash photography, so I've ended up doing available light stuff.
Now I think I could deal with constant, efficient, lighting, so I'm going to give your book ago, I should have saved up enough for the lights by the time the book is out. Just one question, do you have an Amazon.co.uk affiliate link I could use so that you get the benefit of my purchase?
Hi Kirk, very nice and interesting blog, this has become a daily must read for me. I was also taken by your use of led lights. I like to dabble about a lot with lights that are small and can be used for travel photography, mainly in combination with smaller cameras. I did a post a while back on using a very small and cheap led light with a Fuji X100 and I liked the results a lot.
http://phototravelasia.blogspot.com/2011/08/x100-after-dark.html
Thanks again and enjoy your busy week ahead :)
Colin
You mean the *price* of the book is less than some magazines... ;)
Congrats Kirk. I'm looking forward to an informative spring.
Jeff
I was so jazzed about the pre-order release on Amazon. I had the cover shot on my iPhone and I was dorking out showing all the show production people at the conference today. That's okay, they already think I'm nuts....
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