Product Description

Photographers are always searching for perfect light, however availability and location often don't conspire to create perfect lighting conditions. This is especially true on location at weddings. This is where portable, on-camera flashes can be invaluable, but only if they are used properly. Acclaimed wedding photographer van Niekerk shows how to avoid the pitfalls of flash photography to produce professional, vibrant imagery. Readers will learn howe to use simple accessories and how to enhance, rather than overpower existing light sources.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3806 in Books
• Published on: 2009-10-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Customer Reviews

A must buy for any photographer, with no doubt
You can really tell a photographer worth his salt when you look at how he uses flash, especially indoors... are there huge shadows behind his subjects, unflattering "deer in the headlights" style stunned faces, complete washed out skintones? If that guy claims to have 30 years experience... then laugh and move on. I've seen sites like that... what they need is this book!

In fact any photographer, new or experienced, would benefit from this book.. except for those crazy "purists" who don't use flash at all... and prefer to fight with uneven shadows and low light!

It's not an easy thing to get right, there are so many gadgets out there that prove it. Although I learned a lot from the authors website, I knew this book would sit well in my reference library and I'm very pleased I bought it. I personally couldn't afford/budget for Neil's workshop when it came to Birmingham and was gutted but really this book is a no brainer.. if you're not making money from photography yet.. learning these techniques will help you master the art of using flash correctly.

I posted this brief comment on DWF forum recently after opening the book the first time:

First impressions, very well laid out, well illustrated ... really it stands out as THE book for anyone needing a flash technique reference.. and that is almost every photographer!

On Camera Flash
I recently bought the title from Amazon and basically read it in one night!
I have many books on Photography and Photoshop, Lightroom etc.
I have got to compliment Niel on the extremely clear and informative content of the book, just the right balance between over simplified and over complicated, he "nailed it"
Everything in the book was spot on, the photographs perfectly illustrated all of the points and concepts that Niel was attempting to put accross.
As i say i have many photography books on a wide range of photography encompassing all of the disciplines from Landscape to photojournalism to Wedding photography etc, including all styles of writing from the highly techinical, (Charlie Waite, Ansell Adams) to the "recipe" style from (Scot Kelby) to titles from Joe McNally, (like Niel's title biased towards Portrait flash photography), in my humble opinion i think this title is the best in respect of explaining the art of flash photography!
I will deffinitelly be looking for future titles from this talented Photographer.

I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this book.
For many photographers, even experienced ones, the use of the speedlight flash gun remains something of a dark art (no pun intended!). Even with the current interest in "strobist" methods; the many choices/combinations of camera and flash modes, and the availability of a plethora of light modifiers and various other accessories suggests that flash photography is just too difficult a subject to conquer. Many will still simply take "pot luck" with the speedlight and hope things turn out OK.

I've read a lot about flash and speedlight photography and can say without hesitation, that this is the pick of the bunch. Written in a very readable style, all the concepts are well illustrated; many with before-and-after examples. I read it cover-to-cover without having to miss out chunks that were "too difficult" or not relevant; like in some other books I have read (and struggled with). This book de-mystifies basic flash photography, and although concentrating on wedding and portrait work, the concepts and techniques are valid (I would suggest), to all.

I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this book. If only he had written it earlier!