New Craft and Vision eBook: Great Light, Easy Light

I’m a guy who believes crossing barriers, or rather launching over them with with reckless disregard for what might be considered normal. For example. I’ll drag my studio lighting equipment and big softboxes outside where they get snowed on and knocked down in the dirt, because they might help me get a unique image.

So what does that have to do with these two very nice looking people above? This is Craft and Vision’s latest eBook and it’s called Great Light, Easy Light. It was written by a very successful studio photographer named Kevin Clark, who shoots actors, musicians and other famous, very clean, well dressed people.

And this relates to outdoor photography how…? Because Kevin can light the sh*t out of his subjects in such a way that they look awesome. He creates incredibly flattering and pleasing portraits, and you can learn a lot from him.

If you’re like me, you occasionally photograph people outside with various off-camera flash and natural light setups, and you’re always looking for ways to improve your lighting skills. Basically, you’re always looking for tips that can help you shoot more dynamic and more great looking imagery. That’s why you’re here, right?

Anyway, Great Light, Easy Light is a manual that shows you how to light your subjects in very pleasing ways. As you know, when it comes to photography, light is everything. Small changes in quality, direction and distance make a huge difference in how your image looks. Even tiny changes make a huge difference. In his book, Kevin shows you some very easy, but solid techniques that can help you drastically improve the quality and look of your own portraits and people pictures.

Now, granted, Kevin usually shoots inside with studio strobes, 7-foot octoboxes and giant reflectors. You probably don’t have that stuff. Neither do I. Can you even imagine trying to use a 7-foot box outside in the wind? Here’s the thing, though. Great light isn’t about the equipment, it’s about the angles, how close you light your subjects whether you use hard light or soft light, one light or multiple lights, and whether you bounce, reflect or diffuse.

Great Light, Easy Light shows you the angles and techniques that make a difference, and here’s the kicker: You can use them whether you’re using small flashes, strobes, windows or $20 plastic softboxes, whether you’re shooting in controlled environments or outside in the mud, and whether you’re shooting cyclocross racers or high school portraits.

For only five bucks, which, with inflation, costs less than just about anything else you’ll buy this weekend, you get some really solid tips that you can take away and apply to your own style. The best and most creative photographers draw from as many sources as they can, and often reach well outside of their own genre for ideas and inspiration.

Go ahead. Reach outside of your own box and see what happens to your creativity. If you photograph people, pick up Great Light, Easy Light and by this time tomorrow, you’ll have a whole new bag of tricks and techniques to try out on your own subjects.

And, check out this $20 paper lantern light modifier and you can have great Light, easy Light AND cheap light, all in one!