Light science and magic is a concept that combines scientific knowledge and magical practices relating to light. It explores the properties of light and how it can be manipulated to create magical effects. In this field, practitioners study the physics of light, such as its behavior, properties, and interaction with matter. By understanding these principles, they can then apply them in magical rituals and performances. One aspect of light science and magic is the study of optics. Optics is the branch of physics that deals with the behavior and properties of light, including its reflection, refraction, diffraction, and absorption.
I received my copy of the book today and spent just a few minutes briefly glancing at it. The primary reason the book is bigger is because the font of the primary text is larger and because there is more space between each line. That's excellent for those of us whose eyes are gradually deteriorating, which perhaps suggests the age of people they believe to be their target market.
Rather, Light Science and Magic provides you with a comprehensive theory of the nature and principles of light to allow you to use lighting to express your own creativity. Added Material Use of a Tilt-Shift Lens A section in Chapter 6 explains that when photographing a highly reflective, flat surface straight on to avoid perspective distortion, a reflection of the camera will appear in the photo.
Optics is the branch of physics that deals with the behavior and properties of light, including its reflection, refraction, diffraction, and absorption. Practitioners of light science and magic learn about how light interacts with different materials and surfaces, and how to manipulate it to produce specific visual effects. The study of color is another important aspect of light science and magic.
Book Review: Light – Science & Magic
Light – Science & Magic by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver and Paul Fuqua is probably the most important book on lighting that you will ever read. Moreover, if you only ever read one book on lighting, make it this one. This is, indeed, a rather bold statement. In fact, some readers who are new to shooting images may actually be puzzled by this praise once they read the actual book. The information there can be fully appreciated after you’ve fought a bit with real-world lighting problems.
Lighting is about the relationship between lights, subjects and camera (viewpoint). The third part of this triad is not immediately apparent to everyone. It is surprising (then again, maybe not) how many people “with experience” actually struggle when they face basic problems like removing an unwanted specular highlight in a multi-light setup. They then start switching lights off and on, or moving them around to localize the offending light. And that’s not even in the domain of hard things to do: lighting a shot with lots of glass or glossy surfaces in it can be an intimidating task if you don’t fully grasp how light works.
How does light work?
How many times have you seen this question asked? Then how many times have you seen “I have $1000 for a lighting kit. What lights should I buy?” or “How do you light this shot [insert-reference-link]?”? Yeah. Lots of people asking about lights, no one asking about light.
Light – Science & Magic (An Introduction to Photographic Lighting) actually attempts to answer this question. It is by no means a fully detailed work, and the approach may not be to everyone’s liking (it is quite heavily biased towards product photography). But it is the only book I’ve seen that attempts this. And that’s why I believe it is the first book on the subject of lighting that people should read. You can then move on to other books like Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook or Film Lighting, for example. These are also good books on their own, and will likely get reviews here.
Light – Science & Magic covers the basic photographic properties of light: brightness, contrast, color. Also, typical information like hard and soft, or small and large light, or applying the inverse square law. But where the book really shines is in the exploration of the interaction of light and subject, and light and camera. Transmission, absorption and, of course, reflection. I haven’t seen another book that can teach as much about reflection management.
Specular (direct) reflection, diffuse reflection, polarized reflection are all covered with an emphasis on the family of angles causing direct reflection. The book then goes on to show how this is relevant in revealing surface texture and subject shape, and for the purpose of separation and delineation. This is further detailed in two great chapters on lighting metal and glass. The first material is highly reflective, the second – both reflective and transparent. This is all essential knowledge about suppressing or exploiting specular reflection, and applicable to a myriad of subjects and situations.
Then there is one of the better overviews of portrait lighting, based on the functional properties of the lights involved. Followed by a very useful chapter on the connection of characteristic curves (transfer curves) and exposure, and how this connection relates to overexposure and underexposure. This is an often misunderstood (and sometimes underestimated) concept. Its significance is fundamental when purposefully exposing for a specific part of the transfer curve.
Most of the examples in the book are based on product photography lighting. But once you grasp the concepts, the rest is really a matter of scale. A popular saying has it that if you can light a human face, you can light everything. Well, after reading this book the obvious conclusion is: “If you can light a small glossy box, you can light everything”.
Light – Science & Magic won’t teach you about specific fixtures or light types (although, there is some info on the latter in the last chapter). Nor will it teach how to envision beautiful lighting. What it does is enabling you to realize your vision by knowing, controlling and finessing light.
This entry was posted by cpc on July 16, 2012 at 1:31 pm, and is filed under Book Reviews. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.
Comparing the 4th and 5th editions (using Amazon preview), the new edition contains a new chapter on setting up a studio, and earlier chapters have around 10% more pages overall, so either they've added something or printed it in a larger font!
Colors are produced by the way light interacts with objects and how our eyes perceive different wavelengths of light. By understanding color theory, practitioners can create illusions, change the mood of a scene, or enhance magical effects through the clever use of different colors. Light science and magic also involves the study of light sources and how they can be manipulated. Practitioners learn about various types of lighting, such as natural light, artificial light, and special effects lighting. They explore techniques for controlling the intensity, direction, and color of light to create specific atmospheres, highlight certain objects or performers, or create illusions. In addition to the scientific aspects, light science and magic also incorporates the use of symbolism and intention. Practitioners believe that by imbuing light with specific meanings and intentions, they can enhance the magical effects they create. For example, the use of candlelight in rituals is believed to bring warmth, illumination, and spiritual energy. Overall, light science and magic is a fascinating field that combines scientific knowledge with mystical practices. It allows practitioners to understand the fundamental principles of light and use them to create mesmerizing and magical experiences. Whether it's in a theater, a ritual, or a performance, the manipulation of light can enhance the atmosphere, create illusions, and captivate audiences..
Reviews for "Discovering the Supernatural: The Connection between Light and Magic"
1. Emily - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Light Science and Magic." The book promised to teach the art of creating beautiful photographs using lighting techniques, but it fell short. The explanations were confusing and overly technical, leaving me feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. It didn't provide practical examples or step-by-step instructions to help me apply the concepts. I wish I had chosen a more beginner-friendly book on the topic.
2. Alex - 2/5 stars - As someone new to photography, I found "Light Science and Magic" extremely difficult to follow. The authors assumed a level of knowledge and experience that I simply didn't have. The book overly relied on complicated jargon and scientific explanations without providing enough practical guidance. I wanted to learn how to use lighting effectively, but I felt more like I was reading a textbook than a guidebook. I would not recommend this book to beginners.
3. Sarah - 3/5 stars - While "Light Science and Magic" had some useful tips and insights, I found it lacked a cohesive structure. The chapters felt disjointed and didn't flow smoothly from one topic to another. Additionally, the writing was dry and lacked engaging storytelling. I struggled to maintain my interest throughout the book. While it had valuable information, it wasn't presented in a user-friendly or compelling manner. I would recommend seeking out alternative resources for learning about lighting in photography.