Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light

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1. 

   Conrad J. Obregon / October 18, 2010

   Review by Conrad J. Obregon for Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light
   Rating:
   The relatively new flash systems offered by Nikon and Canon, which allow an amazing degree of automated control over illumination (with an increase in a certain type of complexity) offer amazing opportunities for photographers to capture images. Lou Jones and his fellow authors address those opportunities in this book.

   There are just two chapter headings: One Light and Two Lights. But within those two chapters are discussions of many of the ways to use the new speedlights (as Nikon calls them) or speedlites (as Canon refers to them). The book is aimed at owners of the flagship flashes of each of the manufacturers: the Nikon SB 900 and 800 and SU800 and the Canon 550EX, 580EX, 550 EXMKII and 580 EXMKII, as well as compatible cameras. Owners of other flash units may or may not benefit from reading the text.

   The publisher is to be congratulated for trying many techniques to make the information accessible. Instructions applicable solely to Nikon or Canon are coded purple and green respectively. Distinctions between textbook, anecdotes, warnings, etc. are also color coded. Lighting diagrams for each of the illustrative images are included in the back of the book.

   One of the book’s strong points is the discussion of the nature of light, whether natural or from flash, and the point that thinking of all light the same way will make it easier to control. Moreover the book urges you to allow the automated systems to do their work and to control the results by a few simple adjustments. There were also occasional tips on how to get more from a flash, like how to rotate the head of the flash to overcome the effect of the inverse square law.

   I must confess that I was confused on my initial reading. The illustrations each include some lengthy text, and then require flipping to the back of the book. That combined with the war stories made it difficult to follow the instruction, especially since the illustrations didn’t often relate to the instruction. However, when I read the text over without considering the text relating to the images or the war stories (the latter didn’t seem to add much to the teaching points) the author’s lessons became crystal clear.

   Although aimed at specific Nikon and Canon flashes, this is not a guide to setting up those units. For that one must rely on the manual or some other book. The authors do not spend much time discussing lighting for portraits. Discussion of ancillary equipment like stands or snoots is limited.

   Still, the lessons, which became simple and clear once I had finished my second reading, are important and not often conveyed by other books on lighting with flash.
   

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2. 

   Michael / October 18, 2010

   Review by Michael for Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light
   Rating:
   I read the book twice; gleaning little nuggets here and there.
   
   The book highlights standard lighting techniques (which could be used with any type of artificial lighting)using speedlights. GREAT! What are my problems then, you might be wondering.
   
   One “problem” with the book is that the author,chapter after chapter, continually attempts to “sell” the reader on the idea that using speedlights is a “great way” of shooting with flash. “YA, I KNOW THAT, that’s why I bought the book in the first place” is what I was grumbling into the air as I continued read on to the end. His propensity to do this was annoying and left me feeling like I was getting cheated out of more helpful information. I don’t need the author to tell me WHY I am using speedlights I want him to tell me HOW.
   
   Another “problem” was that, like the title says (it finally dawned on me…), the book is only about using Nikon and Canon ETL speedlight/speedlite flashes. I was hoping that this was going to be a tome about off-camera flash using flashes in manual and setting up with shots using wireless triggers and etc. Maybe there would be some exposure tricks and tips that help the photographer get around using a light meter. I was hoping for, well, meat and potatoes…”strobist” stuff I guess. Maybe like how to train my eye and to be able to see the forest for the trees and vice versa when it comes to lighting. Oh well.
   
   Don’t get me wrong, I learned some stuff but…

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3. 

   Mr. Scott Eccleston / October 19, 2010

   Review by Mr. Scott Eccleston for Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light
   Rating:
   If you want to learn about small strobes, and if you are a “visual” learner, then this is the book for you.

   “Speedlights & Speedlites” has some very cool features, first there are only two chapters in the book, chapter one is “One Light” (25 one light setups) and chapter two is (you may have already guessed) “Two Lights” (20 two light setups), each image is accompanied with the “inspiration, how’s, and whys” of the shot and a complete lighting diagram.

   To make it as simple as possible to follow along the book is even color coded (Nikon – purple, Canon – green) so you can quickly and easily determine if the discussion is about a Nikon Speedlight or a Canon Speedlite.

   Sandwiched in between each of the images are one and two page educational segments that start with the fundamentals of flash, inverse square law, mastering distance, characteristics of light, comprehending the direction of bounce flash, and so much more.

   The authors also cover mixing speedlights with studio strobes.

   This book is for all levels of photographers and the images cover just about anything you might ever want to photograph, still life, portraiture, corporate, commercial, architectural, and sports.

   We learn to talk by listening to others, we learn to walk by watching others, and “Speedlights & Speedlites” is a great educational opportunity for those who want to “walk & talk” small strobes.

   [...]
   

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4. 

   Bic Sharpie / October 19, 2010

   Review by Bic Sharpie for Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light
   Rating:
   I was excited to read a book dedicated solely to speedlights and how to use them to enhance creative photography. When I finished the book I was hardly more knowledgeable than when I started. There is too much verbiage and digression and woefully little clear, practical instruction. The image examples are uninspiring and the lighting diagrams are inadequate. For example, instead of showing a figure to represent the subject of the photo the authors have put the photo itself in the middle of the diagram. This is confusing and does not help in the visualization of the relationship of the lighting to the subject. I don’t like to be so critical but this book really disappointed me.

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5. 

   RK / October 19, 2010

   Review by RK for Speedlights & Speedlites: Creative Flash Photography at the Speed of Light
   Rating:
   I have been a Canon user for years. I recently purchased a set of Radio Poppers for my Canon equipment. I was having fun using my equipment wirelessly but I knew I could do better. This book has been a great help using the Canon Speedlites. I am from the old school of calculating distance and light output. Using a flash was something I would rather do without. Existing light photography was my thing. I never really had faith in letting the camera do it all. After just a few pages into this book I am letting the camera’s computer take charge of the flash and exposure. A whole new world has opened up. I did not realize all the possibilities that were possible using Canon Speedlites and the on camera information you could access. If you are a Canon or Nikon user I can highly recommend this book.

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