wrinkles, especially around the subject’s eyes. While most fluorescent light is
limited in use due to its lack of portability and intensity, there are some great
units made by Rololight and Kino Flo. Though they are more expensive than
the poor man’s version described on page 30, they provide added
benefits, including a more professional appearance and a flicker-free
light environment, which is truly important when working with
video, as most video cameras in the United States shoot 29.97
frames per second. With digital still cameras, however, we want to
use a shutter speed of^1 / 60 second when using non-flicker-free lights,
as our electricity is 60 cycles per second. Using the^1 / 60 second shutter speed
reduces the likelihood of ending up with a black image.
Tungsten light sources are hot, harsh, and very unforgiving to glamour
photography—hence why later in this book you’ll learn how to change studioLIGHTING BASICS 29THE OTHER DEFINITION OF “QUALITY”
The late Dean Collins, a master in photographic lighting, once said that
the greatest photographers in the world understood their equipment,
were able to communicate properly with their subjects, knew the in-
tended audience of an image, and had a creative eye. There is no deny-
ing that understanding your equipment is key to producing great
images. However, understanding how to use the best and most de-
pendable lighting gear will help you produce better images than you
could produce if you settled for inexpensive, poor quality lights. Light,
along with great lenses, are the two things a photographer should
never skimp on.
When a new photographer approaches me for advice on how to get
started with “X” as his or her budget, I state, “First, buy one great
light—a really great light. Learn how to master that light, too. Next,
purchase a great lens—the faster (or lower aperture), the better, be-
cause the quality of the lens is better with a lens that can be opened
up to f/1.2 or f/2.8 versus f/4. Finally, buy a good camera body; an f-
stop is an f-stop and^1 / 125 second is^1 / 125 second.” I also add, “Years ago,
I bought my first pair of Nike Air Jordans. I still can’t dunk a basketball
in the NBA, but my legs feel better and I can shoot baskets better. It’s
about using the right tool for the right result.”Tungsten light sources are hot,
harsh, and very unforgiving to
glamour photography.