result is, you get to practice to become a bet-
ter photographer. I’ve been shooting for over
thirty years, and I’m still practicing. We are all
students of photography. No one ever gradu-
ates from photography; they just have the op-
tion to move forward another level with hard
work, commitment, and passion for the craft.
A Growing Trend.
This is my fourth book for Amherst Media
and my fifth book overall. Obviously, Am-
herst Media believes in my writing and photo-
graphic talents, and during these tough eco-
nomic times, their ability to take one more
chance on me says a lot. Not many in this in-
dustry give the genre of glamour photog-
raphy much respect, but that’s changing due
to the popularity it has gained through digital
photography and the advent of the Internet.
I still remember the days when I would ap-
proach a potential sponsor at an annual pho-
tography trade show, only to be laughed away.
Most of the photo industry executives I’d speak to would tell me how much
they loved my work, but they were always concerned about the public’s views
on sexily photographed women.
I spent years building my name and credibility and have begun to succeed
with sponsors, as I’ve shown them that the genre of glamour photography is
here, has always been here, and will always be here. Many subjects enjoy glam-
our photography as a form of photographic therapy—the art of helping build
or rebuild a subject’s self-esteem. For more on photographic therapy, down-
load my fifth photography book, Photographic Therapy: The Power of Photog-
raphy to Help Build or Rebuild Self-Esteem, for free at http://www.freephotography
books.com.
The Importance of Good Lighting.
I believe that good lighting is the key to making great images. If an image is
not properly lit, then the subject’s self-esteem may take a hit. My first sponsor
was Dynalite. I spent three-plus years using their products for my personal
and commercial photography, and it was my lighting of choice for my photog-
8 LIGHTING FOR GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
ABOVE AND FACING PAGE—Before breaking out artificial light, I’m always
looking at the natural light. If it will suffice, I will use it—especially dur-
ing the later hours of the day, as in this image of Eleya in the Virgin Is-
lands. I purposely strive for this warmer, natural-light look; notice how
the warmth of the rocks adds to the image, matching the similar tones
to the model’s skin. Asking Eleya to hike up her skirt (facing page)
helps add just the right amount of sexiness to the image and also cre-
ates action. (CAMERA:Canon EOS 5D fitted with a Canon 85mm f/1.2L
USM lens. SETTINGS:85mm effective focal length,^1 / 200 second shutter
speed, f/6.3, white balance at 6000K, ISO 100)