Outdoor Lighting: Nudes (Outdoor Photography) [Paperback]

Outdoor Lighting: Nudes - Cathy Joseph

Anyone who read my review of Cathy Joseph's book, `Outdoor Lighting: Fashion & Glamour' knows that I instantly became a Cathy Joseph groupie. That was the photography book that I would have written if only I had talent.

So I was overjoyed when the publisher AVA Photography notified me that Cathy Joseph had written two additional books in the series, `Outdoor Lighting: Nudes' and `Outdoor Photography: Portraits'. Immediately I ordered both from Amazon.com.

I was performing that twice yearly ritual here in the Midwest (converting the lawn tractor from mowing to snow-blowing duty) when the books arrived. Grimy from rolling around on the garage floor... cursing at stubborn bolts and the like, I ran into the house anxious to see if Joseph and AVA could deliver that second most difficult task in publishing, writing a sequel that won't disappoint (the first most difficult task in publishing appears to be writing a valuable photography book in the first place!).

The same team that delivered a home run with `Outdoor Lighting: Fashion & Glamour' also created `Outdoor Lighting: Nudes' and Ms Joseph is kind enough to acknowledge them: Sarah Jameson for finding the photographs used in the book and Gavin Ambrose for the book design. This is definitely an All-Star team.

Blessedly, this team doesn't wander far from the formula that worked so well in the Fashion and Glamour book. Back is the raw technical data for nearly every image. Included also for each image is a brief on: The Concept, The Location, Composition, Lighting and Technique. This is again, a book written for photographers! Amen.

And, in a nice change from our technology obsessed culture, Ms Jameson found, and Ms Joseph used, wonderful images cheerfully made by a cheap camera which `some people call the worst camera ever made'. Most of the photos shown here were made using only the sun, very few with complicated lighting setups. You get the idea, this is a book that celebrates the image above all.

And what wonderful images they are! This book celebrates the human body, artistically photographed. There is nudity here yes, pornography, no. Ms Jameson found wonderful images, and they are used to great effect by Ms Joseph. Because of this book I've discovered a new idol in photography, Arnold Henri. His images are stunning and provocative. Check out his images throughout the book, but especially on page 114.

Is there anything at all wrong with this book? A little. Ms Joseph so spoils us that, like a perturbed child, I pout that there is no detail on the wonderful photographs that start each chapter. I want details! You've hooked me, now give them to me! That said, there is more useful information in this one book than in an entire library of most photography books.

The bottom line? As I said about `Outdoor Lighting: Fashion and Glamour' also, this book WILL make you a better photographer.

So? While I realize that the Swiss/British publisher and the British writing team of this book probably won't appreciate the analogy, this one too, clears the fences. Let's just say that this is a sequel that certainly doesn't disappoint.

Well done.

Buy it.

Now, can this great team deliver in the third title in this series, `Outdoor Photography: Portraits'? You'll just have to wait to find out... back to the tractor!

I wanted to like this book, but it left me quite disappointed. The instruction is fair overall, with some useful tips and commentary by the photographers, but the images themselves are surprisingly bad. OK, if it's art, then it's subjective; someone else might have a different opinion. For me, the majority of the images are far too grainy, poorly lit and poorly composed. I found them to be good examples of how NOT to shoot. I don't want my photos to look anything like these! There are a few notable exceptions, but on the whole, I don't recommend the book.

What is more natural than the human body in natural light? For those who love to use natural light to bring out the best of the human form, this book is a godsend. Amazing pictures and the tools on how you can re-create similar pictures for yourself. What more could you ask for. A third book in this series maybe? Cathy, are you reading this?

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 4 reviews  3.5 out of 5 stars