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Product Description
Product Description
Getting your Canon Speedlite to produce the light you need can be a real challenge. For those new to flash photography—or for anyone who has previously given up out of frustration—Speedliter’s Handbook is a revelation. Photographer Syl Arena takes you on a journey that begins with an exploration of light and color, moves through a comprehensive discussion of the Canon Speedlite family and all of the accessories and equipment available to the Speedliter, then settles down to crafting great light in one photo shoot after another. Whether you want to create a classical portrait, shoot an event, or simply add a little fill light to a product shot, Speedliter’s Handbook shows you how.
A fantastic in-depth resource illustrated with over 500 images, Speedliter’s Handbook covers:
A fantastic in-depth resource illustrated with over 500 images, Speedliter’s Handbook covers:
- how to see the various characteristics and properties of light itself, as well as the differences between how your camera sees versus how you see
- all the buttons and dials of the entire Canon Speedlite family
- the basics of on-camera flash…and the necessity of getting your flash off the camera
- how to beautifully balance flash with the existing ambient light
- all the equipment necessary for great Speedlite shots
- how to get amazing shots with just one Speedlite
- how and when to use E-TTL versus manual flash
- the use of color gels to balance color, as well as create dramatic effects
- how to tame the sun—or any really bright light—with hi-speed sync
- and much, much more
From the Back Cover
Inside This Book
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I really like how the book is written. It gives a good overview on the different approaches and gear. Yet the author finds a way to give his recommendations and explain why he thinks it's the best route for him.
Instead of seeing only excellent images in this book, we also see the path to those images as the author explains how he works. Seeing the "not-there-yet" images is far more valuable than just the "Look at how pretty pictures I can take". The approach to good photos is understandable and clearly explained. It seems that in a variable environment even the pro's take multiple images to get what they want. They'll just have more experience to understand what to change and how much.
I've found many little things that I did just not understand about my speedlite and I'm now really inspired to explore further in photography. Many times I felt "there has to be a better way to do this", now I know.
The only thing in the book that bugs me a little bit are the feet, inches and other weird measurement units that are uncommon to me as I use metric in my everyday life. Sure, I can convert those in my head somewhat easily, but it breaks the flow of reading. Still, this is only a minor problem and short of making two versions of the book I could not think of any good solution for this problem. (having all those figures in both units would be a mess too)
Instead of seeing only excellent images in this book, we also see the path to those images as the author explains how he works. Seeing the "not-there-yet" images is far more valuable than just the "Look at how pretty pictures I can take". The approach to good photos is understandable and clearly explained. It seems that in a variable environment even the pro's take multiple images to get what they want. They'll just have more experience to understand what to change and how much.
I've found many little things that I did just not understand about my speedlite and I'm now really inspired to explore further in photography. Many times I felt "there has to be a better way to do this", now I know.
The only thing in the book that bugs me a little bit are the feet, inches and other weird measurement units that are uncommon to me as I use metric in my everyday life. Sure, I can convert those in my head somewhat easily, but it breaks the flow of reading. Still, this is only a minor problem and short of making two versions of the book I could not think of any good solution for this problem. (having all those figures in both units would be a mess too)
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have bought several books on using speedlites over the last couple of years. Each time I get one I think this is going to be the one that explains it all to me. Unfortunately, I've generally been left just as confused as when I started.
But this one is different .... Syl Arena's book is a MASTERPIECE! It starts right at the beginning and assumes no knowledge, some of the things in the early chapters I knew, but not everything, so I felt like I was learning straight off. Then as I read on I kept thinking I'd be getting to the complicated bit soon, but the truth is that Syl translates the complicated bit into plain English. It's like waking up and finding you can suddenly speak Spanish! Not only is it clear and simple, but it's a real page turner too, hard to put down.
The book covers everything you could possibly need to know, right down to the types of battery you could use and the pros and cons of each one.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you are only going to buy one photography book this year .... make it this one!
But this one is different .... Syl Arena's book is a MASTERPIECE! It starts right at the beginning and assumes no knowledge, some of the things in the early chapters I knew, but not everything, so I felt like I was learning straight off. Then as I read on I kept thinking I'd be getting to the complicated bit soon, but the truth is that Syl translates the complicated bit into plain English. It's like waking up and finding you can suddenly speak Spanish! Not only is it clear and simple, but it's a real page turner too, hard to put down.
The book covers everything you could possibly need to know, right down to the types of battery you could use and the pros and cons of each one.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. If you are only going to buy one photography book this year .... make it this one!
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is amazing. It is detailed enough on the technical aspects and operation of Canon's Speedlite range to be considered an instruction manual - a much better manual than Canon's own - yet also a wonderful artistic resource for those wishing to improve the creative side of their photography and use of flashes.
The description of how Canon's amazing E-TTL system actually works is handled very well - very easy to understand yet thorough and detailed enough. Manual control of flashes is also covered in detail together with how to use flashes in both modes, or a mixture of the two, using the built in wireless system.
The creative sections are hugely informative. Arena takes you through each shoot, building the shots from one lit just with ambient light; how he then tweaks the ambient light to his desired effect and then supplements it or overpowers it with flash. You see all the shots along the way and he provides a full list of camera and light settings. There's a mix of images created solely with flash together with those where Speedlites have been used to supplement the ambient.
This is by far the best book I've read on lighting techniques. True, if you own Nikon kit or that of any other manufacturer, it will be of little technical help, but there are other book similarly biased towards them available.
For Canon users, this is a no brainer. Buy it.
The description of how Canon's amazing E-TTL system actually works is handled very well - very easy to understand yet thorough and detailed enough. Manual control of flashes is also covered in detail together with how to use flashes in both modes, or a mixture of the two, using the built in wireless system.
The creative sections are hugely informative. Arena takes you through each shoot, building the shots from one lit just with ambient light; how he then tweaks the ambient light to his desired effect and then supplements it or overpowers it with flash. You see all the shots along the way and he provides a full list of camera and light settings. There's a mix of images created solely with flash together with those where Speedlites have been used to supplement the ambient.
This is by far the best book I've read on lighting techniques. True, if you own Nikon kit or that of any other manufacturer, it will be of little technical help, but there are other book similarly biased towards them available.
For Canon users, this is a no brainer. Buy it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
How did he do that?
Syl Arena.
You are a Prophet. I don't know how you found the time to cram in ALL this information, but I'm sure glad you did. Read more
You are a Prophet. I don't know how you found the time to cram in ALL this information, but I'm sure glad you did. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Simon Watkins
Excellent resource for flash photography
I've been learning photography on and off for the last 4-5 years and have read many books and websites to this end. Read more
Published 24 days ago by AOD
amazing book
I've only read 40 pages, but this book is so well written that I felt compelled to write a review.
it's not only a guide to how to use your canon flash. Read more
it's not only a guide to how to use your canon flash. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Fed
Great resource
Great book. Explains how to use speed lights in an easy to read format. Highly recommended to any canon user.
Published 1 month ago by Wolf dog 92
Amazing book
I NEVER write reviews on stuff that I've bought from Amazon. This book is so good that I'm actually going to shout about it. It covers everything you need to know and so much more. Read more
Published 1 month ago by PMD
Very Good
Fairly comprehensive book for the canon speedlight, Detail with lots of examples on all aspects of photography as well as flash photography. Read more
Published 2 months ago by G. Simpson
Speedliter's Handbook
Very good excellent for beginners and experinced alike,very easy to understand and in simple jargon. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael J Hadley
SPEEDLITERS HANDBOOK
Absolutely what I required.As a reasonably experienced shooter,mainly of 200mph motorcycles,I have been asked to shoot my niece's wedding which,being in Scotland at the end of... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Bloominglily
Expert subject knowledge with clear explanation, however...
the canon speedlite is extremely complex and is not very intuitive, so explaining how to get the best out of them is very difficult. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ross Shaw
Speedlighter's Hand Book
Bought this as a gift for a friend, who is an experienced photographer, for Christmas. He found it useful, a good reference book.
Published 3 months ago by D. Ward
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