"Successful Glamour Photography"By John Kelly
“Successful Glamour Photography” by John Kelly is a book that goes well with David Kimber’s Lighting For Glamour Photography. The focus here is on composition and interaction with the model, and the technical side of things takes a back seat. That means that this book is well suited to those who are already experienced photographers who have a desire to try glamour photography.
Most of the photos are done on location, not in a studio, and the book shows a wide variety of different locations. In fact, the impression is that many of the book’s photos were done while the author was on a regular assignment. A lot of the book’s text is anedocal and written in an informal fashion.
Most of the photos are done with natural light with no modification beyond simple reflectors, if any. The author makes it look easy. Maybe too easy. Natural light isn’t always easy, and the unwary often end up with photos containing washed out highlights and deep shadows. The subject of dealing with natural light does get a brief mention, but in my opinion, the book should have emphasised exposure considerations more strongly.
Not everything is done with natural light. Some photos do show the use of fill flash, and a few are done with studio flash equipment, but they are in the minority.
This book was originally published in 1981, so the brief section on equipment is pretty outdated, and it also means that some of the hair and fashion styles you’ll see on the models may not be up to date. Get over it. Styles may change, but the basic techniques this book teaches are timeless.
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