A how-to book on the art, craft and practice of lighting for film & video for students and filmmakers.

We can’t shoot good pictures without good lighting, no matter how good the newest cameras are. Shooting under available light gives exposure, but lacks depth, contrast, contour, atmosphere and often separation. The story could be the greatest in the world, but if the lighting is poor viewers will assume it’s amateurish and not take it seriously. Feature films and TV shows, commercials and industrial videos, reality TV and documentaries, even event and wedding videos tell stories. Good lighting can make them look real, while real lighting often makes them look fake. Lighting for Cinematography, the first volume in the new CineTech Guides to the Film Crafts series, is the indispensable guide for film and video lighting. Written by veteran gaffer and cinematographer David Landau, the book helps the reader create lighting that supports the emotional moment of the scene, contributes to the atmosphere of the story and augments an artistic style. Structured to mimic a 14 week semester, the chapters cover such things as lighting for movement, working with windows, night lighting, lighting the three plains of action and non-fiction lighting. Every chapter includes stills, lighting diagrams and key advice from professionals in the field, as well as lighting exercises to help the reader put into practice what was covered. www.lightingforcinematography.com

"It's dense, detailed, thoughtful, simply written and highly educational. Lighting for Cinematography: A Practical Guide to the Art and Craft of Lighting for the Moving Image might have been created as a practicum for a 14-week course in cinematography, but David Landau's study of the art and craft of lighting has something for everyone, from the neophyte to the veteran." - ICG Magazine

"Lighting for Cinematography is one of the most comprehensive and engaging texts on the subject this reviewer has read … The author fills the volume with outstanding visuals, including screen captures and lighting plans from actual films and television programs, in so doing bringing the lessons to life. Most notably, Landau includes commentary by current practitioners, thus providing an invaluable glimpse into the minds of creative professionals. This is a compelling read for those wishing to improve their craft as well as for those still learning the ropes. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, including students in technical programs, through faculty and professionals." - CHOICE

"Whilst there are some great books with interviews of big time cinematographers out there, there are few books immediately applicable to what emerging cinematographers face on limited budget shoots ... This how-to book addresses how filmmakers on a limited budget and time schedule can achieve professional looking images similar to what they see on the big screen." - British Cinematographer

"This unique approach has been needed for a long time and there is simply no other lighting book like this in print." - Student Filmmakers

"Simply written and highly educational, very few books on the market [have such a] wide perspective on the subject." - Luca Pulvirenti, Accademia di Belle Arti di Palermo, Italy