Perhaps one of the first things a new photographer should learn is how to take advantage of certain lighting conditions, and how to correct imperfect conditions. Even more advanced photographers can benefit from a refresher course in lighting. From natural light to artificial lighting attachments and flash units, photographers of all skill levels can really impact their images with a little know-how in the lighting department.

Here are a few interesting reads for any shutterbugs looking to elevate their skill levels and enhance their images.

Catherine Jamieson and Sean McCormick’s book, Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time, warms photographers up to natural and mixed lighting techniques, and instructs how to create various effects with such lighting. The book also offers tips on posing techniques and composition, not to mention post-production tips for photo editing and going into business.

This clever read teaches its students different aspects of digital photography lighting, including:
- Lighting Primer
- Outdoor Portraiture
- Interior Existing Light Portraiture
- Studio Portraiture

Stephen A. Dantzig’s Master Lighting Techniques for Outdoor and Location Digital Portrait Photography focuses on the type of portrait photography desired. Once the purpose has been determined, the book offers useful tips on how to achieve the most appropriate lighting for outdoor or specific location digital photography.

Step by step instructions and tips on common lighting problems and modifications are included. The book specifically helps photographers control natural light’s effects as they strive for the best photographic opportunities.

Jeff Smith’s Corrective Lighting, Posing & Retouching for Digital Portrait Photographers introduces photographers to corrective posing and lighting and post-production tips and tricks for modifying and correcting the not-so ideal situations we all experience in our photography endeavors.

This book examines multiple kinds of lighting, such as the main light, the fill light, the separation light, positioning of light, use of shadows, and so forth. It contains many illustrative images and great instructions for remedying common photography problems, and common dilemmas faced by portrait subjects who may not consider themselves perfectly photogenic.

Duncan Evans and David Kimber’s Lighting for Glamour Photography: A Complete Guide to Professional Techniques for Film and Digital Photography teaches photographers how to analyze light. The book uses diagrams to bring readers to full understanding of just how much lighting affects photography, especially glamour photography.

Tips included in the book range from selecting the appropriate equipment to actually setting up and taking the shots. It includes information on film and digital photography, while addressing current trends in glamour photography.

Mark Galer’s Digital Photography in Available Light: Essential Skills, Third Edition reaches out to photography students with an inspiring tone. The book begins with the basics, like selecting the most appropriate camera for your needs, and progresses through organizing and filing images, capturing techniques and image styles, and even advances to selling your work.

The book contains a full glossary of photography terms and teaches readers how to make the most of available light, for great, sellable works of art.

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Suitable lighting is key to capturing great photos. A dark image lessens the impact of the photo, and sometimes it even negates the photo’s value in the eyes of an editor or potential client. While retouching photos can often assuage the darkness, it is always best to capture an image in appropriate lighting whenever possible. Learn how to operate your digital camera in natural and artificial lighting for best results!