The definitive guide to photographing portraits and the perfect accompaniment to the Portrait Lighting Mastery course.
eBook Introduction
by the author, Damien Lovegrove
What you have been saying…
Chris Elliot - Gurnsey, UK
“If you're serious about portrait photography, this book is a must-have. A wealth of information put together by Damien. His easy to learn, keep it simple approach makes you want to get out there and start shooting. It is beautifully put together by a man whose passion is photography.”
Marie Sauter - New York, USA
“When the master speaks, everyone listens. Damien has condensed all of his photographic genii into a 356 page, beautifully illustrated and technically complete masterpiece. His advice is all-encompassing; from establishing a rapport with his clients and setting up a shoot, to his camera settings, workflow and his tips in the digital darkroom. This book is a necessity for any photographer, like myself, who wishes to elevate the level of their portraiture from snapshot to art.”
The video above shows a small selection of the 356 pages
“In this expansive e-book, you see my whole portrait-making process from start to finish. I share with you my lighting techniques and know-how.
You will learn everything from the planning stages of a shoot to capture and archive – it’s all here. I reveal my secrets and the proven techniques I employ to create fabulous portraits anywhere, at any time.” Damien Lovegrove
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About the author
Damien Lovegrove, That’s me. I am an eminent portrait photographer and Fujifilm brand ambassador. I have been making professional photographs since 1984. In my early years, I was a BBC TV cameraman before training as a lighting director. I left the BBC in 1998 to pursue a career as a commercial photographer and then went on to become a world-renowned wedding photographer. I am now an educator, adventurer, writer, and presenter.
I’m inspired by beauty and as I have matured as a photographer I’ve learned to see beauty in just about everyone and everywhere. It’s not what I look at that matters, it is what I see.
Being a good portrait photographer requires key traits like having integrity, fun, respectfulness, and a personable character. It wasn’t until I was in my early 30s that I began to gain that all-important confidence needed to hone these skills, and I shot my first portrait in 1996 at the age of 32.
Some of the leading photographers I met early in my career had confidence and craft skills in bucket loads, but somehow they lost the desire or focus to really push themselves to greatness, and they fell by the wayside. It takes continual practice and improvement to get the most from photography and there are many obstacles along the way to overcome.
Portraits eBook Buzz
Ioannis Tsouloulis, Fujifilm Ambassador - Genk, Belgium
“Every page is an inspiration, not only beauty-wise but also technically! The stunning photos are accompanied by their metadata and some very useful tips, giving a deeper insight into the process of their creation. The book is vibrant, joyful, and full of life, just like Damien!”
Ricky & Jiri from Zenphoto - Hamburg, Germany
"The Man Without Secrets goes over just about everything you need to know to improve your game. Light, location, capture, import, post-production - everything is explained by one of the greatest.”
Ted Rigeway-Watt - Cambridge, UK
“Few can be unmoved by Damien’s irrepressible passion for portrait photography. Structured in a way that will appeal to the working photographer or ambitious amateur, the chapters in 'Portraits' are both accessible and inspirational, as they detail the technical elements of the work, along with some of the practical decisions made at the time. This will undoubtedly be my go-to reference for planning and managing portrait shoots. It is a constant reminder to evolve and improve.”
Len
“As a professional photographer with many years of experience, I must have read so many books on portraiture, some good, some mediocre but very few as inspiring as this, written by the most seasoned of portrait photographers. His passion for photography and the subject matter here raises this book above so many others and is highly recommended.”
Murray
“If you're interested in portraiture or just hoping to pick up a few pointers on posing or lighting you need to get your hands on this e-book. Packed with useful tips and real-world experience, Damien's book will inspire you. Highly recommended.”
Readers' Raves
Michael
“It's very rare to find such an excellent photographer who is willing to share his secrets with others, it really adds value to an already excellent book. My likes were the simple but effective lighting techniques that Damien has evolved over his many years at the BBC. The icing on the cake is that I shall read this ebook many times, hoping to master some of the excellent techniques incorporated within. Thank you Damien.”
Thomas
“Thank you for sharing your craft. Portraits is full of great information, and answers to all the questions. The format of the ebook is very easy to navigate and read. I realise it must have taken an enormous amount of time and energy from you and I, as many others appreciate it.”
Christopher
“Quite amazing, beautiful layout and stunning content. Obviously a labour of love.”
Ian
“What I found refreshing in Portraits is the willingness to share all aspects of the whole thought process behind each shot. From the reasoning for camera setup, the lighting positions, pose and then even looking at the effects that those settings brought to the image.”
Simon
“The book is terrific. Clear and concise. Just what I needed.”
Jaak
“Damien, your ebook 'Portraits' is an absolute masterpiece! I just love every page of it! I appreciate your decision to put the Exif data for every single picture and even though I'll never recreate the images, it gives me a direction to aim for!”
Steve
“Your work is incredible Damien and you are an inspiration to me and others :)”
Feedback From Readers
Will Guthrie
“Everything a good book should be in my opinion: informative, engaging, beautifully put together, beautiful to look at, inspirational as well as aspirational. It is a joy from start to finish and obviously a labour of love. Easy recommendation from me”
Tina Chatfield-Keller
“The lighting, the poses, the inspiration and the pure joy looking at these beautiful images, I will treasure this book forever. Thank you Damien.”
Adrian
“Such a great book, crammed full of a lifetime of experience, imagination, and invaluable technical details! Really lovely, and thoroughly recommended."
Glendon
“As a graphic designer I must say this is beautifully constructed. A good variation in layout which gives a new viewing experience on each page. Good stuff!”
Andrea
“Why you need this book: Apart from the stunning images, Damien takes you on a journey through all the elements required to create beautiful, well-crafted portraits. The language is easy to understand and, in his engaging manner, he deconstructs images so you fully grasp how they were created. You will learn all the elements you need to consider; plan, light, shoot and retouch your portraits. I found the section on the studio setup helpful as it covers everything from using one light in your spare room to setting up a dedicated studio - but then the whole book gives information for photographers at all levels. I love it and haven't been able to get my nose out of it since downloading it.”
Matt Brandon
“With Damien Lovegrove's ebook, you get a virtual internship with him. Don’t walk away from this!”
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have the book on my computer, tablet, and phone at the same time?
Yes. I recommend you initially download your order onto a desktop/laptop computer because the files are zipped. Whilst your copy is licensed to you, you can have a copy of the ebook on as many of your devices as you like. Once you have the file on your computer, unzip it and place it in iBooks or your preferred PDF reader. You can then synchronise your mobile device or iPad in the usual way.
How big is the file?
The book is a Zip PDF file and is about 1.25gb
Can I print the book out?
Yes. I thought it would be important to allow customers to print out their copy if they prefer to read it that way. I have enabled the printing functions in the PDF.
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"The secret of making consistently good photographs is to stay inspired and be passionate about the craft. Inspiration fuels the learning of new techniques, and passion generates the motivation needed to continually practice. I hope this book triggers years of joy with your photography." Damien Lovegrove
