Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography

• #14 in Best Photography Books

33 Reviews

Sort by: Most Helpful ▲ Date Rating

I've been using the minimalist style of lighting, in one form or another, since the late 1980s, and I learned much of what I know through the painful process of trial-and-error. Austin, Texas-based photographer Kirk Tuck has taken all that basic knowledge and wrapped it up into a neat 128-page introductory handbook.

Minimalist Lighting covers both the "why" and "how" of location photographic lighting using small strobes off-camera. The first half of the book takes you through the basic gear choices you'll need to make and the fundamental techniques of off-camera small-strobe lighting. In the second part of the book, Kirk takes apart 14 of his own shoots, showing how he approached lighting them, the decisions he made, and the final results.

If you're already comfortable using small strobes off-camera, the first half of the book will be largely review material, and you'll likely skim over to the case studies, from which I gleaned several techniques I'm already putting to good use. If you're a newcomer to the world of minimalist lighting, you'll probably read the whole thing several times, learning new things on each pass through.

Either way, if you want to learn to light better with less cost, less money and less weight, this book definitely belongs on your bookshelf.

A better name for this book might have been "integrating new flash systems". The main thrust of the book is how to use multi-light flash systems like Nikon's CLS (and Canon's comparable system, the author says) to replace the heavier studio lighting equipment that some photographers take on location shoots.

After brief discussions of the history of artificial photographic lights, and the nature of light, the author begins an explanation of four systems for triggering multiple speedlights: radio slave; built in wireless systems; optical slaves; and off-camera cords. He then describes a number of pieces of equipment useful to setting up multi-flash systems, including speedlights, triggers; light stands, adapters, and gels for altering white balance. He illustrates how to use this equipment, including umbrellas, reflectors and softboxes to take portraits. He finishes up with a series of examples, showing how and why he placed and controlled his lights.

All of this information is useful, and occasionally I learned a few tricks (for the Nikon CLS system, using the SU 800 rather than an SB 800 avoids the pre-flashes that occasionally make people squint). But more often then not, I wanted more information. Some of it I found elsewhere (what do you call that thing that holds a reflector on a light stand?-a reflector holder- duh!) But other unanswered questions were more difficult. What mode should one shoot in for best results? Why did the author use manual flash adjustments rather then TTL (through-the-lens)? How did he decide which flashes to put on which channels?

Another problem I found was that all of the pictures were portraits, and all of the portraits had the same look. I suppose for a professional whose job is to deliver a certain standard look for a report or magazine, this is fine, but suppose you are looking for something more artsy. An answer might be that it's up to the individual photographer to experiment, once he gets an understanding of the system, but I had hoped for more.

The author is right that modern flash systems offer photographers incredible opportunities and convenience that they never had before. Right now there seems to be a dearth of materials on how to get the most from these systems. The author added a little to the knowledge base, but there is room for a lot more information.

If you ever consider shooting on location, with smallest possible gear - this is a book to have and read. Seriously. While its pushing for Nikon stuff (but not as much as "Moment it Clicks", which is another cool book on strobist shelf), it useful to anyone.

It does require some brain power to understand, so its not just cookbook full of ready recipies, but its a really good read. This takes place on my shelf and wont leave it for a while, as it will be re-read many times.

Very rarely i would give photography books thumbs up, but this is occasion were i do. It covers some really interesting bits, that you wouldnt ever find anywhere else, even in online resources, on how to place lights and WHY you may want to do that.

When I began reading the chapter where Tuck describes the expense, the weight, and the complications of transporting heavy studio strobes on an airline, I thought that he had been watching me board last year's flight to Denver. It is a new world in photographic lighting and photographers need to learn to be smart, quick and flexible. This book provides a great introduction to lighting with battery powered strobes. Tuck generously shares his knowledge and techniques-something that many professional photographers guard jealously. If you don't come away with a new tip or technique with this book, you need to re-read it.

A book based on the Strobist practices of lighting professionally with strobes on location.

I am 3/4 the way through this book and am loving it. He really breaks it down and explains everything well.
What I like the best is that he tells you what strobes, reflectors, scrims, etc he used for each shot as well as a drawn out diagram explaining placement and power settings.
It is really helpful to me as a newbie to lighting and I am enjoying it more than McNally's book , simply based on the teaching aspect of it.

If you are looking for a book on super trendy hard lit portable flash photography this book is probably not what you are looking for, but if you are looking to to make bankable portraits without breaking your back or the bank than Kirk Tucks Minimalist Lighting is just the book for you.

The first 88 pages are dedicated to giving you a solid understanding of how to incorporate these little Hot Shoe wonders into your shooting workflow by getting them off of the camera and getting them into a softbox, shooting through a light panel and all sorts of other small flash trickery. Other topics include chapters on A History of Photographic Lighting, Accessories, Modifiers and even a very thorough chapter on powering your portable flashes.

The balance of the book is filled out with Case Studies of Kirks work over the years. Each page showcasing a different client and how the shot was achieved. Each study is complete with lighting diagram. This is the stuff I really love and I'm hoping Kirk's follow up effort to Minimalist Lighting includes many more of these Case Studies.

My only real critique of Minimalist Lighting is that being a Canon Shooter, I wish the Canon Speedlite system was better represented. Kirk is a Nikon and Fuji shooter and most of the examples, including an entire section on using Nikon SB 600 and 800 flashes in remote mode were illustrated using the Nikon system. I wish there would have been comparable section showcasing Canon gear. Though not a deal breaker for me since both systems are very similar, it just would have been a nicety for beginners just starting out with Canon equipment.

All in all I think "Minimalist Lighting - Professional Techniques for Location Photography" is a great addition to every photographers bookshelf, either seasoned shooter who wants to learn how to lighten their load while still capturing top quality images or the Weekend Warrior, who is just getting into lighting and doesn't have a 5k dollar budget for a traditional strobe lighting setup. I'm already looking forward to Kirks next book!

Cris Mitchell
Publisher
ProPhotoResource.com

The best way to learn how to become an accomplished photographer is to get hired as an assistant to a pro. The second best way is to read the best photo books and practice, practice. Here's the best photo book I've come across in a very long time. Kirk Tuck is a pro who has been there and done that, and he not only shows why location photography needs to change, but, more importantly, how to change it. This clearly written book tells you what equipment you need, how to use it, and gives numerous case histories of how actual assignments were shot. If you are new to portrait photography, or serious flash photography, or if you want to dip your feet into the pro world, you need to read this book. This is the breakthrough book, the one that is starting a lighting revolution. Others are under way (Bill Hurter's book, "Simple Lighting Techniques" just released, and Joe McNally's book due late this year). You also need to check Kirk's website. Kirk's next book will focus on minimalist studio lighting.

I'm starting out as an amateur photographer and I'd like to learn more about lighting. This book was recommended by Strobist, so I added it to my wishlist. After receiving it as a gift, I'm disappointed to see that readers are expected to have copious amounts of expensive equipment, including multiple off-camera flashes, shoot-through umbrellas, etc. The information seems very good for those with this equipment, but it certainly isn't "minimalist" or for the new amateur photographer.

Kirk has written a good summary on the equipment to be used when trying to use as little equipment as possible for lighting. I think that he partially achieved that goal.
The book contains a good list of what is available on the market when you want to cary as little (or light) lighting gear around as possible. Be aware though that "minimalist" is from a professional "I don't want to carry it around" standpoint, not from a hobbyist "I'm a cheapskate what can I improvise myself" standpoint.
It is well written and illustrated and for anyone who is new to lighting I can recommend the book. For those that have already picked up some knowledge to the internet, the book doesn't add a lot of information I thought.
The most in depth chapter is about using off camera flashes using Nikon's CLS system. I would have preferred chapters that compare (with examples) snoots vs grids, etc.
If you're an avid reader of the strobist blog, this book contains nothing new. If you're just starting with off-camera flash, highly recommended.

Finally, on a side note, my print of the book contains large yellowish spots on most pages. It almost looks like retina-burn in (you know, after staring into a bright light) except that it's really on the pages and not in your eyes.

I have been a advertising photographer for over 20 years. This book give me a good insight on how to lighten my equipment load and use the new crop of didital camera to ther full potental. I read this book and now am a convert to the strobist mind set. Less equipment, more brain = creativity.
Thanks Kurk.

As the title suggests, the scope of this book is how to produce images without the burdensome lighting equipment and without sacrificing quality. The concept in itself drew me into this book as I found it hard to put down. Kirk Tuck always kept my interest as the ability and advantage of creating more with less is revealed. Advancements in camera technology and the clever use of flashes are two such examples of how this is achieved. An equipment overview, lighting set ups, techniques and case studies make this a well rounded book.

I am a hobbyist photographer who started out using a darkroom in high school shooting black and white film. I have never felt comfortable using strobes. Over the years I have convinced myself that I am a "natural light" shooter who didn't need a flash. I actually used to push 3200 film a couple stops to avoid using a flash at night!

Unfortunately my D200 just doesn't cut it in low light, so I bought an SB600 and reluctantly started using it for indoor shots. My pictures have been awful... I simply did not know what I was doing.
Recently, during a family wedding, I took another stab at using the flash and the results were complete crap. I decided to buy this book on a lark before throwing in the towel. I am glad I did!

This book is concise, full of information, and it all makes sense. The pace and progression of information is right on. Everything you need to know about using a modern flash is here. It is technical without being boring or patronizing. I want to thank the author for producing such an intelligent and usable guide to using my camera as it was meant to be used.
I now have the confidence to set up a small studio to help out with a local fashion business. Instead of fearing my flash, I am now empowered to really embrace artificial light.

I was really anxious about this book whiile interested in minimalist scenarios for location and portraits. By the end, I got a feeling of good hardware book describing how to understand equipmets, brands, choosing and so. For those who is expeting Portraits techinics go for Master Lighting Guide for Portraits "Christopher Grey" - *****

Photographers who shoot on location with traditional studio lighting equipment may spend more time packing equipment than designing beautiful light, but photographer author Kirk Tuck has discovered a better method, using small computerized battery-powered flash units and light accessories to achieve the same results. MINIMALIST LIGHTING is a revolutionary title and a 'must have' for any serious photography library or practicing photographer's reference set. It provides all the ins and outs of acquiring and using such equipment.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Finally a book that not tells you but shows you with diagrams to match the photos. Real unbias info on portable strobes and gear. Kirk really embraces the portable approach with real people on real locations.Shot on location, not in a pro studio. If you want to bring the photograher to the subject this is how you do it.
Info on what you need and don't need and a section on color correction filters that is worth the price of the book alone. I had a friend who is just starting with stobes and he saw it on the coffe table and ask to borrow it, after reading it he said "now that make sense" Thanks Kirk you saved me hours of helping him. Looking forward to the next one.
Jim Mucklin

This book has the key to easy portable beautiful lighting. All the best gear, gizmos and ideas are layed out. Excellent!

As a photographer and college photography instructor, I have several shelves full of photography how-to, and theory books. Kirk Tuck's "Minimalist Lighting" is one of the very few I've actually read cover to cover, and will recommend to my students. For someone like myself, who already has much of the gear the author discusses, it's great for demonstrating new ways to use it. For someone just starting out, it serves as encouragement that you really can do this lighting thing without taking out a second on your house.

Though I've been using the Nikon CLS system for sometime, it's great to see someone else's perspective on how to wring the most out of the system without breaking the bank. I've already picked up a few tips for external battery packs that I'm going to implement as soon as my neighborhood Radio Shack opens tomorrow! Among the many things I've appreciated about this book is that the author references actual part numbers when describing cables, connectors, accessories, etc. It makes it so much easier to look them up to add to my lighting wish list!

No single book can be the be-all-end-all for all things photographic. "Minimalist Lighting" does not purport to be a book on lighting for all types of photography. It's very specific, and does what it sets out to do very well in a very understandable manner. This book will serve as a terrific, PRACTICAL reference for a long time to come.

If you own a couple of SB-800s (or equivalent) and want to see some real-world examples with diagrams and setup shots, this book is it. Great section on gear too. Really the best all-around small flash book I've seen.

Reading the book is like talking with a professional photographer and getting his advice. The author is very generous, gives specific product recommendations and makes it easy to get started using minimalist lighting. Take this book with you when you shop for gear.

If you are interested in Minimalist Lighting, you probably are already a fan of Strobist.com

This book presents that same type of information but with the benefit of a logical, sequential presentation that begins with a history of lighting gear and and rapidly brings you to the present-day use of lightweight, powerful and sophisticated flash units to creatively illuminate your shots. Tuck doesn't shy away from making product recommendations- he assists you in analyzing your needs, openly discusses options, manages your expenses with alternate solutions. Well illustrated and clearly written, this is a perfect how-to guide. You'll look forward to hitting the street with your wheeled studio-in-a case, creating shots that you never thought possible with inexpensive, lightweight gear and the know-how to solve the challenges that await you on each shoot.

This book is an excellent introduction into off-camera lighting. Specially for those with a camera flash. A lot of the information for equipment needed and similar lighting tutorials are available from Strobist.com however this book helps in consolidating all of this information into a paperback. I find it to be a valuable source for lighting and excellent companion to the Strobist website.

A well laid our explanation of minimalist (aka: off-camera, flash) photography. The author starts with explaining common equipment used, pros and cons of key pieces, places to find and buy these items. He then explains simple lighting techniques, starting with one flash. He includes references along the way to online sites, such as strobist.blogspot.com in order to continue learning about certain subjects. Additionally, the author will not only show the final image but lighting diagrams and an overall photograph of how his flashes, diffusers, reflectors, etc were setup. He includes examples for both indoor studio shots and outdoor lighting situations. This book is a good book for advanced beginners or intermediate photographers. I have found it extremely useful and would recommend this to anyone learning the off-camera, minimalist (strobist) methodology of lighting.

In the now popular Strobist tradition, there are several really great and even inspirational guide books with incredible pictures. But what really sets this book apart is not so much of impressing the reader with eye-popping photos but rather on how to get the basics done right via very practical advice.

Yes, often the book's suggested solutions require multiple strobes; and yes, some say you should start out with just one strobe and gradually work up. But, sometimes there are opportunities you need 4 or more strobes and this book gives you the basics on using from 1~5 strobes as needed.

Also, there is a very thorough discussion of related gear that is very well illustrated and organized. I have not read this book cover to cover, but I keep reaching for it to check out some ideas, to confirm or correct some assumptions, as well as to look for practical examples to plan for photo shoots, some of which I have used with very successful results.

Is there one book that is ideal for this topic? No, but this is one book I think that is great to find all the basic information quickly and repeatedly. The other books are great for showing what minimalist lighting is capable, but this book gets any serious photographer started making his or her first serious off camera lighting photos.

Got it yesterday, finished it last night, and again today.

An excellent book, giving a lot of information on basic "minimalist lighting" how-to. He knows whereof he speaks, and covers lights, synch, equipment, how to carry it, and shows how to use it in several situations.

A person could do worse than to copy his set ups for each and every assignment. They would be guaranteed a well lighted photo.

Sure, the man shows Nikon equipment, and Canon,too So? He USES Nikon. Canon owns about 60% of the market, and Nikon about 30%, so most pros use either system. He is a pro, likely with multiple thousands of $$$ in heavy equipment in his studio, which he doesn't use as often as he once did.

And, he explains the use of the latest lighting technology, which is marvelous, but expen$ive. He never claims that minimalist equals "low budget", except relatively.

You could make a very useful "ghetto" lighting equipment package, complete with some automation from the information contained in the volume. Worth every penny!

I have been shooting photos for the past many years. Recently I have become much more serious about my photography and wanted to learn about lighting.

Minimalist Lighting takes a very organized look at what equipment and techniques produce professional quality photos yet incorporate only the bare essentials (a few strobes, a reflector and maybe an umbrella).

The author, Kirk Tuck, takes the reader through an equipment primer where he explains the fundamentals of strobes, light stands, radio slaves, soft boxes, umbrellas etc.

From there he explains how to use this equipment with fundamental lighting techniques for a classic portrait.

He then moves through a dozen or so Case Studies where there are schematics of the shot along with a detailed explanation of why and how the shot was set up.

I found the book to be very informative and an absolute pleasure to read and study from cover to cover.

I thought Minimalist Lighting was a great read. The information is bountiful and easy to understand. I don't get some of the reviews that talk about Tuck's approach not being Minimalist. He clearly shows how to do more with much less. I have friends who use traditional studio black boxes and heads and it is obvious that his approach gives you the control you want at a much lower cost and weight.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to go beyond using a light stuck right on top of their camera. It's amazing what can be done with one or two small lights if you also incorporate the existing light. This is something that Tuck does very well.

One of the parts of photography that always stumped me was getting the lighting right. I was always scared to play with off camera lighting because I thought it would require massive set-ups, assistants, etc. Mr. Tuck broke through that myth for me. His book, Minimalist Lighting, provides a great explanation of the amazingly small amount of gear that is actually needed to produce great photos. The chapters go so far as even to describe how to rig your gear and even shows several DIY mods you can make to your current equipment. The book truly lives up to it's name and demonstrates a multitude of ways to light a variety of situations to get great results with a minimal amount of gear.

Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography

I absolutely loved this book. I felt as thought the writer, Kirk Tuck, was speaking directly to me and he made the text so enjoyable compared to some of the dry "how to" photography books I've read. As a woman I am glad that the examples didn't center around pictures of half naked young glamour models who invariably look kind of trailer trashy. Some people think the book "borrows" from Strobist.com but I think Kirk's methodology is more in line with a pro who does a wide range of jobs for a living and less like a photojournalist discovering good lighting for the first time.

Contrary to some reviews, I think this is much more than a "brochure". Sure, specific cameras and lights come and go but if you are actually reading the text instead of trying to cobble together a trendy shopping list you'll find that it delves into basic lighting theory in a very understandable way. And it's theory that works no matter what the latest and greatest toys evolve into.

As a photographer it is obvious that Tuck's approach is more like akido and less like boxing. He doesn't try to create a totally obvious, "in your face" style of lighting, rather, he uses the natural light that exists and blends it with his subtle flash lighting to make images that seem timeless and natural. Just the way you'd see things in real life but with the color casts corrected and the shadows filled in just right. Much better than the belligerent lighting you see in the typically over-produced shots on the web.

I've read the book twice and each time I've learned lots of little tips and tricks to use in my own business.

[...]

My recommendation? Buy the book. Read it. And then incorporate it into your own style.

I agree with many of the comments made by other reviewers. On the plus side, this book is easy to read, has very nice photos of equipment, and good graphs of lighting setups. Also, the case studies at the end make for good reading in learning how to set up specific types of scenes.

Unfortunately, the minuses outweigh the pluses in my view. First, the book is devoted to Nikon flash equipment. The explanations of setting up the flash and controlling multiple flashes are based entirely on Nikon strobes. Second, the book has a wide scope of coverage, but lacks depth. Most, if not all, of the information in the book can be obtained free through the web site strobist.com. It does require more work to gather the information is a useful format through the web site, however.

In summary, this book is useful to a photographer who wants to expand their knowledge of small strobe based flash photography. It will give that person a base from which to expand. If that person happens to be a Nikon user, all the better.

The photos in this book are fabulous. His work shows how experienced and skillful he is in photography. A must buy for those who want to learn the art and science of professional photography.

If you are getting caught up in photography and wand to ride the minimalist (Strobist) wave, this is as good a place to start as any. Along with the [...] blog and lighting guide, this is a detailed, useful, practical, concrete, and helpful guide to getting to the next level of photography without investing in cumbersome and expensive equipment.

The book has two main sections. The first is a great guide to the equipment one needs to do minimalist lighting. From batteries to flashes, stands to reflectors, bags to clamps, you will find the items you need to get the job done.

The second major section of the book is a series of case studies, most with lighting diagrams. These are very useful in visualizing how minimalist photos are made. Each case study is also proof that great photos can be made without old-school equipment.

I would have liked to see more case studies, more-detailed lighting diagrams (with larger fonts), and photos of the lighting set ups. But, I highly recommend this book. Read it after you go through Lighting 101 at [...] and you will have a great sense of minimalist lighting equipment and techniques.

I really thought this book was well written with clear concise ideas and examples. I dont know if I would call it all "Minimal" but as a book for different types of location lighting, its a good book with great information. I think for more advanced users its a nice review but for newer photographers it really shows clear ways to correctly light a professional portrait..something that is lacking in so many newer photographers images.

I really wanted to like this book. It has a very good mix of background material and informative case studies. However, the very first case study uses FIVE STROBES and two softboxes, triggered wirelessly. Certainly, the kit's small enough to carried by a single person, but it's also several thousand dollars of lighting gear that can hardly be called minimalist. Other case study examples are similar.