Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits: Stories and Techniques from a Photographer's Photographer

Greg Heisler and I grew up into the uncertain profession of taking pictures for magazines about the same time. Which was wonderful, as you could watch his extraordinary talents literally change the face of magazine portraiture and the use of color right then and there, in real time. And not so wonderful, like when you would be called into a meeting with the creatives at a mag and they would throw one of his recent triumphs down on a table in front of you and say, “We want our pictures to look like this.” Gulp.His talent is prodigious, and his grasp of what a photo needs to work is formidable. He shifts gears from fantastical colors to the simplicity of black and white with astounding dexterity. His sense of graphics, of ways to include prescient, story telling information in a manner so subtle and richly pleasing to the eye that the reader is unconsciously being informed while simultaneously being seduced by the pictorial splendor of the frame, is nothing short of remarkable.This book is a compendium of pictorial successes, some simple and direct, others complex and hard won, coupled with a conversational, often humorous assessment of those fraught moments behind the scenes when all things hung in the balance, awaiting the outcome of the simplest of questions. Like, “When will she come out the makeup session?”If you are any kind of photographer, but perhaps, especially if you are a young photog, breathing fire, aching for success, poised on the verge of as yet unknown failures and successes, this book could be viewed as a letter you need to read. The time machine known as a career mellows, informs, enriches and deepens raw talent, which Greg had aplenty when he burst onto the scene in 1980 or so. As David Hobby mentioned over @strobist, some of the book feels like Greg is writing a letter to his twenty year old self. His reflections, insights, humor, and technical notes stem from a life on the pictorial edge. As he says himself, he took his biggest risks on his biggest shoots. Admirable, indeed.One of my favorite things Greg says in his classes (and I have been to a bunch of them) is that there is a certain kind of lighting you do because it informs the picture, and shapes the message. And then there’s a kind of lighting you do BECAUSE IT LOOKS COOL. He is very matter of fact about this, which automatically frees him up from the more ponderous concerns of certain elements of photojournalism and allows him to experiment and have some fun. And fun, in any kind of photography, is key. I have worked for numerous editors in my career who were seemingly so weighed down by the gravitas of their mission (and thus, by association, their own importance in the grand scheme of things) that they literally would send you on assignment with an anguished look on their faces, as if they were sitting there with an A-clamp on their private parts. When Greg departs from reality, which he blessedly does every once in a while, his virtuoso command of color presents a visual riot, a bit like a well done sci-fi flick.This book is a very deep pond one can take a languid dive into and be pleased and informed on so many levels. It is, absolutely, in my opinion, required reading and viewing, should one take the process of picture making seriously, or casually. It is also a refreshing turn of the road in the world of photo books. This is not a couple years experience married to a snazzy workflow. The ease with which this knowledge is imparted belies the hard won nature of it. Greg has grappled, more successfully than anyone, with that age old conundrum of seeing stories in faces, and telling them beautifully.If there is a photog in your life, Christmas is coming. Just sayin’.

Like the title said the photos in this book are a bonus. It could easily have been made without them. You'll spend more time reading what he has to say than looking at what he has done. There is a great deal of information in this book that you'll never get anywhere else or they won't explain things so easily. For example in the section with Liam Neeson, Heisler explains the difference between color and black & white photography. It couldn't get much better than that. So simple and straight forward and everything just clicks when you read it. You will reread a lot of parts over again because he makes it so easy even when it's not. There's also a section with Liv Tyler where he explains the difference in photographing men and women. It's such a simple idea that changes how you think. He touches on a number of things briefly, but in those brief segments he gives a lot. Like shooting with a shorter lens over a longer one.There's not a lot of technical information in this book which I find to be a great thing. But, it's also a great book on teaching lighting. Funny enough there are no diagrams or an emphasis on this or that setting. He doesn't go on explaining how to use the "proper" technique in a given situation. No one can tell you what you're supposed to do and he doesn't try to do that. Only what he did to achieve what he wanted, and in that he gives out the gold. The best way I can think to describe it is it's conceptual almost abstract. It's a collection of ideas and concepts to help people create stronger images. Like quick little lessons anyone can learn from. But at the same time these small little bits of information are like big explosions. I feel it's because he makes it so easy to grasp. Reading this you'll quickly learn that he wastes light, but from his results was it actually a waste? Some people will think so.This also paints a good picture of what a shoot is like. Not in the way one would think. There's no play by play of the preparation, setup and post (well there are some things about is post). More like the way things felt. The vision of the image he wanted to create, if he could create that image. What images came to him. How he got his subjects to give him exactly what he needed or how he used best what little he got. Interactions with the people he's photographing. Were they relaxed or not, how he approached them. When to abandon and idea and go into a different direction. Being open to new things. Being ready for when things don't go as planned.The book isn't a boring read either. Some books can seem like they drag or start off strong but end up dragging. This doesn't, and I think the humor has a lot to do with that. It's an easy going read. I think anyone can get through quite a bit of it in a short time (or not because you'll reread some areas).You simply have to read the book to understand what people are talking about or feeling after they've read it. You're just missing out on a lot of great insight if you don't.

Some fantastic images here - and a great "behind the scenes" for each of them. Thoroughly recommend if you are interested in portrait photography.

A fine book with remarkable photographs and a story that goes with each portrait, in an rather exquisite edition.

Libro ben fatto, con ottima qualità della carta. Le storie dietro alle foto - alcune iconiche - sono il valore aggiunto dell’opera. Dovrebbe acquistarlo chiunque desideri cimentarsi nella fotografia che implica un rapporto di fiducia con il o i soggetti.

'Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits' offers you insights into the creative process of a world class portrait photographer who has the mind of a scientist, the eyes of an artist, and the writing skills of a journalist.Portrait photography calls for total trust on top of a sound technique. Gregory Heisler has earned the trust as well as the technique the hard way. His portraits routinely adorn the covers of 'Time' and 'Newsweek' apart from those of many other top-notch publications.The best part of '50 Portraits' is the incredible balance Heisler strikes between the thematic and the technical aspects of his craft. The memoirs are warm and intimate, and the thoughts on technique are rich yet simple.The photographer's photographer is generous with photography tips. Lighting, equipment, scheduling, the preparation, post-production - Heisler withholds nothing.You get involved in the delightfully described process of the exposure and almost click the final take for him. I got so absorbed I couldn't progress faster than a story a day!Plus you get a delectable peep into the world of the contemporary celebrities, including some of the residents of the White House and the Hollywood.I may never hold in my hands a large format camera with a single exposure film of size 11" x14" (equivalent of ~2000MP), yet I hope to benefit from the insights and ideas to at least get the basics of my portraiture right with the humble gears I've got. 📷 🎞 📷 🎞 📷

Realmente vale la pena comprarlo si te interesa la fotografía, y específicamente el retrato. Vienen algunas anotaciones técnicas muy generales, pero lo que hace realmente valioso a este libro es que va más allá de la teoría, y se adentra un poco más en reflexionar la esencia del retrato, cómo fueron tomadas las fotos tanto en contexto como en técnica.Además vienen personalidades bastante conocidas. Yo compré la versión kindle pero recomendaría la versión física para apreciar mejor las fotografías y porque es un excelente libro.