Studio Lighting - The Power of Control with Tony Corbell

I have taken many classes on lighting and posing. I, for the first time really understand why I might choose my soft box or umbrella and how to build up my light for the effect I want. Great course if you are struggling with light control!

Tony is a great teacher. But this video is now dated.

Tony Corbell certainly knows his subject. His knowledge of, and ability to use, light is impressive. But, in addition to his knowledge and the experience he shares, he has a very interesting personality that makes watching/listening to his presentations not only informative but pleasant to watch. Watch any of his courses and, besides learning a lot, you'll end up feeling like you made a new friend in the business.

This is just a tremendous class. I love Mr. Corbell's teaching style and appreciate his levity. Most of all, I value the expertise he brings to the subject matter. After watching the entire class, I have been able to make adjustments to my lighting that I love and feel like I have a better idea of what I am looking for with my lights. This is a terrific value at any price.

Corbell is an excellent instructor, one of my favorites in Creativelive world. Great class!

I learned a lot from Tony´s class. Very experienced, talented, smart tips and funny comments. Generous on sharing his knowledge. I am passionate about learning portraiture since about a year or two, had bought a couple of flashlights, stands, modifiers and now the most difficult part, to have my wife and kids be patient and let me practice with them. John Cornicello did an excellent job helping with the lights and bringing his own comments too. They both did an excellent match. This is a class I will watch again from time to time. This is the second course I watch from Tony and about the 15th course I watched from Creative.

I can’t think of any photographer in the digital age who has a better understanding and command of his craft than Tony Corbell. Also, I can’t think of any other video set or other teaching tool about lighting that has more information crammed into it. Tony not only teaches lighting. He teaches the PRINCIPLES behind the lighting and the REASONS why some things work (and some don’t). The one thing he won’t tell you is where to put your lights – but he gives you the background and information to decide for yourself. The idea is to show you how to get the look that YOU want, which isn’t necessarily the look that he’s going for in a particular shoot. Well, he tells you where to place your lights in a general sense, but not specifically where to put them. Every shoot and every subject is different. (Hint: When shooting people, the nose shadow is one thing that you use.) Some years ago, he wrote a book. Among several stellar reviews, there was one by a disgruntled person who complained that there wasn’t a single lighting diagram that told him where to put his lights. He talks about most types of modifiers and demonstrates the use of the most common ones (and some that are not so common. Snoots, barn doors, Cinefoil, cucaloruses (cucalori?)… I’ve seen three ways to spell that word, and I still don’t know which is “correct.” You won’t find everything in this set. Tony has another set that goes into depth about more types of modifiers and equipment, but this is the one to start with. First things first. He doesn’t tell you what to buy (although he’s a big advocate of Sekonic light meters and the X-Rite Color Checker Passport). And he tells you why you shouldn’t use a gray card (other than the grays in the Passport) for white balance. He also teaches you things like how to change the color of a white, gray or black background with gels (Hint: You have to make the white or gray one go black first) and how to make one light look like four lights. For several years, Tony worked with the late Dean Collins, who revolutionized photographic lighting in the 1980s. Well, Collins didn’t revolutionize the principles. He just found more ways to use more tools to get more control over his images. Although some of Collins’ DVDs are still available (and the information is still as relevant as ever, even if the hairstyles aren’t), he didn’t always go into as much depth as Corbell does. For example, Collins made four VHS tapes (that were later remastered as one DVD on four different types of shoots in 30 minutes each. For less than the price of the DVD, you get 30 minutes or so on several different types of shoots, as well as the theory and the principles behind them (not to mention Tony’s stories and his sense of humor and information about equipment and techniques that didn’t exist back then). Tony’s bag is to produce predictable exposure and lighting, usually on the first shot. He may end up moving the lights or adjusting the power after the first shot (which is why he isn’t big on lighting diagrams), either to get closer to the look he wants or to provide variations. Each time he moves a light or changes the power setting, he tells and shows you why he’s doing that. The alternative, he says, is to skip dinner with your family and spend your evenings fixing things in post. Tony does minimal post work, almost always to enhance an image, not to “fix” something that could have been fixed in camera. Btw, I got my first photography job (a summer internship at a metropolitan daily newspaper) at age 15 – in 1962. Starting in college, I spent several years shooting fashion (one of my clients in college and beyond was Neiman Marcus), model portfolios (at $100/hour, which was a lot of money back then), fine art and architecture before making a career change (and finally coming back to photography). This course is for beginners as well as pro photographers. While I already knew much of what Tony teaches (and he often threw in a bit of “additional information” that I didn’t know), I was amazed at how much I learned from this course. Very highly recommended.

No doubt this is the best class I've invested in from CreativeLive. Tony Corbell is experienced, knowledgeable, humble, funny & inspirational. He hits on so much more than just studio strobe work. If you need to understand light, this class will get you off to a great start.

Really a great class!

There is no better way to learn the basics of studio lighting than with Tony Corbell. He breaks down the theory and shows results with everything he tries. For a bonus, Tony talks a bit about the business, too.

This is an amazing class, Tony Corbell is the man. I don't know if I am miss heard but, when Tony was talking about f-stops he metioned an handout about the reading of the light meter transfered to the camera. I would like to get that handout if any of you have it. Thanks!

Awesome, I don't know what else to say.

There is no one better to learn lighting from than the great Tony Corbell! I had a week long, hands on lighting course with him years ago at the Georgia School of Professional Photography, ( now known as PHOTOWORKS GEORGIA) . He really knows his stuff, and if you listen and learn, you can too.

Loved this course and really like Tony's teaching style. Also like the fact that he is a "well seasoned guy", like myself, and talks about transitioning from the days of film and older technologies. This really helps to put current tech into perspective.

This is such a great course! No guessing! He makes studio lighting understandable and predictable. I thoroughly enjoy his clear teaching! He teaches a method that works consistently! I'm watching the rebroadcast, and plan on buying the course. Thanks Mr. Corbell and Creative Live!

Fantastic! I am on day two, and throughly enjoying the material and Tonys teaching! I hope to see him return in 2016.

A very comprehensive class in teaching the core fundamentals of studio photography. No bells and whistles approach, just good old honest education that will last you a lifetime. This class easily compliments all the high-glitz classes relating to fashion studio photography. A good investment for sure. Highly recommended! (Nobody moves, nobody gets hurt! Ain't that right Tony.)

Corbell is an engaging, inspirational teacher. He dismystifies the world of studio lighting and will "arm" you with principles to apply in your own unique creative way. Intelligent, subtle and often funny.

Just purchased this course, and consider it both time and money very well spent. Understanding the science lets us work in a manner where beautiful results are not a nice surprise but a process that can be replicated. It is too bad that the physics earns a rueful apology and 'not too much more', considering that once you take the camera to manual, you are going to need to understand how light and the technology work. Tony is a talented communicator who held my interest all the way through.

I have purchased quite a few courses from Creative Live and love them all but Tony is my new favorite instructor. He not only explained and modeled what he was teaching but he inspired me to want to dig deeper and learn more. (I was also able to purchase his book online that I can't wait to read.) All I can say is More! More! More!

Watching this Course from Ireland live, and at my leisure having purchased the course, I cannot praise Tony Corbell enough. I felt I was right there in the Classroom with him and gained so, so much from stunning course. He really does explain the techniques he uses so well and is one of the greatest Educators that I have seen in photography. Worth every Euro ( Dollar ) !.. Thank you Creative Live and Keep up the good work ! Andy Jay www.ajphotography.ie Cork Ireland.

I had the wonderful privilege of joining Tony Corbell in studio for this course. My husband gave me the opportunity as my Christmas present. It was, without question or cliche, THE best Christmas present I have ever received. I went in to the course at Level 0, knowing nothing about studio lighting, and came out with a wealth of invaluable knowledge. Tony explained everything so well and showed how literally anyone can set up and shoot with studio lighting and get the outcome they want. If you are starting off like I was, with little to no knowledge of studio lighting, wanting to up your game and increase your photography skill, this is the course you should invest in. It has, hands down, changed everything for me.

Great Course. Tony is a natural communicator. Dr. Moto