The Book .. it's here! « Neil vN

The Book .. it's here!

September 7, 2009

I’m very happy to announce that my book on flash photography techniques for on-camera speedlights, is now available.The book is based on the articles published on this website, but I extended it with material I present at workshops … and then fleshed it further into a cohesive and thorough approach to getting the best from your on-camera speedlight. Particular care was taken to present it all with a logical flow in the hopes that it will all progressively help the reader attain a better understanding of flash photography.

You can either purchase a copy via the Amazon link here, or alternately, if you’d like an autographed copy of the book, you can order one directly on this page, below.

Neil vN

Shipping and packaging is included in the price.
Please select the correct region when ordering.

Erratum:
The correct description for plate 14-14 (page 107) should be:

Adjusting my camera settings, I droped the ambient light and left the couple illuminated mostly by flash. Settings: 1/250th @ f2 @ 320 ISO

45 Comments »

It is already in my hand , in France in Brittany . Thanks for this book and for your blog
I’ve got a 580 ex and a 5d mk II with a garry fong lightsphere ( I know , I know …) and I need some tips .I will perharps buy a RRS wedding bracket ( http://reallyrightstuff.com/rrs/Itemdesc.asp?ic=WPF-1&eq=&Tp=)
christian

Comment by mrimri — August 19, 2009 @ 4:00 am
Pre-ordered mine months ago but it hasnt arrived yet – cant wait.

Comment by Jason Smith — August 19, 2009 @ 5:41 am
Neil,

I bought the book at Barnes and Noble in Brick, NJ. A great read me thinks!! I have to admit your argument for shooting manual is great but easier said than done. Especially outside where the lighting is always changing. I will keep practicing. Great book though….Congrats!!

Dave in NJ

Comment by Dave from NJ — August 19, 2009 @ 6:53 am
Hi Neil,
The Add to Cart links don’t work for me.

Comment by Johann — August 19, 2009 @ 7:22 am
Hi Neil, I ordered my book via amazon 2 days ago…late for my autographed copy :)

Comment by Bennet — August 19, 2009 @ 8:36 am
Hi Neil,

The Add to Cart links do not work for me either. Neither in Firefox nor in Internet Explorer.

Cheers,
Freddy

Comment by Freddy Hurkmans — August 19, 2009 @ 10:11 am
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve fixed the links now.
(WordPress can be a bear sometimes .. one slip of the coding, and whole chunks of code disappear when you hit the “update post” button.)

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 19, 2009 @ 10:21 am
I got my copy through amazon pre -ordered no less, never done that before lol. Great book, already made my own black foamy thing and am reading and enjoying it :)

I like that it is a collection of the info here, and other things as well. Makes it easier to reference information especially when I am someplace without internet.

Thanks for your work in writing it, it will be a resource I turn to often for help in my wedding photography for sure.

Now go out and get a beer and write us another one :) LOL

Comment by Rene Skrodzki — August 19, 2009 @ 10:32 am
Neil,
Fantastic stuff mate, so useful. Tried to click on the worldwide link above to order my signed copy but doesn’t seem to work for me either and Amazon uk only doing pre orders for October – can’t wait til then…..

Comment by Jeff — August 19, 2009 @ 11:26 am
Rene .. Thanks! :)

I’ve already been contracted to write another book, and I’ve started working on the material already.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 19, 2009 @ 12:13 pm
Neil,

Before ordering I would just like to check; is delivery by courier and will I be able to track the parcel?
(Ek het al te veel oorseese pakkies in die pos verloor)

Groetnis
Johann

Comment by Johann — August 19, 2009 @ 12:38 pm
Johann .. I replied to you via email.

thanks

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 19, 2009 @ 1:12 pm
Neil,
What’s the new book about?
More on-camera lighting or some new topic?

Brian

Comment by Brian Daly — August 19, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
Brian, as the last chapter in this book indicated, a logical progression to bouncing flash in the way that it looks like off-camera lighting … would be to actually use off-camera lighting in situations where bouncing flash is impossible or difficult.

So there you have it .. off-camera lighting. :)

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 19, 2009 @ 3:45 pm
I just received my copy in the mail yesterday, having placed my order with Amazon US last week. I plan on reading it through quickly first before re-reading it and fully digesting (and putting into practice) the contents. Having only recently attended the workshop in Cork, I think the book will serve as a great post-workshop resource. The notes provided as part of the workshop are excellent but the book will help in answering all those other unanswered questions that inevitably crop up after a workshop.

Comment by Thorsten — August 19, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
Can I buy the book at my local Barnes & Noble or only through Amazon? I’d love to pick it up today…don’t want to wait for it to ship!

Comment by Sara — August 20, 2009 @ 1:36 pm
Sara, apparently the book is readily available at B&N .. but you’d have to check with the particular store.

thanks

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 20, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
I have waited a long time for this. Mine’s coming via Amazon. Many thanks to you Neil and congratulations.

Comment by Tom K. — August 20, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
Great Book!

I would rate this as being 1 of the top 6 books anyone learning photography should own.

I even learned a few things that Neil has not posted in his blog.

Thanks a million

Again…

Comment by Jeffrey Steel — August 20, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
Neil,
When I click Add To Cart it takes me to PayPal login. Once logged in….no transaction showing. I’ve tried on both my Mac and Windows machines. Any ideas?

Only the autographed version will do! It’s the perfect Thank You gift for my photography partner and friend who took one of your classes in Denver. We’ve been fans ever since and are anxiously awaiting for Denver to pop up on your schedule again.

All the best

Comment by Phil Barnett — August 21, 2009 @ 6:06 pm
Add to Cart still doesn’t work for Firefox.

Comment by Sunny — August 21, 2009 @ 8:20 pm
Just a note to those who tried to order the book and hit a hiccup. It’s been fixed now. :)

thanks!

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 21, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
Just ordered mine yesterday at Chapters here in London, Ontario, Canada.
And it’s free! My darling daughter is buying it for me as part of my birthday present.
(Lucky me I’ll be 54 on Sunday)lol!

Comment by Mike — August 21, 2009 @ 11:46 pm
Hi Neil,

just picked up the book a few days ago and have to say that this has been the best learning experience i have gotten from a book so far. it was interesting to me that while i knew some of the principles you describe, reading your book somehow flipped the switch inside my head. since then i already took several great photos following your advices.

really a great great book. now i am even more bummed that i have missed your last san francisco workshop.

sven

Comment by Sven Pohle — August 22, 2009 @ 12:04 pm
I pre-ordered your book for a friend of mine as a birthday gift. When I got it in the mail I realized I had to get one for myself too, so now I’ve purchased 2. This book should seriously be on the must read list for anyone wanting to learn photography.

Thank you!!!!!

Comment by Rhonda — August 24, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
Hi Neil…I ordered one the books (signed, of course), and was wondering how it shipped. I live in the country, and UPS and FedEx often have trouble finding me!

:)

thanks!
– Steve

Comment by Steve Davis — August 27, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
Steve .. the book is shipped via USPS media mail.

thanks

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — August 28, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
Thanks much,Neil…can’t wait!!!

– Steve

Comment by Steve Davis — August 28, 2009 @ 2:24 pm
Got it today…now, how much can I read and absorb before the wedding I’m shooting tomorrow!

Thanks again, for the book and all the awesome info on your website!

– Steve

Comment by Steve Davis — August 28, 2009 @ 5:51 pm
I’ve ordered for it from France, it will be availlable at Amazon France on september 10th, waiting for it.
Thank you so much Neil for giving us such precious advices, hope buying the book will encourage you keeping on posting your great articles on this site.

Comment by William Blake — August 30, 2009 @ 5:08 pm
Neil,

This is one of the most well written photography books I’ve read in a really long time. Thank you for sharing your lighting experience.

Comment by Dajuan — September 4, 2009 @ 12:53 am
Neil, Thank you so much for the knowledge you have shared in your blog and your book. I now have both to reference to. I am very happy with my indoor images now, but still need some work with my lighting outdoors. when you shoot w/direct flash do you set your flash to the widest angle setting and pullout the builtin diffuser to get softer light?

Comment by Stacy Rodriguez — September 4, 2009 @ 9:21 am
Stacy,
I hope you don’t mind me answering your question to Neil….

When using direct flash the angle setting and built in diffuser won’t give softer light directly. You may get some light to bounce off of surrounding items (a wall, or maybe wedding guests) which will give the impression of softer light from the flash itself. In reality, assuming the light does not bounce off of other items, it won’t be any softer than with a bare zoomed flash. The reason is that the ‘softness’ of the light is directly related to the size of the light source, and from the point of view of the subject, adding the little diffuser or zooming the flash out makes no difference.
The reason that bouncing the flash is so successful is that when the light hits the wall or ceiling it creates a largeer pool of light from the point of view of the subject.

A trick I often use to do this outside is to bounce the flash off of a guest thats wearing a white shirt. This makes the light source larger and also makes the light come from the side. Make sure you tell the guest what you’re doing so you don’t blind them!

Regards
Steve

Comment by Steve Crouch — September 4, 2009 @ 11:24 am
Thanks Steve. I will definitly try that out. My question was about the imges that are on pages 100-101 in Neil’s book, they were shot with direct flash. I was just curious if he used the flash at the widest setting on the flash.

Comment by stacy rodriguez — September 4, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Stacy, when shooting with direct flash (and only ever as a touch of fill-flash), then I let the zoom function of the flash-head sort it out. When I bounce flash however, I do zoom in tighter to the max.

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — September 6, 2009 @ 3:34 am
I don’t read many books, but this one I finished in an evening. I’ve been following your blog for some time now and there was no question I was going to buy the book. I loved every page of it. GREAT photography and advice. I will read it again and agin to soak it all in.

Thank you very much for writing this. I will keep reading everything you put out, no question.

Comment by Josef — September 6, 2009 @ 4:29 pm
Hi Neil…

After a very long absence frm the internet I only now realised that your book is out.

Question: Is your book still available for world wide order (to Malaysia) from this website? I feel it’s most appropriate to get it directly from you as a contribution of support to you. (Also Amazon takes ages to deliver to Malaysia – hehe)

Anyway, hope it’s not too late to congratuate you on your new book.

Bst regards.

Comment by Hazmy — September 6, 2009 @ 11:04 pm
Hi Neil

I’ve been following your website and blog for well over a year, really helpful info and a great inspiration.

Thought it only fair that I repay you by buying the book (pre-ordered it well over a month ago with Amazon, still awaiting delivery).

Keep up the good work.
Derek

http://www.derekclegg.net/blog

Comment by Derek — September 26, 2009 @ 6:27 pm
Hi Neil,

I teach flash photography, but I have to say I learned a TON from this book. Great job! I can always borrow books from the camera store I teach classes for, but I plunked down my own money for this one.

Many thanks

Comment by John — September 29, 2009 @ 3:06 pm
The Nikon flash adjusts coverage with lens focal length automatically or manually as chosen. Does this give the photographer an additional useful control? How does it affect bounce flash? I didn’t find mention of it in your book. The book is written like an engineer would write it, in short declaritive sentences–easy to read and perfectly understandable, with no confusing modifying clauses. Thank you, Neil.

Comment by Lew Kenner — October 1, 2009 @ 10:23 am
Lew .. I didn’t mention it in the book, but I do zoom my flash-head out for more efficiency from the flash.

Thank you for the kind words about the material in the book. : )

Neil vN

Comment by Neil — October 1, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
I just placed an order from Amazon today :)

Comment by David Lee — October 2, 2009 @ 4:00 am
Hi Neil,
Just received your book in perfect order here in The Netherlands!
And thanks for your short note written in the book!
So far I’ve read it, it really is an eye-opener for me, and it’s up to me to practice :)

Regards,
Niels

Comment by Niels Thijssen — October 14, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
[...] week heb ik via de website van Neil van Niekerk zijn boek besteld: “On-camera flash“. Neil van Niekerk is een vakkundig fotograaf die zich vooral specialiseert in fotograferen [...]

Pingback by Fotografie Niels Thijssen » Blog Archive » Review: On-camera flash — October 14, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
Neil,

Your book is awesome! It clarified alot of things for me such as how to bounce flash. I never thought of using the black foamie thing. It’s easy to understand and your pictures are beautiful.

Comment by Angie — December 11, 2009 @ 4:21 am