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Title: Interesting biography of a movie innovator; detailed explanation of his principles of lighting in cinematography/photography
Review: A fascinating book about how to conceive, organize, and illuminate scenes in movies (and shots in still photography).This book, originally written in 1949, and recently re-issued in a new edition, was written by a man considered to be a key innovator in cinematography, John Alton. An extensive biography of Mr. Alton precedes the main body of the book, and is well worth reading in and of itself, as it helps to explain Alton's important role in movie making.The main portion of the text describes how to use lighting, not only in cinematography, but also in still photography. Mr. Alton employs numerous diagrams and pictorial examples to explain his very carefully thought-out principles and insights. Although some of the lighting equipment described may be out-of-date, the principles are not.
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