Lighting and the dramatic portrait

Michael Grecco is one of the best-known celebrity photographers in the world. His beautiful, insightful work is all around us—on movie posters, in advertising, on magazine covers, everywhere. “I delight in inspiring people,” he writes. “I want them to stop, think, and feel.” Now Grecco shares the secrets of great portraits with photographers at every level, in Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait. Sections on cameras, illumination, film and digital, creativity and conceptualization, connecting with the subject, and having a point of view, plus intriguing case studies that show “how I got that picture,” make this book a resource photographers will use again and again through the years. Whether the subject is a star or a soccer mom, Grecco shows how to add artistry, drama, wit, humor, and personality to their portrait.

Michael Grecco’s clients include ABC, HBO, IBM, BBDO, GE, GQ, ESPN, and dozens of other top companies in entertainment, business, and advertising. His first book, The Art of Portrait Photography, is out of print, and used copies regularly sell for more than $100. The winner of awards from Communication Arts, Photo Design, AR 100, the New York and Los Angeles Art Director Clubs, and many others, Grecco teaches many photography seminars across the country each year. He lives in Santa Monica, California.