The Luminous Portrait: Capture the Beauty of Natural Light for Glowing, Flattering Photographs Paperback – April 24, 2012

First you flip. Over and over, only stopping to marvel or show someone else in the room a particular photo. Don't do that though because they will invariably take the book away from you. The images are elusive, stunning, and magical. The intimacy and quality of light are unmistakable and I am now able to recognize her photos instantly. It's like hearing a new Adele song but knowing in a few words who the artist is. Although I would love to shoot like Elizabeth, of course I can not because I am me. And that's what she'll tell you. Trust yourself but this is how I do it...She is constantly re-inforcing the importance of natural light by showing you how she hunts it down for every shot either by moving a subject near a window, diffusing a strong light source, making a group of people stand under trees to shade them, etc. It's a simple concept but sometimes we try to shoot for the light we have instead of looking for the best light. So says Elizabeth, get to your shoot early and hunt it down! It's there and you need to find it.The best advice to a writer has always been "show don't tell." Throughout the book she shows you how she created amazing moments by establishing trust and intimacy with her subjects. Elizabeth's prose is intelligent and articulate and sneakily dense with advice and clear guidance of how to create a great portrait. She makes you feel like you are in an actual conversation with her while dolling out instruction in technique in a non-patronizing way.For example, she says to have a baby's mother out of their eyesight so that the baby engages with you. I actually thought of that this weekend while I was shooting my four year old nephew watering beans. His mother kept trying to "direct" him so I asked her to make some sandwiches. When she left he starting squirting the hose all over everything. He ended up soaking wet, taking off his shirt, squirting the hose straight into the air and laughing hysterically. I got some great shots of a a delighted four year old boy with a hose instead of the more posed looking shot that his mom wanted. Guess what? She loved them. Thank you, Elizabeth!

I remember when Elizabeth announced that she was writing a book -- and the publication date was months away! I simply could not wait, and honestly had high expectations. I had followed and adored her work for years ... and assumed the book would be just as amazing.And it was!!! I devoured every page within a couple days of receiving it. It's thoughtfully written, inspiring, and every frame in it is stunning.Some people have commented that the book is not technical enough - but that is the best part. It shows you don't necessarily NEED to be bogged down with the technical side to create beautiful photos. What is most important is seeing the moments and seeing the light. And to me, that's the core of a photograph--it's the part that speaks to the viewer. Your audience may not care if you shot an image at F2.0 or F16 -- what they care about is the message. Does the photo speak to them? And every single photo I have seen from Elizabeth's website, blog, and this book truly does speak to me. Reading her book gave me a bit more insight into how to look for that message and how to look for spectacular light. But also, how to do that using my own unique vision.In this book, she also tells the story behind her business and the story behind her photographs. It is reaffirming. That we are exactly where we need to be ... we all start somewhere and it's the journey that makes life most fulfilling.I LOVED this book and highly recommend it. It has left me inspired and looking at light in a whole new way. Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing a piece of yourself with us in this book!

I've admired and been inspired by Elizabeth's gorgeous work for years, and been lucky enough to hear her speak at a number of conferences, so when I heard she was writing her first book I pre-ordered as soon as the link was up. I've loved every single page, every image, but the really amazing part is her voice throughout. Elizabeth shares with heart every step she takes each day she creates her beautiful images, and does it in a way that is really intuitive, easy to understand and apply. As a fellow professional photographer, it's so special to be able to really be inside the mind of such an especially gifted artist. When I got started in photography everyone shot film and waited for their film to be processed at the pub down the street from the lab; you could ask fellow photographers exactly how they would approach a situation and learn from your colleagues. In the age of mostly digital, we're all stuck in front of a laptop much of the time, but reading Elizabeth's book has made me feel like I'm able to pick her brain in person. She shares her approach and each step, down to the exposure, and in her own unique thoughtful voice. So much of her heart and soul comes through in the reading of this I could imagine being in her studio really talking with her. A must-read for pro or enthusiast (which will also take up residence on your coffee table it's so beautiful), this book will excite, educate and inspire you to make more beautiful images every day.