ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the skills and practices of creating good visual content followed by a more conceptual section regarding the usage of photographs and video and some historical background. It provides an overview of development of photography from a fine art requiring skill and means to what it is today—a medium for the masses. The book outlines the perspectives of experienced educators and professional image makers with respect to the best techniques for making photographs and video. It explains the differences between natural and artificial sources of light, the different effects they have on pictures and how to manage them for both print and online use. The book addresses controlling light within a photograph or video to highlight or diminish a specific element, adding light to the basic principles of photographic composition that can be applied to create effective photographs and video.
