★Following the creative philosophy that “any space can be a studio”, the author teaches readers how to make the most of compact speedlights and continuous lights, paired with affordable everyday materials such as paper, plastic and plants. By skilfully using light refraction and shadow shaping, you can create striking, magazine-worthy dramatic lighting full of atmosphere even in a small office.
★This book walks you through cutting-edge techniques including multiple long exposures, gelled lighting and crisp, hard-edged shadows. It helps photographers break free from repetitive formulas and build their own signature visual style, so portrait work instantly grabs viewers’ attention and stands out on social media.
★Packed with behind-the-scenes lighting shots and lighting diagrams, the book fully breaks down the entire Lightroom colour-grading workflow. More than a dozen creative prompts are included at the end of the book. It can serve as teaching material for photography studios or for independent practice, allowing readers to master techniques while creating eye-catching portraits.

Go beyond the photographic conventions, break the rules, and create compelling portraits.

While the ability to create a conventional, traditional portrait is a must-have skill for any photographer of people, it can often yield a fairly predictable result: a straightforward likeness of the subject, created with a flattering lens in flattering light with a flattering composition. The subject may be pleased with the results, but it’s not a very interesting photograph. And in the constant, endless stream of images we consume daily, the portrait is likely forgotten as quickly as it appeared.

A truly creative portrait comes from the two-sided exchange between the subject and the photographer, with both parties working together to create an image that goes beyond the simple representation of the subject. The end result is not an image that simply breaks the rules—it’s an engaging photograph that both captures the essence of the subject and compels the viewer to stop and take notice.

In The Creative Portrait, photographer and author Nick Fancher walks you through a plethora of ideas and techniques for making such creative work. Known for imagery that is bold, colorful, expressive, and widely varied, Nick has built a career by going against the grain. The result has been a consistent output of innovative and striking photographs.

In this book, Nick will help you go beyond the conventional approach and explore the endless possibilities that come with intentionally breaking the rules. He’ll teach you all about:

•The gear he uses, and his overall approach to shooting
•Why it’s so important to practice photographing paper, plastic, and plants
•Multiple long exposure techniques for creating unique and expressive images
•Blocking, directing, and concentrating light with cookies, flags, gobos, and snoots
•Shooting through glass for numerous creative effects
•How he employs smoke, mirrors, and projectors in his work
•And much more

Throughout the book, Nick includes behind-the-scenes photos and diagrams of his shoots, as well as Lightroom post-processing techniques so you can follow along. He also includes over a dozen creative prompts to actively push you to go beyond your own comfort zone in your photography in order to create compelling portraiture.

Nick Fancher is a commercial photographer, portrait artist, author and photography educator based in Columbus and Los Angeles, USA. He earned his BFA in Photography from The Ohio State University and is a bestselling author for Rocky Nook. His globally popular photography titles include *Studio Anywhere Volumes 1 & 2* and *Chroma*. Rejecting rigid academic conventions, he excels at producing high-quality fashion work with simple gear in unconventional spaces such as basements, hallways and garages. His bold, colour-rich and emotionally resonant work appears in international commercial advertising, album covers and fine-art portraiture. He also serves as a global ambassador for a leading speedlight brand.