A Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg

From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?

Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.

Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?

Featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams, this provocative and insightful work is sure to spark debate and is essential reading for aficionados of Jared Diamond, James Gleick, Matt Ridley, Robert Wright, and Sharon Moalem.

Lighting Design Basics is the essential guide to this basic, but difficult-to-master aspect of interior design. Offering fundamental concepts and prescriptive techniques in a highly visual format, this book provides clear, practical guidance on utilizing the latest in lighting techniques and technology to showcase a space without sacrificing utility. Covering more than 25 different design scenarios with in-depth rationale for proposed solutions, this book provides insightful distribution diagrams, floor plans, and details for lighting installation and construction. Real-world case studies illustrate lighting design in residential, commercial, healthcare, education, and hospitality settings, and skill-building exercises offer practice for real-world projects as well as NCIDQ and NCARB exam preparation. This new third edition includes new instructor support materials, coverage of computer calculation software, and in-depth discussion on the latest in LED lighting.

Lighting is changing, both in the technology itself, and in the way a designer must approach it. This book provides immersive instruction through real-world settings, and practical guidance suited for immediate application in everyday projects.

• Get up-to-date on the latest methods and technology for lighting design
• Examine more than 25 design scenarios for different types of spaces
• Complete exercises to hone your skills or prepare for the NCIDQ or NCARB
• Create simple lighting designs and collaborate with architects on complex projects

Lighting can make or break a space. Improper lighting lends a space an uncomfortable feel, can induce headaches or eyestrain, and can even be hazardous—but thoughtfully designed and executed lighting adds that extra element so often missing from typical spaces. Lighting Design Basics shows you how to elevate any space through the fundamental tools and concepts of professional lighting design.

More than any building material, light produces spatial effects, generates moods, and "stages” architectural designs. In well-lit spaces, we feel good, and we are capable and effective; light promotes health. Moreover, especially in office buildings, the combination of a sensible natural lighting design with a corresponding approach to artificial lighting is a decisive factor in energy conservation.

Assembled by experienced authors and experts from the worlds of practice and teaching, this new volume in the series Detail Practice provides an introduction to the most important aspects of natural and artificial lighting design. In addition to straightforward planning rules — such as ground plan design, building orientation, and the structuring of facades — it also introduces and explains current natural and artificial lighting systems with the help of example projects.

• The step-by-step layouts for creating the most-requested and sought-after lighting looks
• How to get more out of one light than you ever thought you could (this is worth it alone!)
• How to control and shape your light without breaking the bank
• The camera settings, gear, and power settings for every shot
• The retouching techniques the pros really use to make their subjects look their very best
• How to retouch hair, eyes, lips, skin, and lots of other little retouching tricks that make a really big difference
• How to create high-contrast portrait effects without buying expensive plug-ins
• A host of insider tricks, invaluable shortcuts, and kick-butt special effects to give you a real advantage over the competition

Unlike other books that focus on natural light or lighting in general, this book addresses a very real need of beginning photographers, answering the question, “What do I do when the lighting is terrible?” Lindsay and Erik candidly show you the tools at your disposal, demonstrating the techniques essential to getting the job done with minimal fuss.

• Shows how to deal with ten of the worst lighting situations, such as harsh midday light, extremely low light, and mixed light.
• Offers real-life examples and practical solutions for handling poor light, such as identifying natural reflectors, bouncing light off a wall, or utilizing flash gels.
• Features a fun, conversational style to help you conquer the fear of poor lighting and approach any lighting situation with confidence!

• Learn the basics (and beyond) of light modifiers that make light bigger and softer, such as umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes, and diffusion panels
• Understand how to control and shape the light itself with flags, grids, snoots, and the zoom function on your flash
• Appreciate the color temperature of light (whether that’s the sun, a light bulb, or a flash), and how to influence it with white balance settings on your camera and colored gels on your flash
• Learn how to take great pictures across many different genres, from product and still life images, to simple (and not so simple) portraits and group shots

Designing With Light: The Art, Science, and Practice of Architectural Lighting Design is a comprehensive introduction to the intelligent use of lighting to define and enhance a space. The book explores all aspects of the process, including aesthetics, technology, and practicalities, in a clear, concise manner designed to provide the reader with a full working knowledge of lighting design. Color illustrations throughout demonstrate the real-world effects of the concepts presented, and the companion website offers video animations and exercises to better illuminate the art and science of lighting. The book addresses the considerations that should be a part of any designer's process, and provides thorough guidance on meeting the various demands with smarter design.

Lighting is an essential element of interior design, and despite its ubiquity, is difficult to truly master. A designer with a fundamental and conceptual understanding of light is empowered to create simple, typical spaces, or work intelligently with lighting consultants on more complex projects. Designing With Light contains special discussions on color, light, and health, as well as the latest information on energy efficient lighting, control systems, and other technologies. Topics include:

• Physics, psychology, and perception of light
• Current and future lighting technology
• Communication, documentation, and the design process
• Sustainability, daylighting, and energy efficiency

The book also contains an entire chapter on building and energy codes, as well as practical guidance on photometrics and calculations. Lighting can make or break an otherwise well-designed space, so designers need the background to be able to think intelligently about illumination factors during all stages of the process. With comprehensive coverage and thorough explanation, Designing With Light is a complete resource for students and professionals alike.

The new edition offers a clear structure, carefully selected material and linking of lighting with other subjects, in order to provide the reader with a comprehensive and specifically architectural approach to lighting. Features of this new edition include:

• technical knowledge of lighting in the context of architectural design;
• an emphasis on imagination in architectural light and presentation of the tools necessary in practice for creative design;
• additional chapters on the behaviour of light and on the context of design;
• a strong emphasis on sustainable design and energy saving, with data and examples;
• analyses of actual lighting schemes and references to current standards and design guides;
• an up-to-date review of lamp and lighting technology, with recommendations on the choice of equipment;
• a revision of the calculation section, with examples and step-by-step instructions, based on recent student feedback about the book.

Today’s speedlights may be small but they are mighty…that is, if you know how to use them. In this book, flash photography pro Tilo Gockel teaches the secrets to capturing beautifully lit images using just one flash! The first section of the book provides a crash course in flash photography covering lighting techniques, equipment, and understanding the nuances of flash lighting. Then, through a series of 26 workshops covering everything from people to objects to food to special techniques, Tilo demonstrates how it’s done. Included are example images, lighting diagrams, setup instructions, and even post-processing tips. You’ll learn how a single flash can not only illuminate, but also add color and project patterns on a scene, and how easy it is to turn a single flash into multiple light sources using reflectors and mirrors to multiply and redirect the flash. You will also learn how to use the flash detached from the camera's hot shoe and how to repeatedly fire the flash for special effects.

Tilo’s practical style and simple explanations of technology will enable you to get started quickly with flash photography and to achieve fantastic results. 

Topics include:

- Combining flash with ambient light

- Using shades, reflectors, and mirrors

- Flash composite techniques

- Light painting with Xenon flash devices

- Simulating continuous light with stroboscopic flash and modeling flash

- Use of low-cost non-TTL flashes as well as TTL flashes

- Battery-powered DIY bare-bulb flash

An entertaining and educational read, author Steven Louis Shelley draws from his 35+ years of diverse experience to explain how to get the job done along with real-life examples of projects from start to finish. Learn why some techniques are successful while others fail with 'Shelley's Notes' and 'Shelley's Soapbox,' all with a humor that guides you through complex problems and concepts.

Highlights include:

-Over 100 new topics, including analysis and application of the three categories of collaboration; a detailed examination of production meetings and one-on-one meetings; and meeting checklists with management and the creative team.

-Over 50 new illustrations, including Shelley's Periodic Table of Fundamental Lighting Systems; groundplans, sections, and front elevations that illustrate basic system wash configurations for each direction of light.

-Analysis, calculation, and step-by-step technical construction of each lighting system in the Hokey light plot.

-Explanation of a manufacturer's cut sheet, and how to apply basic formulas to determine the beam size, footcandles, and gel transmission for lighting instruments.

-Updated process of pre-programming computer lighting consoles prior to the load-in.

-Comprehensive overview of archiving paperwork and softcopy for a production.

Students and professionals will benefit from experience-based tips and techniques to prepare and execute a lighting design, along with learning how to avoid common traps.

In Picture Perfect Lighting, Roberto has created a truly original system for understanding and controlling light in photography. After discussing the universal nature of light, Roberto introduces the five key behaviors of light, which are essential to understand in order to improve your knowledge of light. With those behaviors established, Roberto introduces his concept of “circumstantial light,” an ingenious way of examining and breaking down the light around you in any given situation. Providing a detailed analysis of circumstantial light, Roberto develops the top ten circumstantial light elements you need to know in order to fully harness the power of the light around you to create an image that is true to your vision.

But how will you know if the circumstantial light is enough? The final piece of the Picture Perfect Lighting system is Roberto’s “lighting benchmark test,” a brilliant method for determining the quality of the light in any given situation. It is with the lighting benchmark test that you will determine if and when you need to use “helper light,” the light that is needed or manipulated in order to “help” the circumstantial light so that your vision comes to life. Helper light is created with diffusers, reflectors, flashes, strobes, and light modifiers. Picture Perfect Lighting covers all of this in depth.

Don’t limit yourself to using only one kind of light, and don’t depend on Photoshop actions and plug-ins to create the “wow” factor in your images. That is the job of light. With Picture Perfect Lighting by your side, you will learn to master light. With that mastery, you will finally have the ability to create that true “wow” factor in camera—and in your photographs.

Author Sal Cangeloso shows you the working parts of a “simple” LED bulb and explains the challenges electronics companies face as they push LED lighting into the mainstream. You’ll learn how you can use LEDs now, and why solid state lighting will bring dramatic changes in the near future.

• Explore the drivers, phosphors, and integrated circuits in a typical LED bulb
• Understand the challenges in producing LED bulbs with acceptable brightness, color temperature, and power consumption
• Learn about non-bulb LED applications, including lamps, street lights, and signage
• Discover the market forces driving—and impeding—the adoption of LED lighting
• Compare LEDs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and electron-stimulated luminescence (ESL) bulbs
• Gaze into the future of intelligent lighting, including networked lighting systems

With the new and rapidly evolving technology, flash photography (especially advanced light modeling with modern iTTL flash systems) has become an art in itself and should be mastered by all aspiring photographers—amateurs as well as professionals—who are often helpless when it comes to using the full potential of these systems.

Using a simple, step-by-step method for setting up and using the newest Nikon iTTL flash units, Mike teaches all the steps required to achieve consistent and amazing flash photos. He solves the common frustrations associated with flash and teaches readers how to use the SB-500, SB-600, SB-700, SB-800, SB-900, SB-910, and R1C1 strobes. Also included is a chapter showing system configuration so readers can duplicate the desired results on their own. 

Beginning at a basic level and progressing to more advanced techniques, Mike teaches you everything you need to know about mastering Nikon’s iTTL flash system. 

Written by two well-known experts in the field, the book provides:

• critical geometric and material relationships along with proven design process activities, offered in a quick-reference format, with sufficient context to address the range of associated issues present in any building project
• both the "fundamentals" and "applications" which cover design concepts and practice activities applicable to all integrated lighting projects
• specific directives for how the concepts covered are applied in a range of common design scenarios, including architectural rules-of-thumb, instructions for ensuring visual comfort, and preferred approaches for electric lighting control integration.

In demonstrating these necessary insights to designers, the authors employ an iterative analysis of common "daylighting patterns" and illustrate and annotate both successful and unsuccessful examples via built form and simulation. Part of the PocketArchitecture series, this is the ideal pocketbook for any designer serious about reducing the energy impact of their buildings.

• an overview of current practice of daylighting in architecture and urban planning
• a review of recent research on daylighting and what this means to the practitioner
• a global vision of architectural lighting which is linked to the climates of the world and which integrates view, sunlight, diffuse skylight and electric lighting
• up-to-date tools for design in practice
• delivery of information in a variety of ways for interdisciplinary readers: graphics, mathematics, text, photographs and in-depth illustrations
• a clear structure: eleven chapters covering different aspects of lighting, a set of worksheets giving step-by-step examples of calculations and design procedures for use in practice, and a collection of algorithms and equations for reference by specialists and software designers.

This book should trigger creative thought. It recognizes that good lighting design needs both knowledge and imagination.

The second edition of Practical Lighting Design with LEDs has been revised and updated to provide the most current information for developing light-emitting diodes products. The authors, noted authorities in the field, offer a review of the most relevant topics including optical performance, materials, thermal design and modeling and measurement. Comprehensive in scope, the text covers all the information needed to design LEDs into end products.

The user-friendly text also contains numerous drawings and schematics that show how things such as measurements are actually made, and show how circuits actually work. Designed to be practical, the text includes myriad notes and illustrative examples that give pointers and how-to guides on many of the book's topics. In addition, the book’s equations are used only for practical calculations, and are kept at the level of high-school algebra. This thoroughly expanded second edition offers:

• New chapters on the design of an LED flashlight, USB light, automotive taillight, and LED light bulbs
• A practical and user-friendly guide with dozens of new illustrations
• The nitty-gritty, day-to-day engineering and systems used to design and build complete LED systems
• An essential resource on the cutting-edge technology of Light-Emitting Diodes

Practical Lighting Design with LEDs helps engineers and managers meet the demand for the surge in usage for products using light-emitting diodes with a practical guide that takes them through the relevant fields of light, electronic and thermal design.

This book offers a completely fresh approach to the subject, reflecting how the technology of road lighting has progressed to keep up with the changes in lamp technology, especially in solid state light sources, and the increasing awareness of energy use and environmental issues. The book is divided into three parts.

Part One describes lighting of open roads, with chapters discussing visual performance and comfort (including the effects of mesopic vision and age), and international standards and recommendations for road lighting. Lighting equipment is introduced; specifically lamps and luminaires in terms of their practical properties and features, but also the road surface and its characteristics. A chapter on Lighting Design makes the link between theory and practice, providing the reader with the knowledge needed for effective lighting design, including aspects relating to sustainability. The final chapter of Part One deals with lighting calculation conventions and measurements.

Part Two is devoted to light pollution. The negative consequences of light pollution are described and tactics to restrict light pollution explained. Lighting criteria are defined that can be used by the lighting designer to guarantee installations stay within acceptable limits. International standards and recommendations on the restriction of light pollution are discussed.

Part Three is devoted to tunnel lighting, with chapters discussing visual performance in tunnel environments, lighting criteria, standards and recommendations, and concluding with a chapter on tunnel lighting equipment and design.

This book is a valuable resource for road lighting designers and engineers, students of lighting design and engineering, town planners, traffic engineers, environmental specialists, and lamp and luminaire developers and manufacturers.

What are focus tapes, and how do I use them?

What is the best method for creating a magic sheet?

What should be found in every assistant’s kit?

How do I make that first important leap into this professional career?

Answer these questions and many more with The Assistant Lighting Designer’s Toolkit. This definitive guide unlocks the insider-secrets used to succeed as a professional assistant lighting designer (ALD) – whether choosing assisting as a career or while transitioning to another. This book outlines, step-by-step, the challenges the ALD faces during every phase of production. Never before has a resource existed that views the design process through the eyes of the assistant.

Intermingled among the nuts and bolts of the paperwork and essential procedures, top industry professionals reveal tips for personal survival in this challenging career – both domestically and abroad as well as in other careers in lighting. Within these pages are the industry secrets rarely taught in school!

The author's website can be found at http://www.aldtoolkit.com/.

Retrofitting outdated energy-guzzling lighting components with green energy-saving alternatives is a process that promotes sustainability and offers significant benefits for businesses, contractors, and the community at large. Not only can retrofitting improve the overall quality and functionality of light, it also can make spaces safer, easier and less costly to maintain, and more comfortable to inhabit. From lighting technology to retrofit financial analysis, Lighting Retrofit and Relighting evaluates the latest lighting system types, then demonstrates how to apply them for the greatest functional and cost-saving benefit. This book:

• Discusses the recent advances in lighting equipment and retrofittable controls, for both interior and outdoor use

• Explains how to do a lighting audit to identify and evaluate logical retrofit choices

• Includes case studies of retrofits, illustrating improvements in the quality and efficacy of new lighting

• Demonstrates how cost savings realized over time can not only pay for new equipment but produce a return on the investment

Lighting Retrofit and Relighting serves as an ideal reference for students or professionals—whether they are energy auditors, designers, installers, facilities managers, or manufacturers—by taking a close look at the most current lighting technology illuminating pathways toward a brighter future.

One of the most important aspects of photography is lighting, but getting the lighting right is tricky. When should you use flash? Are a camera’s automatic settings dependable? Should you use reflectors or diffusers and where do you place them? This handy, portable reference will show you when, where, and how to create and capture perfect light, every time. The book includes a color checker card to help you maintain true color, as well as examples of stunningly-lit photos of people, wildlife, and landscapes to inspire you.

• Walks you through the essentials of lighting for digital photography
• Helps beginning and intermediate photographers leave the safety of automatic settings and confidently control lighting themselves
• Shows how to evaluate natural light, decide when to use flash, and how and when to use diffusers or reflectors
• Includes a tear-out color checker card to help you maintain true color in your photographs
• Comes in the handy, portable Digital Field Guides size, perfect for camera bags

Create and capture the perfect lighting every time, with Lighting Digital Field Guide!

The book examines the evolution of lighting design in contemporary theatre through an exploration of two fundamental issues:

1. What gave rise to the new directions in lighting design in contemporary theatre?

2. How can these new directions be viewed within the context of lighting design history?

The study then focuses on the phenomenological and semiotic aspects of the medium for light – the role of light as a performer, as the medium of visual perception and as a stimulus for imaginative representations – in selected contemporary theatre productions by Robert Wilson, Romeo Castellucci, Heiner Goebbels, Jossi Wieler and David Zinder.

This ground-breaking book will be required reading for anyone concerned with the future of performance.

• Creating mood and storytelling through lighting

• Using light to create visual shaping

• Directing the viewer’s eye with light and color

• Gathering and utilizing reference images

• Successfully lighting and rendering workflows

• Render layers and how they can be used most effectively

• Specific lighting scenarios, including character lighting, environment lighting, and lighting an animated sequence

• Material properties and their work with lighting

• Compositing techniques essential for a lighter

• A guide on how to start your career and achieve success as a lighting artist

This book is not designed to teach software packages—there are websites, instructional manuals, online demos, and traditional courses available to teach you how to operate specific computer programs. That type of training will teach you how to create an image; this book will teach you the technical skills you need to make that image beautiful.

Key Features

• Stunning examples from a variety of films serve to inspire and inform your creative choices.

• Unique approach focuses on using lighting as a storytelling tool, rather than just telling you which buttons to press.

• Comprehensive companion website contains lighting exercises, assets, challenges, and further resources to help you expand your skillset.