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The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light from Small Flashes
The author describes the techniques he uses with small flashes to achieve correct lighting for dynamic photographs.
303 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2008
81 people are currently reading
788 people want to read
About the author
Joe McNally
50 books53 followersAn accomplished and widely-respected photographer, Joe McNally got his start as a newspaper photographer in New York, eventually becoming a staff photographer for Time magazine and a frequent contributor to National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and numerous other publications.
Particularly noted for his portraits, McNally teaches numerous workshops throughout the year.
See McNally's own website or his biography at National Geographic's site for more.
Particularly noted for his portraits, McNally teaches numerous workshops throughout the year.
See McNally's own website or his biography at National Geographic's site for more.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
March 6, 2011
The interesting thing about this book is that it has an enjoyable, casual style, inside a well thought-out and executed three hundred or so pages. The amount of information this book provides is immense but you don't mind acquiring it. This is because McNally makes the point early on that this is not a camera manual. His intention is to divulge his photography techniques through the eyes of a working professional. Obviously, the technical types who write manuals need to present their information in concise, linear ways, but this book on Flash Photography, specifically the use of the Nikon system of "speedlights", or portable electronic flashes, is a welcome refuge from trying to absorb the mumbo-jumbo provided by the manufacturer. I can attest to McNAlly's success in reaching his goal from my experience as the first-time purchaser of the current generation of Nikon's i-TTL flashes. I wouldn't know how to operate my new flash without the manual, but this book shows how all of those features are used to create photographs.
Joe McNally has been successfully marrying the creative and technical aspects of photography for decades. He has been a staff photographer for "Life" magazine and continues to produce memorable photos for "National Geographic." He is known for his highly regarded "Faces of Ground Zero - Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th", a collection of 245 giant, nine by four foot-sized Polaroid portraits he made of the workers who toiled in the wake of the 2001 attack. This collection has toured various cities over the years and has earned, so far, over two million dollars for 9-11 relief. He's one of those people who seem to never stop moving. In addition to his paid and freelance work, he is Kelby instructor, and tours the country, giving hands-on training in major cities. Everything he does is of the highest quality.
The high visual impact of his photographs are what drew my attention to "The Hot Shoe Diaries" on a Borders bookshelf. Everyone interested in photography would likewise drawn to work of this caliber. McNally tells all of the techniques in his book, which he calls an irreverent brain dump of accumulated knowledge presented as a diary. This is what separates this book from a manual. The methods of taking pictures are there, but they are presented in the context of why he took on the assignments, and what he learned from each experience. You won't find another book representing a master course in lighting techniques which does a better job of explaining what McNally calls "visual poetry. The feel of the light, not the numbers."
There's no doubt that many of the techniques discussed in this book are transposable to other flash systems, such as Canon's. The nomenclature of certain processes and the names of specific equipment in this book are, however, derived from Nikon. McNally also spends much time explaining the pro's and con's of third-party accessories, and their applicability would be the same for any particular system.
You can see how McNally works with flash in Nikon's Speedlights with the Nikon School's DVD tutorial: "A Hands-on Guide to Creative Lighting." I should note here that the video is not mentioned in "The Hot Shoe Diaries;" I mention it here because I greatly enjoyed it, and found its subject material to be completely compatible with the book. One of the differences is that the book is Joe McNally's creation, allowing him to say what he thinks about any equipment (given the freedom to speak, he has high praise for the reliability and versatility of Nikon equipment). McNally is accompanied on the photo sessions in the disc by Bob Krist, another distinguished "National Geographic" veteran. Although similar techniques are described, the photographs in the book generally do not replicate those in the video, with small exceptions. Both sources give detailed accounts of McNally's famous multi-flash setups which produced some of his most eye-catching photos, but they don't leave the more casual shooter by the wayside. The book contains over a hundred pages devoted to one-flash photographs. If you think you are handicapped by just having one good flash to accompany your digital SLR, you have no excuse for not taking excellent flash photographs after reading this book.
Joe McNally has been successfully marrying the creative and technical aspects of photography for decades. He has been a staff photographer for "Life" magazine and continues to produce memorable photos for "National Geographic." He is known for his highly regarded "Faces of Ground Zero - Portraits of the Heroes of September 11th", a collection of 245 giant, nine by four foot-sized Polaroid portraits he made of the workers who toiled in the wake of the 2001 attack. This collection has toured various cities over the years and has earned, so far, over two million dollars for 9-11 relief. He's one of those people who seem to never stop moving. In addition to his paid and freelance work, he is Kelby instructor, and tours the country, giving hands-on training in major cities. Everything he does is of the highest quality.
The high visual impact of his photographs are what drew my attention to "The Hot Shoe Diaries" on a Borders bookshelf. Everyone interested in photography would likewise drawn to work of this caliber. McNally tells all of the techniques in his book, which he calls an irreverent brain dump of accumulated knowledge presented as a diary. This is what separates this book from a manual. The methods of taking pictures are there, but they are presented in the context of why he took on the assignments, and what he learned from each experience. You won't find another book representing a master course in lighting techniques which does a better job of explaining what McNally calls "visual poetry. The feel of the light, not the numbers."
There's no doubt that many of the techniques discussed in this book are transposable to other flash systems, such as Canon's. The nomenclature of certain processes and the names of specific equipment in this book are, however, derived from Nikon. McNally also spends much time explaining the pro's and con's of third-party accessories, and their applicability would be the same for any particular system.
You can see how McNally works with flash in Nikon's Speedlights with the Nikon School's DVD tutorial: "A Hands-on Guide to Creative Lighting." I should note here that the video is not mentioned in "The Hot Shoe Diaries;" I mention it here because I greatly enjoyed it, and found its subject material to be completely compatible with the book. One of the differences is that the book is Joe McNally's creation, allowing him to say what he thinks about any equipment (given the freedom to speak, he has high praise for the reliability and versatility of Nikon equipment). McNally is accompanied on the photo sessions in the disc by Bob Krist, another distinguished "National Geographic" veteran. Although similar techniques are described, the photographs in the book generally do not replicate those in the video, with small exceptions. Both sources give detailed accounts of McNally's famous multi-flash setups which produced some of his most eye-catching photos, but they don't leave the more casual shooter by the wayside. The book contains over a hundred pages devoted to one-flash photographs. If you think you are handicapped by just having one good flash to accompany your digital SLR, you have no excuse for not taking excellent flash photographs after reading this book.
January 19, 2019
A must read if you want to do something with that speedlight of yours (Nikon's term). Lot's of examples to get you started with using artificial lights and modifiers without going bankrupt.
January 5, 2018
Joe McNally is an awesome photographer. He is a master of environmental portrait, and his work for National Geographic, Life, Time has helped shape what I consider a good photography. Understandably, I was very excited about this book.
What it is a not: a technical handbook. Look elsewhere if you want tables, diagrams, settings. What little is in terms of technical references is about Nikon gear. You have been warned. He only uses portable flashes (Nikon Speedlights, what Canon calls Speedlites), so you will not find anything about studio or continual lights.
What it is: a very interesting glimpse into the way he approaches shoots, and his problem solving method to light a given situation. Instead of taking photos specifically to illustrate concept, he draws on his amazing portfolio to explain how different photos where taken.
The good: he is thought provoking and encouraging. He shares his process candidly, advocates going out and shooting, and using the gear we have. He shows how great results can be obtained with a reasonable investment. The photos selected are gorgeous and cover a wide variety of topics.
Not-so-good: He strives to be a down-to-earth, regular guy, and he uses colorful language and pop culture references liberally. However, the anecdotal style becomes repetitive after a while, and it becomes difficult to remember where a given nugget of advice or information was. I understand, it is a diary, not a handbook, but a summary of key points for each chapter would have been great. And more diagrams, I found the sketches he posted in some chapters way more clear than long winded descriptions of where the flashes were.
Also a note about technology: the problem solving approach is obviously the main lesson here, but he spends significant time discussing how he set the flashes to ensure the optical flash triggering worked. In almost 10 years since this book was published, we have got reliable and affordable RF triggering systems, increasingly incorporated in the flashes and cameras. We have drones, we have smartphones apps that we can use to control our cameras, we have Chinese flash alternatives that lower the price tag of the equipment. Keep the approach, move with the times.
Overall, well worth your while if you have interest in strobist/off-camera flash, portraits and you love National Geographic style photography.
What it is a not: a technical handbook. Look elsewhere if you want tables, diagrams, settings. What little is in terms of technical references is about Nikon gear. You have been warned. He only uses portable flashes (Nikon Speedlights, what Canon calls Speedlites), so you will not find anything about studio or continual lights.
What it is: a very interesting glimpse into the way he approaches shoots, and his problem solving method to light a given situation. Instead of taking photos specifically to illustrate concept, he draws on his amazing portfolio to explain how different photos where taken.
The good: he is thought provoking and encouraging. He shares his process candidly, advocates going out and shooting, and using the gear we have. He shows how great results can be obtained with a reasonable investment. The photos selected are gorgeous and cover a wide variety of topics.
Not-so-good: He strives to be a down-to-earth, regular guy, and he uses colorful language and pop culture references liberally. However, the anecdotal style becomes repetitive after a while, and it becomes difficult to remember where a given nugget of advice or information was. I understand, it is a diary, not a handbook, but a summary of key points for each chapter would have been great. And more diagrams, I found the sketches he posted in some chapters way more clear than long winded descriptions of where the flashes were.
Also a note about technology: the problem solving approach is obviously the main lesson here, but he spends significant time discussing how he set the flashes to ensure the optical flash triggering worked. In almost 10 years since this book was published, we have got reliable and affordable RF triggering systems, increasingly incorporated in the flashes and cameras. We have drones, we have smartphones apps that we can use to control our cameras, we have Chinese flash alternatives that lower the price tag of the equipment. Keep the approach, move with the times.
Overall, well worth your while if you have interest in strobist/off-camera flash, portraits and you love National Geographic style photography.
December 30, 2009
A flashy little book about flash photography. McNally is a little rambly and over-colloquial some of the time, but he also knows his stuff, so this is full of useful practical adivce for increasing your lighting options anywhere you may be shooting.
Especially useful to me because:
1. McNally is nearly always in the field, which is vastly more interesting than studio work
2. All Nikon, so it's tailored to stuff I already have and use
3. It's broken down into a series of many, many quick practical how-I-shot-this examples, which I am much better at remembering than properly organized lessons.
Thanks, Mom and Dad.
Especially useful to me because:
1. McNally is nearly always in the field, which is vastly more interesting than studio work
2. All Nikon, so it's tailored to stuff I already have and use
3. It's broken down into a series of many, many quick practical how-I-shot-this examples, which I am much better at remembering than properly organized lessons.
Thanks, Mom and Dad.
April 23, 2013
What I learned from Joe McNally is that I am enormously lazy. Probably most every skilled photographer knows the technicalities behind the techniques Joe uses. The difference lies in that Joe takes everything up ten notches. He does what any of us could do if we possessed extraordinary passion; and that's the best lesson from this book: think everything through; consider the details of the details of the details; don't throw equipment at the problem, throw intelligence. To read this book is to be humbled. It's a glimpse of what's possible when you throw away the possibility of mediocrity.
April 23, 2021
As a Canon photographer with more modern tech available (cheaper radio controlled remote triggers remove many of the problems the author has to solve), I found the information and stories in this book to be very useful guide to thinking about lighting different situations.
The personal writing style was a good balance against the amount of information covered in the book. However, the colloquial style just hasn't aged well and persistently comes across as unnecessarily objectifying of his female models (referred to in one of the latter stories as "beautiful creatures" for example). The information the author has to convey is super useful to any photographer today, but anyone who believes in fully respecting their female subjects and telling stories through photography that goes deeper than traditional beauty shots will find the language used frustrating and distracting.
The personal writing style was a good balance against the amount of information covered in the book. However, the colloquial style just hasn't aged well and persistently comes across as unnecessarily objectifying of his female models (referred to in one of the latter stories as "beautiful creatures" for example). The information the author has to convey is super useful to any photographer today, but anyone who believes in fully respecting their female subjects and telling stories through photography that goes deeper than traditional beauty shots will find the language used frustrating and distracting.
September 14, 2019
Useful stories and examples about lighting images with Nikon speedlights. It got me experimenting and thinking about lighting differently so it achieved its purpose. Loved seeing how much impact light and light colour could have on an image. Does seem a little repetitive at times but that does highlight that some techniques are versatile and will help you out in multiple situations.
While very Nikon centric (works for me :)) users of other camera ecosystems could apply many of the same tips because most guidance is in generic lighting terms rather than "press this button then that button" terms. It is up to you whether you are willing to translate equipment names constantly or whether you'd rather find a different book that matches your ecosystem.
While very Nikon centric (works for me :)) users of other camera ecosystems could apply many of the same tips because most guidance is in generic lighting terms rather than "press this button then that button" terms. It is up to you whether you are willing to translate equipment names constantly or whether you'd rather find a different book that matches your ecosystem.
October 4, 2025
Maybe this was a bit too much picture hocus pocus for me ... in this phase of my life at least. I moved from a Nikon addict to a 'why not take a quick picture with my iPhone' mode. I know this is more me, and when I got this book from a friend (turning 40, not that long ago :) ), I might have read it more thoroughly and even picked up some tips and tricks. Now I more read it for the interesting stories and the (usually) awesome pictures.
If you are a real photo enthousiast, this is a book for you!
If you are a real photo enthousiast, this is a book for you!
November 5, 2018
I love Joe's casual writing style, which belies his absolute brilliance as a lighting guru and conceptual photographer. This is an important peek into the mind of a master at his craft. Since it is a book on lighting techniques for photographers with an emphasis on complicated lighting, this isn't a book for the everyman, but ALL who call themselves photographers should do themselves a favor and experience this entertaining masterpiece.
June 9, 2018
Coming in as an absolute beginner to the world of flashes this was an invaluable read. Joe has a very engaging style of story telling and is a master of the craft. A read through gives you a sense of not just the tech but also how a photographer layers the lights plans them and gives color to the scene. Need to do some rereads once I've had a chance to test this out
July 22, 2020
Frank, amusing and valuable lighting advice from a long-time professional. A lot of this stuff is Nikon/Speedlight-specific and very technical, so get prepped for that, but it's very good, practical, in-the-moment stuff.
December 28, 2016
Very anecdotal, not so technical. I shoot canon not nikon as well and what tech info was provided wasn't very universal.
July 30, 2019
Simply inspirational.
September 22, 2019
This book is essential to anyone that wants to work with speed lights. Joe Mcnally is one of the masters of light.
Read
August 3, 2021Amazing guide to understand lighting for both pros, aspiring pros, amateurs and enthusiasts!
March 5, 2023
This is required reading for anyone looking to learn how lighting works.
December 20, 2023
Its virtue is in the brevity with which techniques are described.
June 3, 2010
I always enjoy reading a photographic how-to book where the author, a respected practitioner of his craft, basically turns conventional wisdom on its head and shows how things can often be done more simply, and often better. That's the case with Joe McNally's newest offering. It demonstrates that you don't need to invest the kids' college fund in expensive studio lighting equipment in order to achieve the results you desire. Joe's philosophy leans towards the "less is more" approach. He relies almost exclusively on the use of hand-held strobes in pulling off some really amazing results. He illustrates his minimalist approach by chronicling actual photo shoots during his impressive career as a professional photographer. He mixes a good bit of humor into his narratives keeping everything on the "light" side. This book is a must read, not only for the photojournalist or commercial photographer, but for anyone interested in making better pictures.
March 3, 2011
I reviewed The Speedliters Handbook by Syl Arena and said it was a very good handbook, but the example photographs were pretty mundane. This book is the exact opposite! Instead of using specially taken photographs to explain lighting with small strobes, Joe McNally looks back through his portfolio of National Geographic, Time, Life and Sports Illustrated photographs, and explains in rambling, folksy language how he lit each one. It is highly repetitive, but drives home McNally's style of shooting.
Mainly this is a book for inspiration and raising awareness of just what is possible with a Speedlight/lite, an umbrella, and some gaffa tape. It's all about an awareness of light and colour, and how to be creative.
There are a few chapters about the gear side of things, but that is all Nikon gear. If you want to know every button and menu and option for the Canon gear, get Syl Arena's book.
Mainly this is a book for inspiration and raising awareness of just what is possible with a Speedlight/lite, an umbrella, and some gaffa tape. It's all about an awareness of light and colour, and how to be creative.
There are a few chapters about the gear side of things, but that is all Nikon gear. If you want to know every button and menu and option for the Canon gear, get Syl Arena's book.
February 10, 2016
Cannot recommend this book enough. Inspirational and informative. Humorous and down to earth. Joe writes like he's sitting across the table from you at the pub, and of course, he takes some incredible photographs. This is not a straight instructional manual on using speed-lights. Part one (Nuts and Bolts) is a 40 or so page introduction to the equipment, grip, and other best practices. The remainder of the book consists of 2 to 6 page independent vignettes that generally start with a photograph or an assignment to get a photograph. Joe explains how he gets the shot(s), warts and all (including mistakes made along the way), and makes clear his rationale along the way.
While Joe uses Nikon gear, the book is somewhat brand agnostic. As long as you know how to operate your lights Canon and off-brand shooters should have little trouble following along and reproducing the described set ups.
If you only get one Joe McNally book, make it this one.
While Joe uses Nikon gear, the book is somewhat brand agnostic. As long as you know how to operate your lights Canon and off-brand shooters should have little trouble following along and reproducing the described set ups.
If you only get one Joe McNally book, make it this one.
May 15, 2010
There has been a review or at least several comments hanging in my brain somewhere behind the slowing fading remnants of having been flashed too many time in the past two or three months. I picked this book up right after it was released earlier this year. The other photographer's I was working with primarily use Nikon gear and this looked as it would provide some good inspiration for us all. It indeed did!!
A great non-manual for the creative side of flash enhanced photography.
After all this is a business about using and controlling light.
I'd add several more paragraphs but instead will, for now, refer you to my professional review of this great addition to any photographer's library.
The Hot Shoe Diaries Review at photographyREVIEW.com
A great non-manual for the creative side of flash enhanced photography.
After all this is a business about using and controlling light.
I'd add several more paragraphs but instead will, for now, refer you to my professional review of this great addition to any photographer's library.
The Hot Shoe Diaries Review at photographyREVIEW.com
July 15, 2009
Also available as an e-book from my local library, I read this after finishing The Moment it Clicks. As the title suggests, this book is narrower in focus, and less useful to me personally because I'm not (yet) a DSLR user.
Don't let that turn you away, though, because McNally's writing is so wonderfully chatty and helpful that you can't help but learn something. A recognized a good bit of this material from his blog (http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/), which is well worth checking out.
Looks like I'm going to have to buy that slave flash for my point-and-shoot Canon after all. Darn you, Joe!
Don't let that turn you away, though, because McNally's writing is so wonderfully chatty and helpful that you can't help but learn something. A recognized a good bit of this material from his blog (http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/), which is well worth checking out.
Looks like I'm going to have to buy that slave flash for my point-and-shoot Canon after all. Darn you, Joe!
November 1, 2014
This was fine but really is no more than a series of anecdotes. I was hoping for more explanations of gear, piece by piece, and schematics of lighting scenarios. I knew this was going to be about the Nikon hot shoe flash (I shoot Canon) but I still thought I would get a lot of information about how to use off camera flash to do a wide variety of shots, but I found this book to be of limited value. I needed some charts! I needed some background and explanation of what each device was. This book was too insider Nikon for me. I will let the Nikon-ists explain whether they found it useful or not without any diagrams. I think a much better book is Scott Kelby's lighting book Light it, Shoot it, Retouch. Kelly is the master of practical, not aren't-I-a-stud I shot this anecdote...
May 14, 2014
Clear, accessible writing that will help you get the most from Nikon's CLS in i-TTL mode. I would have liked to see some lighting diagrams, and also a bit more information on how a solo photographer could pull off these scenarios. A bunch of them seem to require an assistant and that's not something I can aspire to any time soon. The best information here is about blending flash with ambient light. There's lots of great information on gels, white balance, fill flash, shutter drag, EV compensation, and other issues related to getting your flash to work with the available light. A great resource overall.
November 3, 2014
A pretty good read. Based on the beginning I thought it would overall be a bit more instructional (and had hoped that it would be), but it turned into a bunch of really short chapters of anecdotes. Interesting stuff, but not quite what I'd hoped for.
I appreciate the casual writing style, but it can be a bit much at times (I don't think there's a single "because" in the entire book -- just "'cause" throughout). It does help the author's clearly quirky personality shine through, though.
Still, all of his anecdotes are incredible, and what you can glean from them is valuable.
I appreciate the casual writing style, but it can be a bit much at times (I don't think there's a single "because" in the entire book -- just "'cause" throughout). It does help the author's clearly quirky personality shine through, though.
Still, all of his anecdotes are incredible, and what you can glean from them is valuable.
December 30, 2021
The Hot Shoe Diaries is an amazing book for anyone interested in using off camera flash. Similar to McNally’s other book The Moment It Clicks it is part coffee table book part photography how to book. McNally explains how he got various shots spanning his several decade career. This book specifically deals with images captured using speedlights, or small flashes. His writing style makes this book a joy to read but may be too crass for some. More educational than autobiographical compared to his prior book: The Moment It Clicks. Highly recommended.
July 31, 2009
Joe is a great writer! He keeps you entertained while teaching you something about lighting in the midst. Lots of tips and techniques I want to try. Only thing I wish is that there were sketches for all his shots, but he does have enough detail in each picture that you can back work most of it.
Might be a little high level for someone just entering photography, but if you have a hot shoe flash, this is a must read!
Might be a little high level for someone just entering photography, but if you have a hot shoe flash, this is a must read!
December 21, 2009
Fabulous! What a great book on lighting!
I don't even dare call this an introduction, it's more of an immersion. McNally starts by laying out all his equipment and letting you have a gander, then takes you, chapter by chapter, on a shooting spree. He shows you the good, the dark and the illuminated.
Whenever I need a push to get my creativity going I pull out this volume and flip to a chapter. Pretty soon I'm out and about, camera in hand, ready to light up the world! Thanks, Joe!
I don't even dare call this an introduction, it's more of an immersion. McNally starts by laying out all his equipment and letting you have a gander, then takes you, chapter by chapter, on a shooting spree. He shows you the good, the dark and the illuminated.
Whenever I need a push to get my creativity going I pull out this volume and flip to a chapter. Pretty soon I'm out and about, camera in hand, ready to light up the world! Thanks, Joe!
March 21, 2011
I enjoyed the book. While McNally is a Nikon shooter and all of the information is regarding Nikon Flashes it is the methods that he uses to light subjects in different situations that are informative. While it would be nice to use all of the equipment he uses, for some amateurs owning more than one speed light might be difficult or impossible to do.
It does give you ideas as to how to light creatively in different circumstances.
It does give you ideas as to how to light creatively in different circumstances.
April 24, 2011
Joe McNally gives some good advice for the “strobist” followers out there, but ultimately I found this book a disappointment. His “folksy,” casual writing style may appeal to some people (people who don’t like to read books on design / technical theory?) but for me it was just an annoying obstacle to the real information. As-good or better info can be had for free simply by reading the strobist.com website.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews