Reviewer: Niclas P.

I rented the whole kit and this review is based on that, since I had them for a week I can't remember which scenes were on which disc. I probably would recommend renting them as a kit though, you sort of get focused and some discs are better than others. The guy is obviously very skilled but the discs are from the 80's so some of the way they set up scenes and portraits look a bit dated. He is very skilled in setting up lights, many times with only one head, and here lies the biggest benefit of the series. You really start to understand what's going on and how a professionally shot picture is gradually built up. These discs could easily been condensed into let's say 2, highly recommended though, very few alternatives.

Reviewer: Carl C.

I've only seen Disc 4 (Basics), which is where it has been recommended that a lighting beginner start. About half of disc 4 is strobe lighting, the other half outdoor lighting. All of it is concerned with portrait photography. There are occasional tips concerning what modelling agencies are looking for and other aspects of working with a model.

The lighting setups are built up step by step, showing the setup in a diagram and results of each step... a photo of the raw main light, photo after diffuser is inserted, photo after the reflector, etc. This disc, at least, assumes very little knowledge on the part of the viewer. The use of a flag to block light from the strobe from hitting the lens is explained more than once, for instance.

Much of the studio work is done with a single strobe... and an inexpensive portable flash just a step up from a powerful hotshoe flash. (I'm told that the Metz strobe used here is about one stop more powerful than my Sunpak 383, which has a GN of 120. That's one thing that's oddly missing in the video, is nothing about the strobe other than its brand name is mentioned.) All of the strobe techniques are very adaptable to off-camera hot-shoe flashes that can be bought used for $40 to $100.

As noted, these are VHS transfers from the 80's. The material is slightly dated (no mention of digital), but the basic techniques haven't changed... light is still light, and a cheap PVC-and-fabric panel is still cheap.

Some of it is repetitive (lighting control involves five values, the diffuse area, the shadow area, the specular highlight, and the boundaries between the diffuse and shadow and the diffuse and specular... you'll hear this at the beginning of each segment, but you'll _remember_ it by the end. It seems that each segment must have been an independent VHS tape in original release or something, because they stand alone and repeat information.

The only thing I actually disliked was that during the shooting scenes, the voice-over is done by a narrator and not Collins himself. When Collins speaks, we just get to see his talking head in a studio interview format... so it doesn't really feel like Collins is doing the teaching.

All-in-all, the introductory lessons in disc 4 are solid and very helpful to the beginning photographer on a budget. The content is top-notch, and I only rate the video a 4 because the videos are old and don't take advantage of the video presentation that modern tools would have provided.

Reviewer: Efrain F B.

Not a bad video, did pick up some good tips. I would recommend.

Reviewer: Gregory W.

I consider myself a standard 'beginner' and although I have a minor understanding of camera functions and lighting basics (i.e. diffuse, softening of light, bounced light,etc.) This DVD really helped to strengthen the foundation. Dean Collins speaks very quickly about his thoughts regarding his choice of setups and technical recommendations, but he is articulate and so if you repeat your viewing then you will certainly catch on to his quickly delivered ideas. Although this particular DVD had more than my simple mind could completely consume. It felt I really could do this step by step, to produce some excellent images.

Reviewer: Chris T.

I think he is excellent at teaching lighting. No wonder his video is still being sold 20 years later.

Reviewer: Henry K.

Excellent material well illustrated with Portrait Lighting examples. Well worth watching and a first class rental value.

Reviewer: Dan D.

Rent only the fourth DVD! It's got the heart and soul of Dean's insights....

OK, I know that you can't but if you could, the good news is that the 4th really represents the most straight forward explaination of what he was teaching. We lost Dean a while back and by all accounts he was one of those rare guys . . . a good guy with something to say. Now all that's left is a couple DVDs. If you're interested in some basics on who to light a human being, inside a studio or outside working with sunlight and reflectors, Collins will get you started. He was a big haired, sixties kind of guy but with a real understanding of lighting. Thirty dollars to rent on DVD (the 4th one) is big hit but worth it. Recommended.

Reviewer: Derek R.

You really have to get past the dated look of the clothes and the hair and listen to what Dean has to say. Once you do that, you are in for some great information.

Reviewer: Gareld B.

About half way thought "the light comes on" and you get it! Timeless.

Reviewer: Kevin A.

Great video series - even though it's a bit older now, the concepts all apply to digital.

Reviewer: Pete K.

I learned a lot about light while watching these videos. These were originally produced 20+ years ago, but the information presented is still fresh and opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities. I'm coming to lighting as an amature reading sites like strobist.com, and these videos really complemented what I've read by demonstrating in a really clear fashion what different techniques accomplish when creating a lighting setup.

Reviewer: Terry P.

The Dean Collins DVDs are great! I once owned two of them in VHS and when I found them on SmartFlix I was excited to see a DVD edition. It is also a little humorous to see the 1980s hairstyles and clothes on his models. But his contribution to photographic lighting is amazing.

Reviewer: chris s.

Good DVD, only rented the 4th (Basics) one and it reinforced a lot of what I already had some knowledge of while introducing some new ideas. Most of it is based around what you can do with the light (reflecting and diffusing) panels he uses, which is great since it's easy to DIY, but not very convenient or portable at all. Overall, good, but nothing you can't learn over at strobist.com.

Reviewer: Richard V.

Excellent 4 DVD series. The only lighting title that I have liked better is Dean Collins Live at Brooks Institute.

Nothing else that I have seen is in the same league as the Dean Collins material. The Will Crocket Smart Shooter DVDs are a complete waste of time (and technically incorrect in many spots). The Monte Zucker DVDs don't go into lighting like Dean but were also an excellent rental for other reasons including posing techniques.

Reviewer: William W.

This entire set is fantastic. Unfortunately, we lost Dean Collins to cancer in 2000, but this tutorial set, created in the 80's, is a wonderful legacy left to us by the "Dean" of lighting.

The information, the teaching style, the whole thing... Wow! That's all I can say! You'll have to see it to believe it!

Highly recommended to both the beginner and professional practitioner, the set serves equally well as tutorial or inspiration.

Reviewer: Ed R.

I thought this was very informative. I chose to get disc 4 of 4 first because it was "the basics". I will now order discs 1-3.

Reviewer: Dennis W.

Excellent introduction to simple lighting techniques

Reviewer: Darrin Y.

Pay attention to this one and you learn a few things. I enjoyed it very much.

Reviewer: Bryan S.

Dean Collins is a master of lighting. This video has some very insightful techniques. Highly recommended!

Reviewer: John C.

Rented only Dean Collins on Lighting disk 3. The video was interesting and you can pick up a few tips. I purchased DC on lighting at Brooks Ins. in 1991 and really thought it was a great video.

Reviewer: WJ M.

Great video. Even though it is decades old principles still apply.

Reviewer: Matthew B.

Once you look past the 80's hairstyles–you realize that this is, quite simply, one of the best most informative lighting and photography training videos around.

Collins is able to break down a number of complex concepts and repeat the information so matter of fact-ly that you find yourself understanding the concepts with very little effort.

A lot of emphasis is placed on using light panels and their use to diffuse, reflect, or completely block light– in the interest of controlling background exposure by changing subject exposure. The good news, is that you can construct each and every one of these panels using PVC and ripstop nylon.

Many of the cameras used are large/medium format, so the exact settings are somewhat irrelevant. But Collins teaches the you about lighting ratios, incident vs. reflective metering, and balancing light in a way that applicable to all photographic equipment.

In short, this was one of the most rewarding training discs that I've ever watched– I highly recommend it for anyone interested in a gaining a better understanding of manipulating light and taking photographs.

Reviewer: John C.

This is an Ok DVD....I'm glad that I rented rather than buying the package.

Reviewer: Annie L.

Great lighting techniques from the master, but sadly the DVD was damaged and I only saw 1/3 of it.

Reviewer: David M.

Excellent - it is amazing what you can do with just one light.

Reviewer: Harvey M.

I had part of the fine line in print from 20 plus years ago. I accidentally found out about the DVDs while searching for more. This was a great find. I really enjoy the live demonstrations and explanations for his work. Thanks!

Reviewer: Stewart O.

I picked up several great ideas from this video. It's amazing what can be done with proper use of just one light!

Reviewer: LAURENCE S.

The value one can get out of this whole set is amazing. To watch and re-watch this set opened my eyes to a range of possibilities as well as, bringing to light (no pun intended) a number of things I read, yet did not fully understand due to the written material being unclear in description. I would whole-heartedly recommend these DVDs to anyone wishing to improve their indoor or outdoor portrait/fashion/glamor photography.

Dean Collins fast pace brings you a ton of information on these DVDs. You will certainly wish to go over them more than once. I only wish there were several more sets of this brilliant and talented man. What is covered here though, is tremendous! I have seen other videos, gotten some courses on ebay, and have volumes of great photography books. Yet, none of this material can compare (in my opinion) to how Dean Collins presents it in his informative, yet fast paced manner.

Smartflix...Please add more quality lighting/photography DVDs like this to your collection.

Reviewer: Jerry G.

I had found a DIY on the internet about building your own diffuson panels and they looked interesting. I actually did it, but there wasn't much follow up info on how to then actually use them. When I got the Dean Collins DVD I had no idea that he would be talking largely about those same panels, or that he even used panels. It was extremely helpful to me to see them used in practical application. Now I'm trying to find the mirrors like those that he used. I'm definitely better having watched this DVD and taken lots of notes for future use. I'll probably rent the rest of the series now. This was $10 extremely well spent. The only real problem is that many set-ups require more than one person. Still, it's good knowledge to have.

Reviewer: Barbara H.

This video is on studio lighting equipment and how to use it for getting the best type of photographic lighting of a person for portrait or portfolio pictures for models in the studio and outside of it. It also gives examples of how to set up the studio equipment for different lighting affects and it demonstrates how each set-up will affect the portrayal of the subject/model. It also states what aspects of the lighting develops a three dimensional portrayal of the subject/model.

Reviewer: Adrian T.

This set is a must-see. I started on disk 4, then rented 1, 2 and 3 over four consecutive weeks. I really like Dean Collins' presentation - just the right mix of technical lighting theory with professional practice. Highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in people photography. BTW, the lighting panels (or something very close to them) that Dean uses throughout the videos are available through Photoflex as "Litepanels". You can get them from Adorama.com.

Reviewer: Bill M.

While the 80's are gone, the information is timeless.

Highly recommended.

Reviewer: Mark G.

Fast delivery and turn around. What a way to view tutorials.

Reviewer: John M.

I've been watching Dean Collins' videos for 20 years, and every time I want to be inspired, I watch them again. Dean was the greatest, bar none.

Reviewer: larry g.

Light is light and the methods of using it for photography haven't changed. This is a very good video series. It's also a nostalgia trip. :-)

Reviewer: larry g.

This dvd set, and I recommend the set be rented not just one disc, covers a lot of ground. Various shooting setups and not just the lighting setups but the reasoning/rationale behind controlling the light. The video and styles are dated but the principals are not. If there is one nit to pick it's that Dean talks about a gazillion miles an hour in the first two dvd's. He slows down later in the series and there is always the narrator throughout the set that is clear, deliberate and easy to understand.

Reviewer: steve c.

Great set, recommend it to all. I knew Dean while at Brooks in the early 80's. No matter what you record it with, film or digital, if it isn't lit well it doesn't work. His lighting techniques are timeless even if some of the images are dated. Photography is all light and knowing how to use it.

Reviewer: steve l.

I did not enjoy it. I was all psyched up to start the program and this really disappointed me.

At least 20 years old and dated. On the first dvd Mr collins is posed on a cluttered set with his feet up on a desk(soles showing), talking and drinking coffee. This is an instructor?

Reviewer: Virginia H.

Excellent. Would watch this over and over again if I owned it.

Reviewer: Virginia H.

Excellent, excellent, excellent. The concepts explained in one of my favorite books, Light, Science & Magic come alive through Dean Collins' real-world demonstrations.