Rick Sammon's Light It! app for iPhone and iPad

Rick Sammon’s Light It! is an iPad app that’s designed to help you make professional-quality digital SLR people pictures – without spending a small fortune on professional lighting accessories.

The app provides access to both video lessons and before/after photographs which a wireless network connection is required.

Rick Sammon took the illustrative photographs with a range of digital SLR cameras – from entry-level to top-of-the-line models. While watching the video lessons, you’ll learn how pros photograph people indoors and outdoors, in bright light and in low light, at home and on location, and even in a studio. In looking at the photographs, you’ll see the effects of Rick’s recommended techniques.

In the easy-to-follow and fun video lessons, some of which were originally shot for Wiley Publishing DVDs, Rick will show you how to use reflectors, diffusers, a flash, flash accessories, basic strobe kits, basic hot-light kits and more. Rick also covers camera settings, as well as some of his photo philosophies. Although Rick often refers to specific cameras, the basic camera settings can be applied to any digital SLR.

This is a basic, or starter, app about lighting. However, as you will see, pros use many of these techniques and accessories to get great shots.

Two of the videos – Top 21 People Photography Tips and Top Ten Digital Photography Tips – feature some of Rick’s favorite pictures from around the world, accompanied with tips, of course!

The movies, shot by Emmy-award winner David Leveen, are divided into five sections:

Basics 33 Minutes
Outdoors 15 Minutes
In Your Home 16 Minutes
On-Location 12 Minutes
Studio Shooting 23 Minutes

The total viewing time is about 1.5 hours. What’s more than 100 end-result pictures are included in the app to illustrate the techniques Rick discusses in the lessons. So in effect, the app is taking a private lesson with me – but only at your own pace.

The app was developed by Craig Ellis of Great Oak Software (www.greatoakmobile.com). In discussing the app, Craig said, “My goal with the design of Light It! was to make it an intuitive yet rich learning experience that showcases Rick’s favorite lessons that are embodied in beautiful videos and before/after photographs. His lessons are fun and easy to follow where he makes learning fast – so user experience supports that flow. I am especially proud of look and feel where iPad users should be immediately familiar, comfortable, and productive using the app to become seasoned photographers in taking better people pictures by learning from the teachings of Rick Sammon.”