Reddit reviews Grammar of the Shot, Motion Picture and Video Lighting, and Cinematography Bundle: Motion Picture and Video Lighting (Volume 3) Second Edition
We found 7 Reddit comments about Grammar of the Shot, Motion Picture and Video Lighting, and Cinematography Bundle: Motion Picture and Video Lighting (Volume 3) Second Edition. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Focal Press
If your looking to get into cinematography, you should check out "Cinematography" and "Motion Picture and Video Lighting" by Blain Brown. Anything from Kris Malkiewicz is worth a read too. "The Grip Book" by Michael Uva, "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" by Harry Box and "The Camera Assistant" by Doug Hart are all excellent books for more trade specific people.
Edit for links:
http://www.amazon.com/Cinematography-Practice-Edition-Cinematographers-Directors/dp/0240812093/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Lighting-Second-Edition/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841096&sr=8-3
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kris+malkiewicz&sprefix=Kris+ma%2Caps%2C359&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Akris+malkiewicz&ajr=0
http://www.amazon.com/The-Grip-Book-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240812913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Fourth-Edition/dp/0240810759/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841229&sr=8-4
http://www.amazon.com/The-Camera-Assistant-Complete-Professional/dp/0240800427/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1333841294&sr=8-4
I got to Columbia College Chicago and this is the book the teach us lighting from in the first courses.
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634
I would definitely say learning how to light a scene comes from practice though, definitely do some reading so you can make educated decisions, but nothing beats practice.
Read this book.
Read this book.
Read this book too.
These will give you a good basis to build knowledge/experience from.
The only diagrams for professional work I've ever seen were in a book called Motion Picture Lighting and Video Lighting. I've scanned one of the diagrams in the book as an example, though like you said, I don't think you'd have the resources to recreate it.
http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634
This my favorite book on lighting.
Definitely read "The 5 C's of Cinematography" before anything else. http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884793&sr=1-1&keywords=5+c%27s+of+cinematography
I love "New Cinematographers" which has been a very inspiring book for me as it reminded me why I love working in the film industry at a time when I was contemplating quitting altogether. http://www.amazon.com/New-Cinematographers-Alex-Ballinger/dp/1856693341
The Eye is Quicker. http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Quicker-Editing-Making-Better/dp/0941188841/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884818&sr=1-1&keywords=the+eye+is+quicker
Motion Picture and Video Lighting. http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884852&sr=1-4&keywords=grip+and+lighting
The Camera Assistant's Manual by David Elkins. http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Assistants-Manual-David-Elkins/dp/0240818687/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884939&sr=1-1&keywords=camera+assistant
http://www.amazon.ca/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs8_KD_lvBg
In this field, you have to learn by doing. Get a small lighting kit with at least three lights. Get some gels and some diffusion. Set up your camera and play around.