basics for home studio kit

[mr michael]

what are the absolute basics i d need to get started in terms of lights/backdrops etc...... cheers, oh and where s good to look for these things..... xxxx

[mr michael]

...sobs........!!:)

[Kenski]

I run a pair of photogenics studiomax II 320's It is good for one full length person or a pair of chest ups. I haven't really tried them for too much more and they work REALLY good. I'm going to pick up another 320 and 160 for background and hairlight. I made my own background stand with PVC.

I do use Fluorescents with reflectors for my shooting table and tent. It is just SOOO much eaiser to throw the table and tent into their bags and throw a bunch of lights into another bag to take on location. I use up to 6 Fluorescent if shooting a large object otherwise I stick with 4 with no problems. Cheaper too, it may not look professional but they do the job.

I do read alot of peoples comments here but I take them with a grain of salt. Everyone is ALIENBEES this and ALIENBEES that. I have seen them, I have used them, Im not that impressed for what they cost. I am very happy with my photogenics and they work great. I have a couple of umbrellas, a box, and then diffusion panels which I made. You would be surprised how well a diffusion panel with a set of lights outdoors in natural light shooting a car works! AWESOME.

[DavidsStudio]

what are the absolute basics i d need to get started in terms of lights/backdrops etc...... cheers, oh and where s good to look for these things..... xxxx

Hi Michael

The best advice I can give you is to order the Dean Collings video on lighting from software-cinema.com. There is a good review of it at the Strobist blog (Strobist (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/08/review-best-of-dean-collins-on.html))

It will give you some amazing techniques that can be done with one light, in Dean's case a Metz off-camera strobe. Once you watch that, you will find you don't need anywhere as much in equipment as you thought.

Best to you.

David