DIY lighting for home studio?

[cheewooi]

Hi,
I plan to learn some lightning technique for home studio. I didn't plan to get or purchase any professional lightning cause I just a beginner in studio photography. And I plan to do those shot using my A80 (not any digital SLR!).Did anyone have any idea on building my own lightning? I have few ideas using bows, light bulb and some tracing paper or cloth as diffuser. Hope to get more idea from you guys and gals outthere!

Thanks

[robertwgross]

I needed lights for practice one winter. I purchased 500 watt quartz work lights on a folding steel stand for $10 each. These lights put out a lot of heat, so that worked good in an unheated garage studio in the winter. Once the season warmed up, it wasn't a good way to work.

However, the steel stands alone are worth the price paid.

I built reflectors using aluminum roof flashing metal, and diffusers were made from all sorts of things. It doen't take too much heat to melt some types of plastics, so watch out.

Of course, I set my custom white balance for that light temperature.

---Bob Gross---

[cheewooi]

I plan to make 2 diffuser light, any idea which bulb should i use?a daylight saving bulb?.and use my a80 as the original flash but gonna put some diffuser on the flash!

What in my head is use a big plastic bowl then insert the light bulb into the bowl and covered it with tracing paper..

Actually I am a beginner in studio photography, may I know what's the use of reflector?

Thanks!

[robertwgross]

I needed a metal cylinder around one light to make its beam very narrow. I wanted to use it for a hair light from the side, and I did not want a broad beam.

---Bob Gross---

[cheewooi]

How about the reflector?What's the purpose of using a reflector? Is it enough to use a reflector and a diffuser light for portrait photography?

What's the effect when using narrow beam and wide beam?Any idea or literature I can refer to? BTW, as beginner, how many arrangement on diffuser light and reflector we can have to yield different effect on the portrait?

Thanks a lot!

[robertwgross]

How about the reflector?What's the purpose of using a reflector?

The purpose of a reflector is to reflect light, sort of like a mirror.

I needed a metal cylinder around one light to make its beam very narrow. I wanted to use it for a hair light from the side, and I did not want a broad beam.


What's the effect when using narrow beam and wide beam?

I did not want a broad-beam light from the side, only a narrow one. The two main lights in front were broad.

---Bob Gross---

[cheewooi]

ok thanks a lot. So let say i got all the stuff, the reflector, narrow and wide beam light...What next?Can anyone tell me briefly or anysite 2 recommend to learn how and what kinda effect i'll get and how to position my lighting and reflector?It all that the position of the lightning and reflector based on the creativity if the photographer?

Thanks

[robertwgross]

There are some standard references on the web and in bound books. Portrait photography lighting is traditional. Then there are other techniques for product lighting, etc.

---Bob Gross---