Studio Photography questions

[buster84]

Im very new to Photography and im taking classes for this here soon at my collage. I bought a canon Xti and a 1.8 50mm lens for studio photos. I have a nice size apartment and would like to have a setup i could use for family and friends. I always see alot of nice photos with different backgrounds and i found out there backdrops. I going to buy a backdrop stand from a camera store here soon. But my main question is im pretty good with photo shop and i was thinking of buying a green screen and then put in my own digial backdrops? how does this look? Is it better to photoshop or have your own backdrop? Ive looked at a couple but they seem expensive about $200 a backdrop. Whats the cheapest backdrops out there? Im not looking for anything to fanzy just some basics, like the ones you see from prom photos or something. I know theres different types of fabrics i was wondering if you need to iron them or do they not wrinkle? I was thinking of purchasing a lighting kit from my local shop as well, but i was thinking would buying a bigger flash for my camera be just as good or stick with the lighting kit from the store? Thanks for all the info anyone can provide.

[JaertX]

for a background, go with a plain black muslin backdrop at first...or white and worry more about learning posing and lighting first. If you have to, get a neutral, gray, mottled type background. You can use gels on your background light to get different effects.

I think Botero makes a chroma-keyed background that isn't too expensive and collapses nicely, if you want to go that way. I hate the way they look, but there are certrainly photographers out there having sucess with them. Check out www.bhphotovideo.com

how about start with a single light and umbrella for awhile? An alien bee unit isn't very expensive and works well. better yet, just learn to use window lighting and reflectors.

anyway...good luck!

[buster84]

for a background, go with a plain black muslin backdrop at first...or white and worry more about learning posing and lighting first. If you have to, get a neutral, gray, mottled type background. You can use gels on your background light to get different effects.

I think Botero makes a chroma-keyed background that isn't too expensive and collapses nicely, if you want to go that way. I hate the way they look, but there are certrainly photographers out there having sucess with them. Check out www.bhphotovideo.com (http://www.bhphotovideo.com)

how about start with a single light and umbrella for awhile? An alien bee unit isn't very expensive and works well. better yet, just learn to use window lighting and reflectors.

anyway...good luck!

Thanks for the info, as for the lighting i can't use any window lighting :( My apartment has a tree in front of it and is facing the wrong way and i get no sun light. where can i find the a nice cheap single light setup? Should i try ebay? As for muslin backdrop where do i get that? Is that just a sheet you can buy at walmart? One more thing, with the umbrella does that get into the photo? I just want the light not a added item in the photo.

[symes]

As for muslin backdrop where do i get that? Is that just a sheet you can buy at walmart?

google is your friend...a muslin is not a sheet, its a fabric that professional photogs use as their backdrop!

I would look into seemless white paper and I would look at Alien Bee for your lighting set up...be prepared to drop a grand for lighting...otherwise forget studio lighting and use a lamp and RAW and practice understanding how light falls.

Cheers,

[airfrogusmc]

It can be a very large single peice (without a seam) of cotton fabric. I have a 10 X 20 gray muslin thats great. I think I paid almost a grand for it though. They can be expensive. A 9" wide roll of seamless is what about $60? Thats always an option.

[howzitboy]

go sew a couple of white sheets together!! u can always remove the stitches with ps anyhow. to make them different colors, just over/under expose it. over its pure white, under its grey.

[Twitch1977]

Check eBay, lots of backdrops sold on there (amvona etc), I've never tried them though so I can't speak to the quality. But in the case of amvona the rest of their products seem to be good so I have no reason to think their backdrops wouldn't be.

Kurt

[René Damkot]

My apartment has a tree in front of it and is facing the wrong way and i get no sun light

That would be facing the *right* way: You don't want direct sunlight.

[steveathome]

Strong and direct sunlight is my enemy. I take my worst images in these conditions.
I really need to experiment with fill flash more, but must admit my preference is in studio lighting.

To the OP, what lighting kit did you have in mind?