Equipment Required for shooting in a studio ?

[imagetek]

Im new to studio Photography, and wondering if anyone can help me decide on the types of lenses and equipment to purchase?

[FlipsidE]

I'm really interested in this question too as I am considering picking up a few very inexpensive umbrellas and strobes (like to find a full beginner setup for $200 or less).

But, I have a feeling that you'll get a better response to this question on the "Talk About Photography" forum that can be found here: http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/viewforum.php?f=28

FlipsidE

[Vegas Poboy]

I would recommend going to the bookstore and reading some books on lighting. Most of them breaks down what is needed for different types of lighting. Lighting equipment can be costly read & research and narrow down what you can afford.

[FlipsidE]

On second thought, take a gander at this thread:

http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45269

FlipsidE

[jhankins]

You can start with a single monolight and a reflector. That will actually be benefical for you in the learning process as well. Get that down before adding additional lights. Regarding various sized kits, I've had very good luck with Alien Bees monolights.

http://www.alienbees.com Try a B800 with a light stand and a single reflector. And an umbrella or softbox. Seamless paper makes an inexpensive backdrop which you can buy from a local photo store.

regards,

Jim

[jhankins]

http://alienbees.com/beginnerbee.htm

found this after posting the previous. There you go! Close to the mark on your budget.

[phili1]

go to this site and buy his lighting book, he tells you and shows you different set ups.

http://www.lightingmagic.com./directry.htm

As far as Equiptment is concerened you can start out with two lights, a main and a fill and later add a blow out/hair light and if you want as you progress you can add a background light for different effects.

In any event your choice of units are vast, depending on what you want to spend.

I have two Excaliburs 1600 and a medal light with four unbrellas. a 32" and three 48". I use the 32" as my main for portraits with a 48" fill.

If I had it to do over I would buy the Alien Bees. They are very reliable and recycle faster and have a bigger output range. For $599.00 you can get a nice set up. When you want to upgrade they have a trade in program. there is ahost of acc. for the system including remote controls. Just a super unit.

See there web site
http://www.alienbees.com/

The Excalibur runs about the same price.

You can read lighitng books but it all works around the main light and its position. Practice is a good teacher. Read a couple of books and experiment.

Good luck and have fun.

If you want to do product work then hot lightas are they way to go.

[jhankins]

Regarding the comment on output power. Alien Bees also sells the B1600 which is a 640 true wattseconds monolight. Also, you can upgrade each light to the next size light with their upgrade deal very easily and inxpensively.

I would agree the B800's would be underpowered for locations work but in smaller quarters where I use these lights, they're great. They have a 1second recharge time, 5 stops of variable power (that's very nice for this price range!) I've owned 4 of the B800's for almost two years and am very satisfied both with them and the manufacturer. By the way, Alien Bees is a division of Paul C. Buff http://www.white-lighting.com

The Alien Bees lights are fan cooled as well and can be wired and wireless controlled as well as are slave tripper enabled (disabled by a sync cord or sync cord dummy plug).I would say confidently that you will be happy with these for a while without blowing the budget.

[FlipsidE]

Ya know, I have to admit. I'm truly amazed at how this works. Good amounts of money spent on physically large lights that turn night into day. Special large umbrellas set up to spread the light. Large diffusers that soften the light. Books written on how to achieve the correct setup. Expensive zoom lenses that can capture the desired size image at the desired depth of field.

...all this equipment so that you can open a tiny shutter for 1/30th of a second to capture an image on a TINY sensor that measures 15mm x 22mm. It just amazes me.

FlipsidE

[FlipsidE]

Since we are on the subject of in-home studios, I do want to bring up this question.

I currently live in a two story, two bedroom townhouse. Each and every room (with the exception of the closets and bathrooms) have windows in them. And, I have yet to have my picture taken in any studio where there are windows. The only place I could think to set up a studio as far away from a window as possible is pretty much right in the middle of my den...right near my fireplace (so that's out of the question). Every other available room has a window.

So on to the question(s).

Is it possible to set up a potrait studio in a townhouse w/in a few feet of a window? If so, what precautions should I take when taking the pictures to make sure that one shot taken during the day and one shot taken at night turn out as close as possible? Do you recommend curtains? Maybe a different kind of binds?

Thanks in advance

FlipsidE

[phili1]

Well you can spend both lungs depending on how far you want to go. But if you want you can buy 1 light for about $150.00 with stand and umbrella and buy a white reflector and stand and you have a portrait set up. this will work for you but that is not what was asked. What was asked was how do you set up a studio, which to me means he is looking for a more complex set up. Oh by the way you can buy a soft box for your 420Ex and use it for portraits.

[FlipsidE]

Well you can spend both lungs depending on how far you want to go. But if you want you can buy 1 light for about $150.00 with stand and umbrella and buy a white reflector and stand and you have a portrait set up. this will work for you but that is not what was asked. What was asked was how do you set up a studio, which to me means he is looking for a more complex set up. Oh by the way you can buy a soft box for your 420Ex and use it for portraits.

- Hmmm...was this response directed toward me? Or was it directed toward another poster?

EDIT: If it was directed toward me, I appreciate the information about the lights. And, I actually do plan to purchase a softbox and and couple of bouncers (pocket bouncer and 80-20) for my 420EX for potrait photography sometime in the very near future (actually have a scheduled newborn shoot for a friend of mine in about two months). The diffusers/bouncers for my 420EX will be my only portrait studio for a while until I decide whether or not to build an in-home studio. If this response wasn't directed toward me, please ignore my edit.

FlipsidE

[jhankins]

Regarding the window, yes you can have next to a window. Actually light coming in from a window can be a great light source! The sky is a giant softbox. :)

Regarding measuring light, a flash meter is really a necessity in my book. I use a sekonic L358 which is a refelctive/incident and flash meter in one, you can also buy spot meter adapters for it as well. You can add radio trigger for Pocket Wizard as well to it. It will measure both flash as well as ambient light and will also be helpful for measuring flash ratios when you move to multiple lights.

[phili1]

Hi flipside. For baby photography you only need 1 light into an umbrella.

I shoot portraits and never use F8, I always shoot at F5.6 to blur background. For full length's & groupsI want more depth of field. Everybody has there own style.

The soft box for the 420ex is lighter then for studio units so you wont loose to much light. You can buy a stofen for it and bounce it off the ceiling.

Now if you have the 550ex you can use manual and get more power and if you do not have a flash meter take a shoy sstarting at F5.6 and adjsut till you get the look you want.

But if you want better check this out, under $200
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?page=il_refine_search

Actually a grey hazy sky is like a soft box, very little shadow and a blue sky sunny day is filled with shadows, squints and frowns, but it makes a very dramatic lighting source.

[FlipsidE]

Unfortuanately, that link didn't point me to anything specific on that site.

FlipsidE

[evilenglishman]

Your lights must be capable of producing a MINIMUM of f8 at 10 feet from the subject position.

why?

[phili1]

Flipside

Go to that link/click on flash lighting go to monolights kits(systems) go to the right side click on SP systems hit search and you will see the set up.

I think His coment about F8 is so when you bounce it you will loose about 1 to 2 stops depending on weather your using a soft box or umbrella. BUt the small SP units will give you enough light to work with.

[jhankins]

I don't agree at all with the comment that if a vendor lists Effective Wattseconds that you should run away from them.

Alien Bees lists True wattseconds, effective wattseconds and the more telling lumenseconds on their products. Does that mean you should run away from them because they've chosen to spec all? I think not!

Now if someone is trying to list effective wattseconds as their only rating, I would agree to steer away as they are being misleading.

Here's a link to their spec sheet which includes typical exposure for use with a softbox at 4-6 feet (use the inverse square to compute for your expected distance from subject to determine your model requirements).

http://alienbees.com/allspecs.htm How's that for easy? In the end, making sure the lights performance, whatever you buy, will fit the needs of what you want to do with them will be important. For me the 1s recharge of a B800 for most portrait sessions, is very handy, especially fast moving targets like children and pets! :) Having said that, the more room you have the more likely you'll want higher output lights as you'll see advantages of moving those lights further back from the subject. Good luck and enjoy!


Regards,

Jim

[phili1]

I am with you Jim, I am sorry I bought the Excaliburs instead of the Bee's, super system.

[phili1]

Blo dog at F4 the dof is good enough if you focus on the eys to include the nose and ears.

at 10 feet with an 85mm lens at F 4 it's from 9 1/2 feet to 10 1/2 feet.
at 5.6 you pick up another 6 inches and at F8 another 2 feet.

Anyway this pic was shot at F4.

http://www.pbase.com/phili1/image/34856769/medium

[phili1]

So noted, just info for you to digest. Your so right it is a personal thing.