A little competition is a good thing. Home Studio Setup Competition.

[lost]

Lets see who can come up with the most inexpensive solution for a home studio. /Read/ I want to setup a home studio but dont have a lot of money :lol: :lol:

OK the motivation might be selfish but this could be interesting. I will lay down the rules.

1. NO ebay prices. Retail only
2. Setup must be able to take good Quality Portraits. I know this is subjective but your peers will be your judge :cry:
3. You really wont win anything except the admiration of your peers.
4. Prices must be confirmable. Feel free to add where you get your pricing.
5. Please list all model numbers of equipment listed. (if available)

In addition to helping me out, I am sure your expertise will assist a lot of aspiring Photographers.

Good Luck

Lost

[Sleeping Martyr]

$60.83 at Home Depot netted me this

http://www.88-mph.com/imglib/IMG_1258a.jpg

1000 watt twin worklight: $29.97
1 painters drop cloth 12x15: $16.97
(5) 1" spring clamps @ $2.09: $10.45
sales tax: $3.44

Total: $60.83

I just had to manually set the white balance and give it a go. it's alright for anyone who just wants to mess around. Now what i did was take two of my guitar wall hangars and clamp the corners of the drop cloth to each. Behind me is a window that i just put a dowel i had hanging around across the curtain rods and clamped it in the middle too. so i ended up needing only 3 clamps.

Of course it's not great by anymeans... but for cheap solutions, it's nifty. Now the fault lies with the photographer.. ME!

i figure a good reflector will help out.. and i've got a cheap solution i'm going to try.. cardboard and tin foil!! :lol:

[OceanRider]

Ok here is my daughter. 3 lights, Key 250 PF (photofloods) with alumium reflector... fill 250w PF hair 250PF ($90.00) black back ground at fabric store $3.50=93.50 Colour correcteed by Photo Shop Elemets under auto.

Problems...bright as hell, blind you if you look at them.

Pros... simple, cheap, no metering, see effect instantly colour corrected easy
verdict: great for the cheap-o and broke-o

[Sleeping Martyr]

OK, i went for a more evil look now.. and i actually lucked out on manually focusing on nothing and then standing at just the right spot. how i wish the Rebel would re-focus when using the timer. (but i'm solving that problem by getting a remote cable!)

I spent another $38 today on getting a bleached muslin cloth and an some red fabric from the fabric store. and alslo another $20 for a single worklight.

i also made a free reflector by taking a large flap from a cardboard box, and stapling some aluminum foil to it and placing it on a music stand i had lying around. that's why the left shoulder is lower, cuz i'm aiming the foil/cardboard doohickey towards my face.

I should have also moved one of the pieces of cloth over to not show a seam!

http://www.88-mph.com/imglib/IMG_1272b.jpg