Gear suggestions for lighting newbie.

[nicksan]

I've been using my 580EX II mounted on top of my camera and bouncing off ceilings and walls and was perfectly happy with it.

With the latest paid shoot I'm about to do in a week and a half which involves shooting orchestra instruments (there is another thread about that) I decided perhaps it was time to get into studio lighting.

I've been watching lots of tutorial videos on youtube and suffice it to say I am fascinated by all this. Never thought I would be, but I might be hooked, which is kinda dangerous if you look at my gear list.;)

With the green light from the boss/wife/finance dept. I have a budget of about $500-$600. Not bad. Not great either.

I don't mind DIY but honestly I don't mind spending some money getting the "real" thing. Besides, I'm just too lazy for any DIY project!:lol:

Some obvious questions are:

Do I go strobist or studio? Both? I do have a 580EXII for portability. Having modeling lights sounds like a good thing to me but is that just a nice-to-have or is that a difference maker?
1 lights? 2 lights? And in what combination? 580EXII, 580EXII + 1 monolight, 580EXII + 2 monolights?
Wireless Trigger or use hotshoe cable or pc sync cable?
Backdrop support and backdrop itself. Solid color? Muslin? Seamless?So keeping that in mind, I've been thinking about the items below:

Calumet Genesis 200 kit. (1 light or 2 lights)
Impact 10'x12' backdrop stand
Umbrella flash mount for when I want to go more portable.
5-in-1 42" reflector.
Muslin (Not sure what to get for starters...)
CyberSyncs (Optional. If I get these, do I still need to use cords?)

Is this completely overkill?

Comments/suggestions are appreciated!

-Nick

[TMR Design]

Hi Nick,

A lot of this depends on budget and the overall flexibility you want or need. Many of us have assembled two kits, one with studio strobes and more substantial light stands, hardware and modifiers, and then another that is a lightweight and highly portable Speedlight kit.

For my needs, if I could only have one I would take the studio strobes but others will say the opposite and have their own reasons for that.

I know you're thinking mostly of your upcoming shoot but if you think long term and project into the future a bit, that may make it easier to decide. Sometimes thinking of one shoot or one scenario will end up limiting you in the future.

Just something to think about.

[nicksan]

Yeah, I know what you mean about the future.
Portraits of our kids, when we decide to have them. (wife's suggestion)
Maybe portraits of people/kids we know...but just for run really...

I don't anticipate having a money making home studio. Not at all...perhaps going on location to shoot would be a better possibility.

But right now, other than that shoot, it's just for fun and learning. But I'm the type of person that wants to do it right the first time and never have to worry about it again.

The reason why I was thinking 2 monolights is b/c I already have a 580EX II, so if I ever want to go portable, as in no electric outlets, then I can always use one of the stands/umbrella with the hotshoe mount and use them with the 580EX.

Again, I'm a total beginner at this. In fact, I'm pre-beginner, since I've never touched studio strobes before!

You think CyberSyncs are a touch overkill at this stage of the game? I figure they would be a nice thing to have. But that's what also puts things beyond the budget, though only by $50 or so...

Or maybe I should just stick with the cords.

Hi Nick,

A lot of this depends on budget and the overall flexibility you want or need. Many of us have assembled two kits, one with studio strobes and more substantial light stands, hardware and modifiers, and then another that is a lightweight and highly portable Speedlight kit.

For my needs, if I could only have one I would take the studio strobes but others will say the opposite and have their own reasons for that.

I know you're thinking mostly of your upcoming shoot but if you think long term and project into the future a bit, that may make it easier to decide. Sometimes thinking of one shoot or one scenario will end up limiting you in the future.

Just something to think about.

[TMR Design]

Yeah, I know what you mean about the future.
Portraits of our kids, when we decide to have them. (wife's suggestion)
Maybe portraits of people/kids we know...but just for run really...

I don't anticipate having a money making home studio. Not at all...perhaps going on location to shoot would be a better possibility.

But right now, other than that shoot, it's just for fun and learning. But I'm the type of person that wants to do it right the first time and never have to worry about it again.

The reason why I was thinking 2 monolights is b/c I already have a 580EX II, so if I ever want to go portable, as in no electric outlets, then I can always use one of the stands/umbrella with the hotshoe mount and use them with the 580EX.

Again, I'm a total beginner at this. In fact, I'm pre-beginner, since I've never touched studio strobes before!

You think CyberSyncs are a touch overkill at this stage of the game? I figure they would be a nice thing to have. But that's what also puts things beyond the budget, though only by $50 or so...

Or maybe I should just stick with the cords.

Hey Nick,

Sync cords work but are horribly problematic. It's a pi$$-poor protocol and will almost always fail and you'll need backups an backups of backups. You or others (kids, perhaps) will undoubtedly trip on them. When budget is everything then sync cords will save you some money but I would suggest something like cybersyncs or another inexpensive radio trigger and have sync cords as your backup.

There's no reason to step up to Pocket Wizards or Skyports unless you're just in love with them and have the cash to spend.

[nicksan]

Rob,

I just called Calumet in NYC and they've got the Genesis 200 2 light kit in stock so I went for it and ordered them. I did a will call on them so I am going to pick them up Saturday A.M. Save the hassle of arranging for shipping being that I work M-F.

They honored the 20% sale that is no longer on the website. So I got them for $299 + tax and of course no shipping charges since I am picking up.

Awesome, awesome, awesome! While I am there, I'll pickup a umbrella flash mount for my 580EX II.

Oh...and I just order a set of Cybersyncs. I just got 1 transmitter and 1 receiver for now. Will that be enough?

Next up...backdrop stand, muslin, and a 5-in-1 reflector.



Hey Nick,

Sync cords work but are horribly problematic. It's a pi$$-poor protocol and will almost always fail and you'll need backups an backups of backups. You or others (kids, perhaps) will undoubtedly trip on them. When budget is everything then sync cords will save you some money but I would suggest something like cybersyncs or another inexpensive radio trigger and have sync cords as your backup.

There's no reason to step up to Pocket Wizards or Skyports unless you're just in love with them and have the cash to spend.

:D

[sdsanta]

I'm thinking of a similar set-up in my garage using the Genesis 200 kit. I have a Calumet store near me, too, I'm going to try and get the 20% discount. I have a 430 ex II and the Canon wireless transmitter for the flash, so I'm going to use the 430 to trigger the 200's, since they have optical trigger capability.

[nicksan]

I just got my Genesis 200 2 light kit.
The umbrellas are pretty big. One almost takes up the entire width of the room. I may have to move out of this room and maybe use another part of the basement. But the only problem is there are HVAC ductwork going down right in the middle of the entire basement where the ceiling suddenly dips to around 6'5". That's just way too low.

Anyhow, just messing around a little bit. Backdrop is all wrinkled and there are shadows. I haven't taken out the second light yet.

Just one of the Genesis light from camera right, and a white foamboard to the left of the guitar to highlight the metal pickups, bridge, and enhance the arched top of the instrument a little.

Really need to work on this the next week. Next Saturday is when I shoot the instruments...

http://nicksan.zenfolio.com/img/v6/p710257343-5.jpg

[TMR Design]

HI Nick,

Excellent job for your first attempt. Seems like you instinctively or intuitively know what you're doing and that's great.

Very nice colors and contrast. Don't worry so much about the wrinkles and shadows in the backdrop. They actually give it character and dimension and look rather nice. Personally, I think that it looks better than if you have a perfectly smooth background. If you want to smooth it out a bit I would suggest that rather than making it perfectly flat that you pull the guitar away from the backdrop a bit and just let the depth of field reduce the amount of detail we're seeing in the background.

All in all, very nice man! :D

[nicksan]

Rob,

Thanks. I can use all the encouragement I can get. I feel like a total newbie all over again.:o

I have gotten permission from the wife to use a corner of the main room in the basement. It is a big room, except it has 7.5' ceilings and the HVAC ductwork going down the middle of the room, essentially splitting the room in half.

So again, I have no room to work with, except floor space where I can extend out the legs and maybe use both umbrellas.

At least it is outside my room now!

Man, I can already tell this is going to be interesting. All the possibilities...man it's mind boggling.

But I tell you, I took the advice of many in here, including you, and got the strobes and I am glad I did because when setting up the white foam core cards and all that, I can immediately see what it is doing. Makes it much easier than a speedlite, that's for sure.

That manfrotto crossbar for the backdrop is killer. Heavy duty...I have the 10' x 12' draped and clamped on. No problem.

So far so good!



HI Nick,

Excellent job for your first attempt. Seems like you instinctively or intuitively know what you're doing and that's great.

Very nice colors and contrast. Don't worry so much about the wrinkles and shadows in the backdrop. They actually give it character and dimension and look rather nice. Personally, I think that it looks better than if you have a perfectly smooth background. If you want to smooth it out a bit I would suggest that rather than making it perfectly flat that you pull the guitar away from the backdrop a bit and just let the depth of field reduce the amount of detail we're seeing in the background.

All in all, very nice man! :D

[nicksan]

OK, so I set things up in the main room of the basement. Still cramped, but a little more working room as far as distance to backdrop is concerned.

My wife refused to model for me again...party pooper!:lol:

So here's something a friend of mine gave me when he heard I was into photography. (Hmmm...can you say wrong generation? Suffice it say it's been on a shelf unused.;))

This time, I had the Genesis 200 pointed into the umbrella camera left. I had white foamboard on the right of the subject to bring that side out. Really neat. As I am setting up the foam board, I can see the highlights in that area coming out via the reflection. This time I opened up my newly purchased Muslin backdrop and draped it over the backdrop stand.

I can already see that shooting into the umbrella give me softer light than direct.
Pretty cool!


http://nicksan.zenfolio.com/img/v3/p25282965-4.jpg