Continuous Lighting good for product shots??

My wife has a business making tutus and is looking to start taking some better photos of her products. Until now, she has been taking her photos with my camera outside because it was the best she could do. Given that we have to deal with a long and cold winter here in New England, she's looking to start taking them indoors. She also wants them to be a bit more professional looking (than having grass and trees in the background). I know very little about lighting, and am trying to find a basic, inexpensive lighting kit that we can use.

I have been looking at some fluorescent continuous 2-light kits with softboxes (such as this: http://www.adorama.com​/FPSSBK2.html), as the continuous lighting seems like it'd be a bit easier to work with than strobes. Here's some examples of the photos she currently has:

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and get some fluorescent shop lights:

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=85r5q8aM8Vo

It could work, but make sure that the bulbs don't have crappy color the way some fluorescent bulbs do. It seems that, for this type of work, getting very accurate color may be critical.

I'm not much of a fluorescent light fan. Their discontinuous spectrum creates poor reproduction of some colors, and reds are the worst.

Lacking strobes and the knowledge to use them, I would favor window light for this sort of thing. Use a tripod and shutter speeds long enough to get the job done.

Regardless of light source, I recommend using a white balance reference like a WhiBal card or Photovision calibration target to get the white balance right. Even window light will vary in color quite a bit.

I would think that flash or strobes would be better than continuous lighting would be. Flash should lead to sharper & more crisper images.

Flash does not make images "sharper & more crisper."

Use of flash can, in certain circumstances, allow the use of faster shutter speeds, smaller apertures and lower ISO settings, which can improve sharpness and detail.

Use of a tripod with a stationary subject can accomplish the same thing, even in low light.

Curtis N wrote in post #13559190
I'm not much of a fluorescent light fan. Their discontinuous spectrum creates poor reproduction of some colors, and reds are the worst.

Lacking strobes and the knowledge to use them, I would favor window light for this sort of thing. Use a tripod and shutter speeds long enough to get the job done.

Regardless of light source, I recommend using a white balance reference like a WhiBal card or Photovision calibration target to get the white balance right. Even window light will vary in color quite a bit.

the problem with window light is that is very directional and creates a lot of harsh shadows. she's looking to be able to evenly and softly light the photos, which is why she usually does them outside (out of direct sunlight, if possible, or on overcast days). She just wants more control (i.e. to be able to consistently get good, even light) and to be able to do it indoors.

the white balance card is a great recommendation though in any scenario. Hadn't thought about getting something like that.

Would this be a semi permanent thing or something you would set up only occasionally? How much do you want to spend?

drocpsu wrote in post #13564277
the problem with window light is that is very directional and creates a lot of harsh shadows.

You have to have a tiny bit of common sense to use window light. You don't use direct sunlight. You go to the side of the house opposite the sun (or you shoot at the right time of day).

There is a high-end portrait studio near me with floor-to-ceiling windows spanning its entire north wall. The images they make there are outstanding.

Curtis N wrote in post #13565689
You have to have a tiny bit of common sense to use window light. You don't use direct sunlight. You go to the side of the house opposite the sun (or you shoot at the right time of day).

There is a high-end portrait studio near me with floor-to-ceiling windows spanning its entire north wall. The images they make there are outstanding.

I get that, (It's the same reason we don't take the outdoor shots in direct sunlight). Our problem though is that we're in a townhouse. So our available window options are pretty limited (one side has direct sunlight most of the day and we don't have anywhere on the other side where we would have enough room to take photos). I do think, though, that if we were able to somehow make some space to set up her products and a tripod, getting one of those white balance cards to get a proper WB with the available light would go a long way in the overall quality of the photo.

kfreels wrote in post #13565575
Would this be a semi permanent thing or something you would set up only occasionally? How much do you want to spend?

It wouldn't be permanent. Just something that would be set up occasionally. Ideally, she's not looking to spend much (low-$100's, if possible). I know this isn't very much when it comes to lighting, which is one of the reasons we were looking at some of the basic flourescent kits). I just don't want to jump into something without people's opinions on it.

If your only available window is in direct sun, you can turn it into an awesome softbox by hanging a piece of white nylon in front of it (fairly cheap at fabric stores).

On cloudy days, you won't need the nylon.

Curtis N wrote in post #13568466
If your only available window is in direct sun, you can turn it into an awesome softbox by hanging a piece of white nylon in front of it (fairly cheap at fabric stores).

On cloudy days, you won't need the nylon.

nice idea. I'll give it a try.

drocpsu wrote in post #13568110
It wouldn't be permanent. Just something that would be set up occasionally. Ideally, she's not looking to spend much (low-$100's, if possible). I know this isn't very much when it comes to lighting, which is one of the reasons we were looking at some of the basic flourescent kits). I just don't want to jump into something without people's opinions on it.

OK. So I have a plan for you.
http://www.adorama.com​/LTBSBK22.html

http://www.adorama.com …llapsible+Disc+​Background

The closer the lights are, the softer they will be. Just set them both up at about 45 degrees off the camera axis. You can set both flashes to optical slave mode and use your pop-up with -2 EV compensation and it will trigger them both. Or you can buy a little $5 hotshoe adapter to plug the PC cord into your hotshoe and have it trigger the other optical OR you can buy cheap radio slaves to trigger them all wirelessly. Whatever suits your needs.

The background will stand on it's own against the wall and will easily fold up. This should give you better color than continuous will give you. And it should be sufficiently soft. Plus you'll have the beginnings of a studio to experiment with other things. If you pick up a third light you can use it on the background with gels to add color, blow out the background, or use it to add highlights to your subject.

Altogether this should be less than $250.

Curtis N wrote in post #13568466
If your only available window is in direct sun, you can turn it into an awesome softbox by hanging a piece of white nylon in front of it (fairly cheap at fabric stores).

On cloudy days, you won't need the nylon.

I've used a large white bed sheet as well. I am not sure how well it performed compared to nylon (never used any), but it worked well to soften the light in a pinch. I assume there are various considerations and tradeoffs with most any fabrics (e.g. softness, light transmission, etc.)

Curtis N wrote in post #13559190
I'm not much of a fluorescent light fan. Their discontinuous spectrum creates poor reproduction of some colors, and reds are the worst..

^^

Daylight