Home Studio lighting help

I would like to know is strobe or continuous lighting better for home studio. I want something small to shoot my child (infant). I'm new to studio lighting.

Alien Bees

Jack

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I'd go for strobes. Especially with a child squirming around you'll want to be able to freeze motion more which continuous lighting can struggle with.

Having used both.

Studio Strobes without a second thought...

Strobes for sure.

If this is just merely for personal use, have you considered a speedlight? You can use it on camera and bounce the light or off camera and get some pretty amazing results with out the cost of a studio setup.

Anyone have any experience with Calumet lights? I was talked into buying the Calumet Genesis 200 kit 2 years ago and now wish I had bought an Alien Bee light. I don't feel as though I can bring the lights down enough on the Calumet lights.

Also, my BIG question is that I am having a difficult time getting a AF point with just the model light when I pull my light the distance I need it to be. Any advice?

hgolde wrote in post #13735348
Anyone have any experience with Calumet lights? I was talked into buying the Calumet Genesis 200 kit 2 years ago and now wish I had bought an Alien Bee light. I don't feel as though I can bring the lights down enough on the Calumet lights.

Also, my BIG question is that I am having a difficult time getting a AF point with just the model light when I pull my light the distance I need it to be. Any advice?

I have alien bees and you would have a similar problem with them as they are roughly the same, or even more powerful. The new Einstein lights from PCB go much lower. Get brighter modeling lights then.

Take a look @ the "kids and Family" forum.. there are some standout photographers there that use natural light... You might not need strobes to get the shots your looking for... To answer your question; I think strobes will offer you more flexability vs. continuous. Stopping action to name one.. If you do buy strobes.. dont go for the cheapest just to get by... "invest" in a quality set that will keep you shooting for years.. and something you can add more to down the road...

here is one of the forementioned standouts... https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1132139

I use Genesis Lights and Alien Bees will be no different. And I use them a lot for kids.

Its rare I cant get the lights down enough, unless you are trying to shoot wide open and then all you need to do is buy a ND filter for your lens.

In terms of the modeling light, there is a setting on the light called "full" or something like that that will not change the modeling light based on flash power. I can never remember having a problem with not achieving focus using my modeling lights on my Genesis.

children move quickly, strobes can (sometimes) stop the motion, continuous light not so much.

I was in the exact same position as you a couple weeks ago...I wanted to get something to shoot my 6 month old with and just happened to find a guy selling an alienbees b800 on craigslist and I've been very happy with it.