Tiny Studio Lighting Setup Help

Hello out there,

Can you please suggest a lighting scheme for my setup? I'm making an unused dining room into a tiny studio- 12x12- for Holiday shoots. I'm planning on painting the walls a neutral light gray.There are two standard-sized windows on one wall. I'm using a 5x7 backdrop of white Christmas lights. Right now, I have one Canon 340X II speedlight and a 5-in-1 reflector kit. I'm using a 5D mkII.

I was considering this AlienBees kit:
1 AlienBees™ B800 Flash Unit
1 LS3050 10-foot General Purpose Light Stand
1 PLM51U-W-8MM 51-inch White PLM™ (with 8mm shaft)
1 PLM51-BOC 51-inch Black Outer Cover
1 PCBBAG Paul C. Buff™ Single Light Carrying Bag
Total $372.86

What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

You have the one scenario where the ab400 may be a better choice tgan the ab800. Its amazingly easy yo overpower a small space. The disparity in power between your Christmas lights and even the ab400 may not give you the effect you want.

That is exactly my concern: too much light. There has to be a solution. Here is my room layout:

If you are committed to the christmas light drop, go with speedlights. Or an Einstein.

Speedlights.

I have a few Nikon SB-28's that I use regularly. I use them in manual mode, off camera and they are great. I get them used on Ebay for about $80 each.

Do you modify the light in any way?

glasllyn wrote in post #17256360
Do you modify the light in any way?

Yes any modifier you like. Here is one with a small softbox I made no effort here to kill the ambient

http://kevin-jones.smugmug.com …dZTv8/0/L/A_MG_​0209-L.jpg

A GN58 speed light at 1/32 power will blast that room at 1/125 iso100 f4.5 so even with two stops of diffusion there is loads of room.