Lighting/Backdrop Purchase Advice? Review my Ideas?

Scatterbrained wrote in post #17748231
As Alveric pointed out, you'll need something to hold your reflectors. Three lights= One for background (unless you're going with a white seamless full body, then you'll need two on the background), one for key, one for hair or rim (if needed) and a reflector for fill. It's a lot easier to maintain a pleasing balance between key and fill by using reflectors instead of lights. If you want something that packs away easily then just go with a regular background stand "kit" (two tripods and a background crossbar). I personally don't care for them, but that's mainly because I have a very limited amount of space.

Got it. Thanks! You've been a lot of help.

Phil V wrote in post #17748753
As you've set your heart on buying loads of lights, then no one will be able to convince you otherwise.

So buy them. But do yourself a favour and start with one for shooting. A first guitar lesson isn't best achieved whilst trying to sync with the rest of the band. It'd lead to mass confusion and a complete halt on any learning. You learnt chords first, then put the chords together into simple tunes, then more complicated tunes, then you added more musicians.

All lighting should start with the key light, learn how to use that and make the most if it before you add more.

I know there's a lot of 'great advice' regarding 3 point lighting etc. but there's only one sun. It's too easy to create something that looks completely unnatural.

You'd be surprised, actually. I've been very easily talked out of it.
All it took was, "Oh, you're already looking into that? Yeah, we don't have that budget yet." and then seeing the thread of photos taken with one light. The sum of those has been quite persuasive.

Granted, I'm still thinking two, so maybe I am just stubborn.

bumpintheroad wrote in post #17748793
Paul C Buff also has their LiteMod system (http://www.paulcbuff.c​om/litemod.php) for attaching snoots, barn doors and gels to your strobes.

The problem I've found with cheap background kits is they're extremely poor quality, not just the backdrop material but the stands and cross-bar.

Muslim is good if you want a painted background, but if you're doing solid colors you're better off IMHO with seamless paper. A wall-mounted roll paper bracket is the most stable but limits your flexibility. On the cheaper end I use collapsible Impact backgrounds (white/black and chroma green/blue) in our mobile kits and they get the job done, provided there's no bright light or high-contrast objects behind them.

I like having a light for the background because I can gel the light and turn a white or grey background any color I want.

Very cool! What would you suggest are the essential modifiers for what I'm doing?

Yeah, more and more I'm thinking seamless paper. I can't mount anything to walls, though. What about a nicer background stand, like this one? Worth the difference? Or less than that, this one? Might be a dumb question, does it matter that it's made for vinyl if I want to use paper?

Most lighting manufacturers do a 2 head starter kit, so you're not so unique.

For me the choice of modifiers: at least one std reflector and a couple of grids maybe a 10degree and 30degree, a medium sized softbox or octa, preferably an easy to assemble one, with 2 baffles and a grid, a beauty dish with grid and sock, a snoot with grid. Brollies and reflectors are almost disposable prices.

Here is the boom I use
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …OOM&InitialSear​ch=yes&N=0

You want a heavy duty light for the boom,
I have two LS 13 stands, and I wished all my light stands were made and sturdy like the LS13 .
I have some cheaper Light stand s and they are junk and a safety hazard IMO


I use a/b 1600 and a white lightening 1600 .
I bought them both used out of this forums wanted for sale section .


If you buy soft boxes make sure they are foldable.......