Light advice needed

I am not a studio photographer, therefore I need advice on lights:

I would like to take pictures of singer girls/boys etc. inside a room, these pictures will be used as their CV pictures or maybe even for their album covers. What gadgets will I new for decent results? Softbox(s?), umbrella? flash? backgrounds? reflectors? I don't have a huge budget but I don't want to have amateur results either. Therefore a value/performance type of advice would be very good. My camera is 40d and I have a 70-200 F4 L IS, a 50mm f1.8 and a 17-85 IS (soon to be converted to a 17-55 IS or 17-40L), I have a nice sturdy tripod as well.

Thank you so much in advance!

I suggest posing them near a window and getting the window light to strike one side of the face, and the use of a piece of foamcore which has been covered with somewhat crinkled aluminum foil as a reflector to bounce light back to the other side of the face. So then your 50mm f/1.8 and camera mounted an a tripod is all you need in addition! Now is not the time to start fidgeting with studio lighting, and what I suggested will give you what many studio photographers are trying to emulate!

Good advice.

If you want to get into something a little more involved, check out strobist.com. You will be amazed by what some people do with as little as $100 invested in equipment.

Good luck!

Wilt wrote in post #6226476
I suggest posing them near a window and getting the window light to strike one side of the face, and the use of a piece of foamcore which has been covered with somewhat crinkled aluminum foil as a reflector to bounce light back to the other side of the face. So then your 50mm f/1.8 and camera mounted an a tripod is all you need in addition! Now is not the time to start fidgeting with studio lighting, and what I suggested will give you what many studio photographers are trying to emulate!

As long as it isn't a cloudy or rainy day!

Excellent advices. So all I really need is good light and a reflector. At least I can buy a good reflector then...What about something like a 430EX?..Any uses? Especially when I am outdoors? Or you think I can still reflect the light as fill-in light rather than using the artificial flash?

I would like to achieve results like this:
http://cell.phoneevent​s.com …/2008/04/alicia​-keys2.jpg
http://alisbasement.fi​les.wordpress.com …a_keys__12__h00​3515_l.jpg

etc.

in all of them there is a backdrop, can I use a fabric like muslin for that?..

Especially the example picture Ive posted the link for which is a more fullbody one has good light in my opinion, can that be achieved without any special softboxes etc?

emre2006 wrote in post #6226769
Excellent advices. So all I really need is good light and a reflector. At least I can buy a good reflector then...What about something like a 430EX?..Any uses? Especially when I am outdoors? Or you think I can still reflect the light as fill-in light rather than using the artificial flash?

ANY second 'source' works as fill, regardless if it is a real light emitter (table lamp -- if we ignore color balance issue-- , photobulb, portable flash, studio strobe), or a reflector

Since you have ZERO lighting experience, you are highly dependent upon being able to SEE the affects of your supplemental lighting on the subject's face. Portable flash allows you to see NOTHING IN ADVANCE...a seasoned lighting knowledgeable person could easily cope in that situation, but you are not a seasoned lighting person. You would have to shoot and chimp and adjust and do that over and over until you get it acceptable! Forget the flash for this job and save the flash purchase and practice for another time!

emre2006 wrote in post #6226787
I would like to achieve results like this:
http://cell.phoneevent​s.com …/2008/04/alicia​-keys2.jpg
http://alisbasement.fi​les.wordpress.com …a_keys__12__h00​3515_l.jpg

etc.

in all of them there is a backdrop, can I use a fabric like muslin for that?..

Especially the example picture Ive posted the link for which is a more fullbody one has good light in my opinion, can that be achieved without any special softboxes etc?

The backdrop is the least of your challenges .. believe me.

Please do not be discouraged by what I say here, because you can do basically just about anything you want to do with a little knowhow and a lot of practice .. or vice versa.

But man -- thats a tall order!

The Alicia Keys Portrait. High Key Background with a nice even light throughout. Looks like the main light is coming in from high camera left, given the shadows, but there is a heavy amount of frontal fill -- almost like a subtle, ring light effect. Plus, she's tight to a nice white background, which is tough to do.

I could knock this out easily with 5 lights, 3 umbrellas, a couple 7 foot gobos , and about 4 hours. No sweat.

Now I am not a pro, but do you see where I am going? There is some definite "walk before you run" stuff at work. Could someone shoot this without five lights? Sure.

That's what the pro's do.

Once again, do not be discouraged. You just have some groundwork to lay.

And yes.... Muslin will work, but be sure to iron it!

mattograph wrote in post #6227175
I could knock this out easily with 5 lights, 3 umbrellas, a couple 7 foot gobos , and about 4 hours. No sweat.

Now I am not a pro, but do you see where I am going? There is some definite "walk before you run" stuff at work. Could someone shoot this without five lights? Sure.

That's what the pro's do.

Interestingly, an introduction course to lighting will have you work with only one or two lights. Setting the addition lights (3 thru 5) is guilding the lily.

Matt and Wilt, I understand both of you fully. I am aware that lighting is a profession by itself. I will first do lots of sessions with just natural daylight via window etc, or outside plus a reflector (I am sure a good quality reflector won't harm me! let me buy at least something !..), and then see what I am missing. However the problem here is I am in London, and in London usually there isn't enough sunlight, even outside. Do you think even in this case 2 continuous light source (softbox?) would be unnecessary for a starter like me?


I am also looking into some source textbooks about light. Any recommendations?

Wilt wrote in post #6227209
Interestingly, an introduction course to lighting will have you work with only one or two lights. Setting the addition lights (3 thru 5) is guilding the lily.

Yep, the extra lights are the crutch.

Not that anyone asked......

1+2) I need to wash that nice white background. I am gonna hit it with two studio strobes, one each side. I will flag them both, feather the light right up to old Alicia, doing my best not to contaminate her too much (not that it would matter too much.)

3) Main light, high left. Umbrella / Softbox studio flash. One stop over the wash (maybe a little more). Need the shadow.

4+5) Classic frontal clamshell. Balanced to the wash exposure. Both fired at 1/1 ratio. Shoot through umbrellas would be fine. The top umbrella is gonna have to carry the extra weight of washing the backdrop above alicias head. That might take some tweaking.


Never underestimate the photographer with a gold card and an extension cord!

emre2006 wrote in post #6227380
Matt and Wilt, I understand both of you fully. I am aware that lighting is a profession by itself. I will first do lots of sessions with just natural daylight via window etc, or outside plus a reflector (I am sure a good quality reflector won't harm me! let me buy at least something !..), and then see what I am missing. However the problem here is I am in London, and in London usually there isn't enough sunlight, even outside. Do you think even in this case 2 continuous light source (softbox?) would be unnecessary for a starter like me?


I am also looking into some source textbooks about light. Any recommendations?

A great place to start.......

http://www.amazon.co.u​k …oks&qid=1220387​216&sr=8-1

emre2006 wrote in post #6227380
Matt and Wilt, I understand both of you fully. I am aware that lighting is a profession by itself. I will first do lots of sessions with just natural daylight via window etc, or outside plus a reflector (I am sure a good quality reflector won't harm me! let me buy at least something !..), and then see what I am missing. However the problem here is I am in London, and in London usually there isn't enough sunlight, even outside. Do you think even in this case 2 continuous light source (softbox?) would be unnecessary for a starter like me?

I am also looking into some source textbooks about light. Any recommendations?

Oh, in that case, I recommend you travel to Spain!

Or stretch a translucent cloth across a window frame, and put a halogen work lamp outside, shining in...and use the aluminium (I know, you Brits spell funny, not merely talk funny) foil over foamcore panel, or give your wife an excuse for buying the reflector instead.

Wilt wrote in post #6227446
Oh, in that case, I recommend you travel to Spain!

Or stretch a translucent cloth across a window frame, and put a halogen work lamp outside, shining in...and use the aluminium (I know, you Brits spell funny, not merely talk funny) foil over foamcore panel, or give your wife an excuse for buying the reflector instead.

No wife, so just bought a 5 in 1 reflector off ebay a minute ago Moving to spain is just a matter of finding a spanish gf Just kidding here..

Seriously, thank you very much for all of you for advices. I think I am on the right track now for beginning. I am sensing that lighting is a big journey!..A whole new side of photography..

emre2006 wrote in post #6226787
I would like to achieve results like this:
http://cell.phoneevent​s.com …/2008/04/alicia​-keys2.jpg
http://alisbasement.fi​les.wordpress.com …a_keys__12__h00​3515_l.jpg

etc.

in all of them there is a backdrop, can I use a fabric like muslin for that?..

Especially the example picture Ive posted the link for which is a more fullbody one has good light in my opinion, can that be achieved without any special softboxes etc?

I've been shooting pictures since 1960 and I'd like to achieve those results to...