New Here

Hi guys
i have recently joined up here as im after some help i have been looking are this site and looks like some interestin reads as well as some great help with comments on some of the photos.
What im wanting to know though is in regards to studio lighting and weither continuos lighting or strobe is the best option to go for?
Lisa

mossy1982 wrote in post #11036685
Hi guy
i have recently joined up here as im after some help i have been looking are this site and looks like some interestin reads as well as some great help with comments on some of the photos.
What im wanting to know though is in regards to studio lighting and weither continuos lighting or strobe is the best option to go for?
Lisa

My opinion (having gone both routes) is that when I didn't know what I was doing the hot lights (continuous lights) were easier to work with. That said, the results I get with a flash are better. There are a number of reasons for this.

1. Continuous Lights are very warm and can make a room pretty hot
2. Flashes freeze action better and in my experience lead to sharper shots
3. Flashes don't cause the subject to squint

I'm sure there are more experienced people on here who can add to this or tell me why I am wrong but this has been my experience.

what did you end up going with other then the continous light making the room hot is that the only thing wrong with using continous lights?
and are strobes easy to use

mossy1982 wrote in post #11036712
what did you end up going with other then the continous light making the room hot is that the only thing wrong with using continous lights?
and are strobes easy to use

Not the only thing. Again, the flash freezes the shot better and makes the models not squint while allowing brighter light. I went from two continuous lights to two speed lights, but I use them outside mainly so portability was my biggest factor.

Yes they are easy to use if you take the time to learn how

so do you do any studio work with the continous lighting

mossy1982 wrote in post #11036727
so do you do any studio work with the continous lighting

I did when I first started out. Now I never shoot studio.

ok and when you did shoot in the studio you used the continous lighting
was that with softbox or umbrella

mossy1982 wrote in post #11036758
ok and when you did shoot in the studio you used the continous lighting
was that with softbox or umbrella

Umbrellas.

im leaning towards having a softbox and an umbrella have you used the softbox before? if so what were your thoughts on it compared to the umbrella

mossy1982 wrote in post #11036769
im leaning towards having a softbox and an umbrella have you used the softbox before? if so what were your thoughts on it compared to the umbrella

If you search you will get a lot of info on the differences but I have not used softboxes before. I do know that the catchlights in the eyes from a softbox are square whereas an octobox and umbrellas are round. There are some differences in the light they produce but there are people on the forum who will have a lot more info on this that I do.

ok thanks for your help has me thinking more now

Welcome to POTN Lisa.. Firstly, allow me to direct you to The Small Flash and Studio Lighting section of POTN.. There is a mile of information there..

https://photography-on-the.net …ay.php?s=&daysp​rune=&f=35

The general concensus is, studio flash is better than continous lighting for shooting portraits.. The main reason is the out right power of studio flashes,, you are able to shoot at smaller apertures.. Another reason is the flash duration which is pretty quick so there is less (or zero) chance of subject/camera movement..

I shoot with both softboxes and/or umbrellas.. Each to their own, both ways can result in stunning portraits..

Hi Lisa:

welcome. What helped me immensely with lighting was having stobes with modeling lights that can be turned on and aimed prior to taking the actual shot. This helps to see where the light falls on your subject and was a good training aid for me. Most decent strobe manufacturers (Elinchrom, Calumet, Alien Bees) incorporate this feature in their products.

Lighting is one element of photography that can make your head spin when the research phase begins. There are so many high-quality options out there. For whatever reasons, I chose to go with Elinchrom. They work fine and produce tremendous results when used properly, as will products from other manufacturers.

Best thing to do is determine needs, set budget, then buy the best quality gear you can afford. After that, learn how to use it and take care of it and the gear will provide years of quality service for you.

dave