Setting up my low budget studio and a test shot. Let me know what I should change/add

Jeremy Winterberg

Hey guys, I finally put together my "studio" tonight. I previously made a little soft box in my other attempt at making a still life mini studio.

everything:




"softbox":




Backdrop lighting:



How my backdrop bar thingme is being held up:




And the Test Shot:



I had my softbox too high which caused her glasses to make a shadow on her face. Which is why its a test shot. :wink I wasn't really paying attention to that.


So, What should I change, what do you think, and what should I add? Remember, LOW BUDGET... aka no money till next paycheck and even then no money cuz I gots billz to pay.

Swartzy

Hey Jeremy......interesting little studio you've got there . Here are a couple things that will provide you will much better results:

First, iron the backdrop or steam it. Get rid of all the wrinkles. Secondly, you don't need to light it up so much. The backdrop should serve a purpose....to simply be a "compliment" to your subject.

Now I noticed in your equipment line up that you have a Canon 580 EX. Although I enjoy your industrial prowness in creating a makeshift softbox, in all actuality you may be better served removing it...or better yet...use that for the backdrop light and forego the shop lights.

Try this: Put your flash on camera (yea, you read it right). Now, set your camera to Manual mode and meter your subject at say f/4.0. Bring your subject say 8 feet away from backdrop. Set your shutter speed to 1/100th. Now, adjust your ISO to where it registeres on your meter in camera to about 1 2/3rd stops under center. Using your flash exposure compensation, add +1/3rd EV. Aim your flash (bouncing it) to camera right, above, using the ceiling and wall. IF you have a reflector, you could set this up on a stand and use that to "bounce" the light. Think of angle of incedence/reflection...like a pool table. Your flash will be in ETTL. You'll be amazed at the amount of even light that can be acheived using bounce flash on camera....hence, eliminating shadows.

To do a productive set up using off camera lights, you'll need much more power and a way to "model" the light.

The shot above is a prime example of not enough light in the right places. When bouncing light, you essentially are using the ceiling as a giant softbox....a much more advantageous set up.

Jeremy Winterberg

Thanks for the advice.

It was my first go at studio shooting, and I need to get waaaaay better if I'm going to be offering portraits... Shop lights are out. mini "softbox" is going on the floor to light the backdrop slightly, model positioning is further out.. and flash bouncing off the ceiling...

The "backdrop", aka my bed sheet. is going be be washed and ironed. I just threw it up there so I would have something other than a white wall with a window.

the only problem about my location, is that there is a section of the ceiling that drops down about a foot or two, which is where I was standing. where the model position is right now is out in the "open area" of my family room. I'll take a picture of it in a second so you can see my problem. because this would affect how the bounce works...

I have white/black foam core boards... those are my reflectors... I dont have a stand... but I could use my tripod. Funny thing is you get a tripod for a camera right? I haven't even really used it for my camera at all since I got it.

Jeremy Winterberg

You'll have to excuse the mess, but I haven't finished cleaning down there. But as you can now see, I have a drop ceiling problem. and can you point me in the right direction as to how the heck to properly use reflectors. Cause I have no clue how thats supposed to work, I cant tell a difference when I use it or not, so I have to be doing something wrong.