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Trying to figure out a studio set up
Tmetroff
Registered Users Posts: 92 Big grins
So I am hoping to upgrade my current "studio" from hot lights to strobes. Right now I have 2 hot lights and I use my hot shoe flash on camera. It has been ok for the generic shots but I am wanting to use strobes to get more creative shots.
I have been doing quite a bit of research by doing the tutorial through strobists, read some of joe mcnally's work, etc. But I still cannot decide on what route to take. Apart of me is wanting to just use hot shoe flashes, but I feel that all I really need is one off camera flash for outdoor portraiture (which I already have a Nikon SB-900 set up for that).
As far as what type of photography I do, well its kind of all over the place. I touch on almost all types. My portraiture has been very bland and am wanting to start experimenting with light more to create more dramatic shots. The two hot lights with shoot through umbrellas make that difficult. And quite frankly the lighting set-up that I have now is very cheap. So I would like something that doesn't have to be top of the line but I don't want this flimsy plastic that feels like it will snap.
Linked below is a set up that I found, but again the price seems to good to be true.
http://www.ls-photostudio.com/shop/index.php/lusana/strobe-flash-lighting/800w-photography-studio-lighting-kit-flash-strobe-light-with-softbox-reflector-and-overhead-boom-light-stand.html
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated! I am still a newbie when it comes to lighting but I learn quick. I will post a picture of my current set up so you can see what I am working with now.
http://imgur.com/a/6HzEw
P.S I apologize if this is in the wrong place, I have been inactive for a while!
I have been doing quite a bit of research by doing the tutorial through strobists, read some of joe mcnally's work, etc. But I still cannot decide on what route to take. Apart of me is wanting to just use hot shoe flashes, but I feel that all I really need is one off camera flash for outdoor portraiture (which I already have a Nikon SB-900 set up for that).
As far as what type of photography I do, well its kind of all over the place. I touch on almost all types. My portraiture has been very bland and am wanting to start experimenting with light more to create more dramatic shots. The two hot lights with shoot through umbrellas make that difficult. And quite frankly the lighting set-up that I have now is very cheap. So I would like something that doesn't have to be top of the line but I don't want this flimsy plastic that feels like it will snap.
Linked below is a set up that I found, but again the price seems to good to be true.
http://www.ls-photostudio.com/shop/index.php/lusana/strobe-flash-lighting/800w-photography-studio-lighting-kit-flash-strobe-light-with-softbox-reflector-and-overhead-boom-light-stand.html
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated! I am still a newbie when it comes to lighting but I learn quick. I will post a picture of my current set up so you can see what I am working with now.
http://imgur.com/a/6HzEw
P.S I apologize if this is in the wrong place, I have been inactive for a while!
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Comments
1. Yes the price on that kit is too good to be true.
2. You don't indicate any sort of budget, and without that, it's essentially impossible to offer realistic advice.
One other thing. Strobes are not more creative than hot lights. Hollywood shoots on continuous lights as do some of the world's best photographers. Light is light. The thing strobes DO bring to the equation is a lot of power without a lot of current draw or heat. If you are working against the Sun, this can be helpful. In a studio or other controlled scenario, I'd generally rather have continuous light.
perroneford@ptfphoto.com
Considering the size of your space, I'd prefer Hotshoe flashes. SB-900,800,700 or even 600 x2 at least or three preferably. If you pony up for the Nikon flashes, and especially if you find them used, you can save some cash and they hold their value well. Add to those some diffusers and get REAL busy learning how to control that light.
If I had to have Strobes, I'd go straight to the Alien-Bee Website and not look back. I'd buy one at a time as my purse allowed and remind myself that 1; I bought into one of the best systems, 2 they hold their value well for resale, and 3 in the long run I saved money by not buying crap that is not worth anything on the resale front.
good luck~
This also applies to different types and styles of lights, as well as different light stands and light modifiers, reflectors, ... you name it.
For studio lights, wedding formals, product photography, and some outdoor use where there is mains power available, I'm pretty pleased with Adorama FlashPoint II monolights. (I think that our moderator, "Pathfinder" also has a set).
These are AC/mains power only, although there is a newer model with an "M" suffix that can be battery powered or AC powered. Also the Flashpoint DG600 which is AC/DC capable.
http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=itemlist&cat1=Flash/Lighting&cat2=Monolights&cat3=Monolights&Feature1=Flashpoint
Specifically I have a pair of the FlashPoint II 1820A monolights, and they can overpower the sun using large umbrellas. They are probably too much power for close proximity indoors unless you use double-diffused modifiers and smaller apertures. The 600 and 1200 effective watt-second units are probably more general purpose than the 1800 effective w-s units.
The FlashPoint monolights have their own ring mount, and only a few Adorama modifiers are available (but the most important modifiers are covered). Fortunately, a converter is available to allow the use of Westcott modifiers (which are abundant):
http://www.superdigitalcity.com/Westcott-Adapter-Ring-Alien-Bees-Balcar-p/3500-wst.htm
The FlashPoint monolights also have the standard "stem" socket, so umbrellas and even the SoftLighters work fine too.
The following are all from my FlashPoint II monolights:
For candids and other event work, as well as personal photography, I greatly prefer speedlites/speedlights (compact battery powered flash) and handle-bracket flash. Vastly more portable, they setup quickly, and most of mine are either TTL (use the camera's metering system to assist in exposure) and/or manual power control (although some also have an "Auto" mode for power control). They're almost always used with some sort of light modifier, generally DIY modifiers.
I reserve true "hot lights" (tungsten halogen, continuous burning) for video work. There I prefer Lowel Tota Lights. Generally I use 2 - Tota Lights, shot into or shot through umbrellas, and then reflectors and work lights (tungsten halogen) for support lighting.
Lowel Tota Lights are relatively inexpensive, lightweight, compact, self-protecting and use interchangeable tungsten halogen bulbs, to vary output and for field replacement/repairs. They also have a standard stem socket to hold the umbrellas and they work on standard light stands, the same as my studio monlights.
(I don't have any examples to show, but this site demonstrates the lights fairly well: http://crewofone.com/2012/great-lighting-for-microbudget-video/)
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