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Help with home studio set-up

coolcincoolcin Registered Users Posts: 11 Big grins
edited February 11, 2011 in Technique
Hi! I have set up a studio in my home. What I have is 1 AB800 and a 30x60 Softbox.

I plan on shooting children, newborn and family stuff on a black background and white high key.

I think I have the black background down but I need help with lighting the white background.

I need to know if I should get an additional AB800 or if I can use my SB-900 to light the background. I figured out how to trigger the SB-900 without an additional reciever so that's no problem. I just don't know if it will be bright enough. I'm not sure if I should shoot through an umbrella or not.

Has anybody used an AB800 along with a SB-900 to shoot high key? Also I understand that you have to use 2 stops higher on the background light but I'm kind of confused how to set that on the SB-900. It's pretty new and I have really only used it on camera most of the time.

Plus I would like to know the placement of these lights.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2011
    It is always best to use all the same model of lights in a studio.....you can use the speedlight with the AB's and it will need to be your main light and use the AB for background OR you will need an RF trigger (inexpensive EBAY 16 channel triggers work great) to fire the speedlight remotely and the AB will trigger off the speedlight...then practice....if you can afford the 279.95 for another AB....then go that way.......but really you need 2 and go spend a few minutes or an hour here: http://tinyurl.com/2bhqg4 It might help answer some of your lighting questions...

    Good LucK


    Edit:
    It is truly hard to set lights without a meter...even a $60 Wein flash meter (big and ugly but work like a charm for the studio) can save you lots of trouble and headaches.....it all the lights are the same then getting 2 stops or even 1/4 stop difference is not that hard.....but incorporating a speedlight into the mix will be almost impossible with a flash meter
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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    SnowgirlSnowgirl Registered Users Posts: 2,155 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2011
    Art Scott wrote: »
    but really you need 2 and go spend a few minutes or an hour here: http://tinyurl.com/2bhqg4 It might help answer some of your lighting questions...

    Excellent information in these tutorials. I could spend all day and learn something new from each one. Thanks.clap.gif
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    coolcincoolcin Registered Users Posts: 11 Big grins
    edited February 11, 2011
    Art Scott wrote: »
    It is always best to use all the same model of lights in a studio.....you can use the speedlight with the AB's and it will need to be your main light and use the AB for background OR you will need an RF trigger (inexpensive EBAY 16 channel triggers work great) to fire the speedlight remotely and the AB will trigger off the speedlight...then practice....if you can afford the 279.95 for another AB....then go that way.......but really you need 2 and go spend a few minutes or an hour here: http://tinyurl.com/2bhqg4 It might help answer some of your lighting questions...

    Good LucK


    Edit:
    It is truly hard to set lights without a meter...even a $60 Wein flash meter (big and ugly but work like a charm for the studio) can save you lots of trouble and headaches.....it all the lights are the same then getting 2 stops or even 1/4 stop difference is not that hard.....but incorporating a speedlight into the mix will be almost impossible with a flash meter

    Thanks! I do have a light meter so I'm okay with that. I think I'm going to invest in another AB.

    Thanks!
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    B RockB Rock Registered Users Posts: 181 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2011
    I use this setup quiet often. Check out my website for some photos.

    Basically what you need to do is set the SB900 in SU4 mode which essentially makes it optically triggered. Now when the AB fires the SB will as well. As far as metering goes the 2 stops over thing is sort of a guideline. If you bring the power up too high on the SB you are going to get lots of flare and wraparound which won't look too great. I would put the SB900 on an umbrella and point towards the middle of the background right behind the subjects head, if that makes sense. With just one speedlight, depending on your aperature, the recycle time is going to be long because you will have it at nearly full power. Keep lots of batteries handy. When lighting your subject with the AB and softbox, you can feather the light from the softbox to fall on your subject and have the remainder of the light facing the background. This will help fill the background as well. The only issue with using the amount of lights you have is, the background will probably never be perfectly even. This can usually be fixed pretty easily in photoshop around the corners though. Another option if you have some sort of budget laying around, is to buy some cheapo studio strobes. I have 2 Impact 100w strobes that I purchased, that work out wellf or background lights. They can be had for only a couple hundred bucks, including stands and umbrellas. They are an easy and cheap solution to supplement your lighting equipment. A lot of times I prefer having the background unlit and letting it go a light to medium grey. But it is all personal choice. If you have any other questions feel free to send me a message. :)
    http://www.brocklawsonphoto.com
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    Art ScottArt Scott Registered Users Posts: 8,959 Major grins
    edited February 11, 2011
    coolcin wrote: »
    Thanks! I do have a light meter so I'm okay with that. I think I'm going to invest in another AB.

    Thanks!

    This would be my choice and use one for Key light and one for fill and use the SB900 for background...

    An inexpensive camera trigger is a big help also in doing setups and working on lighting when you are the only assistant you have...that way you can sit in subjects chair get all set and fire the camera to check lighting and all...hard to be behind the camera nd in the subjects place also :D:D

    Good Luck
    "Genuine Fractals was, is and will always be the best solution for enlarging digital photos." ....Vincent Versace ... ... COPYRIGHT YOUR WORK ONLINE ... ... My Website

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