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Setting up a studio


sarah_baird

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<p>Hi,<br>

I am looking to buy a set of studio lights/flashes and have no idea where to start.<br>

I am setting up a studio in my fairly large spare bedroom in the basement. Initially I am intending to use it to build up my portfolio of portraits with the view to eventually setting up my business and also eventually having a shop and studio.<br>

I have only ever played with natural light and an on camera flash and will be taking a lighting workshop or an online course in studio lighting.<br>

What brand do you recommend that is reliable and suitable for what I need?<br>

I don't want cheap products and I don't want to have to take out a 2nd mortgage just to buy lights.<br>

Any help would be appreciated!</p>

<p> </p>

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"I have only ever played with natural light and an on camera flash and will be taking a lighting workshop or an online course in studio lighting."

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This is the one of thoughest parts of photography. Some people pick up on it pretty quickly while others like me struggle with it for years. One Lighting class ususally doesn't do it for most people, but you can be one of the lucky ones. I would recomend purchasing a book like "Light Science and Magic" and start from there just to get a feel what is involved, although there are other less confusing books on the market.

 

Natural light from a basement window might not be the most ideal light in my opinion, althought you might be able to get around it, if you are creative enough. The preferred light for most photographers, and painters is light coming from the North sky, since it's pretty stable throughout the day and does not cast any hard shadows, or color nuances.

 

To me, Lighting is almost like throwing the dice. You never know what the outcome is going to be until you see the actual results, but with allot of practice you can gain some type of predictabilty and always remember that rules are made to be broken, especially when it comes to Lighting. Good luck.

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<blockquote>

<p>To me, Lighting is almost like throwing the dice. You never know what the outcome is going to be until you see the actual results, but with allot of practice you can gain some type of predictabilty and always remember that rules are made to be broken, especially when it comes to Lighting.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Once you have that practice and experience, studio lighting is anything but a crap shoot. Studio lighting is all about precise, repeatable light control. Light control used to emphasize, enhance, or hide features as desired or required.</p>

<p>But it takes a bunch of practice, a solid understanding of basics, and a clear idea of the goals and objectives of each photograph.</p>

<p>"Light - Science & Magic" may seem confusing at first because is not a cookbook full of recipes; it is a text book on how light works, and how studio lighting modifiers change and control the light.</p>

<p><Chas><br /></p>

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<p>Sarah,</p>

<p>I'm pretty sure this is the third time in five postings in this section that someone has asked this question, which I understand because I almost asked it about 2 months ago. I just posted a response in another thread that could help: <a href="../photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00W2Ss">http://www.photo.net/photography-lighting-equipment-techniques-forum/00W2Ss</a> .</p>

<p>The Speedotron kit I purchased used is pretty much this kit: <a href="http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/SB3019/">http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/SB3019/</a> . I got the kit for $500 (it's many years old but works great). Having 4 heads provides a lot of flexibility and lets me learn about all kinds of lighting setups. I think this will be true for you, too, so consider picking up multiple heads (whether you buy heads/pack or monolights).</p>

<p>The heads-and-powerpack setup is good for a studio. It is portable, but not as easy to take to other locations as monolights (i.e., light heads with onboard power units) are. Monolights are heavier b/c the power pack is on the light head, so they need perhaps sturdier stands.</p>

<p>Avoid the continuous lighting kits (which are a lot less expensive but allow no real control over the light output).</p>

<p>"uitable for what I need" isn't an easy question to address beyond these points.</p>

<p>"Reliable" is pretty easy: Speedotron, Profoto, Elinchrom, Calumet's house brand, Bowens, AlienBees, and a dozen others are all apparently quite reliable. Mostly, new-equipment prices seem to be a pretty useful signal of long-haul reliability if you browse Calumet, Adorama, or B&H Photo.</p>

<p>But my advice is to check with your local camera store(s) for a good price on used equipment, and/or patiently watch eBay, craigslist, and <a href="http://www.keh.com/Class-Products/1/SL/51/78205/WG.aspx">keh.com</a> for good deals on used equipment sets. The better brands hold up well for a long time.</p>

 

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<p>Here is a simple light setup which will offer you lots of versatility. You will go back to it time and time again as I do because it is so flexible and quick to setup. Easily setup a photo shoot for a model, a product, a catalog or a headshot in about 5 minutes or less.<br /><br /><strong>view all the article:</strong><a href="http://www.lincostore.com/?Fs=fpArticleDetail&Csn1=4&Csn2=393&Csn3=18&Csn4=242&SN=1595">http://www.lincostore.com/?Fs=fpArticleDetail&Csn1=4&Csn2=393&Csn3=18&Csn4=242&SN=1595</a></p>
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  • 2 weeks later...

<p>Thanks everyone for your feedback! I checked out all the links and they were helpful. I still haven't bought any strobes but Alienbees look like good contenders. <br>

Love the softbox and scrim use for portraits. I have to try that!</p>

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