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What lighting is needed for inside photo shoot?


jenna_bboso

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I am just a beginner.

 

I am organising a photoshoot inside with a model and have organised a white background. I have a DSL

Canon camera. I have no lighting but i am going to hire it.

 

I was wondering if anyone could please give me suggestions on the minimum/basic lighting i would need.

 

Cheers!

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This is pretty vague Jenna. It's a little like saying "I'm cooking dinner; I've got a big pot;

what are the minimum ingredients I need to make a meal?"

 

The minimum lighting you need is a good window. You do a lot with a clean background,

good model, and decent window light. Since you say you are just a beginner, I'm assuming

this is not a job, but rather a learning experience and that your model will be patient and

willing to let you experiment. I suggest starting slowly: one light, a softbox, and a

reflector. This is pretty hard to screw up and you will learn a lot--especially since you will

get quick feedback from the digital camera. Move the light around: try different angles,

move it close and far, and take notes. If you expect to have a lot of time with your model,

rent two or three lights (either a few monolights, or a pack with three heads) and as the

day goes on try lighting the background and adding fill. Make sure you get all the little

things like stands and a flash meter--the rental shop will certainly be willing to help you

out in that department. Good luck, and have fun with it.

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Agreed - a window and reflector often is good enough.

 

Next level - either hot lights (continuous) or strobes. You can literally go to Home Depot and get a shop light to use as your main light source. Easy, you can see exactly what you're getting as you move the light around, shadows etc.

 

Studio strobes a bit more complicated as you'll need to learn to use them.

 

I recommend you rent a Canon on camera flash for the Canon, this would be easiest since the camera can meter and control the light output. But it will restrict you from being able to move the lighting source around. Though with a remote cable you can move it a bit. I know Nikon has a remote system controlled by the camera, but I don't know if Canon has an equivalent.

 

The next option, studio strobes, might require a light meter or playing around till things look right on your LCD.

 

Renting a studio a strobe - could be a self-contained unit, a Monolight, or a Power Pack - the strobe is attached to a power unit. Both plug into a household wall socket.

 

A good camera store can rent you any and all of the above, including reflector, stands, modifiers, grip, etc. A good modifier is a softbox or easier to setup is an umbrella, especially one that you can shoot through.

 

First time I wouldn't overdo it. Just get one light and play around with it. Renting a on camera strobe is like $25, whereas a Profoto studio strobe can run you $150+ for just for one light, then you need all the supporting gear.

 

Check out the Learning here under studio lighting and it'll give some good pointers.

 

Good luck.

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To get a pure-white background, as You like to experiment this also, the trick is to over-expose the background by a remore Flasher.

Is Your Camera provided with some sort of Flash connenction, hot-shoe or even PC plug?

Well, buy a common inexpensive hot-shoe Flasher having Manual-mode and output manually adjustable; like:

 

Vivitar 285

 

Sunpak auto 433D / Sumpak 383

 

Canon 430EZ / Canon 540EZ

 

Nikon SB20 / Nikon SB24 / SB28

 

(many others ...)

 

Don't care if they have different dedication than Canon, or any: since You will use them in off-camera Manual-mode as Studio-Lights, all them turn the same.

 

Besides overexposing for the background, You will start to use one as main-light on to the subject, too.

 

.

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