cassie_kenning Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I am sure this has been asked before but I need some help on what type of lighting/accessories I should look at purchasing...here are the basics. I have a Nikon D70 Digital Camera. Application will be for general people portraits in my home. I currently use natural lighting which isn't always optimal depending on the time of day and I usually end up doing a lot of touching up in photoshop. I want something easy/basic, relatively inexpensive but something that I can add to later. Any advise on what I would need to get started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Yes this has been asked before and it would do you well to look back through the archives. I am assuming you are talking about studio strobes and not a speedlight for your camera. Alot of people here use alien bees for studio lights. they are self contained lighting. I use a pack and head system, which generally cost more money. The term relatively inexpensive is a relative term. IN photography lighting $1,000 for a set up is relatively inexpensive. You need to do some studing on lighting and first know how you want to light your subjects. Do you want a single light set up or a multiple light set up. Do you want hotlights or strobes? You have to do some homework and give us some more information on what you want to do instead of just asking what do i do. If more people researched before they asked then there would be less repetitive posts asking what do i need to get. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_walton2 Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 I have to agree on all counts, Cassie. Learn the "rules" of lighting and you be able to break the rules effectively when more creative results are warranted. Strobes will be your best bet and all depending what look you want to achieve will dictate what light altering devices your going to want to purchase. There are a ton of good books, with examples, of lighting techniques/patterns that are tried and true such as Rembrandt, Loop, Butterfly and Split lighting patterns, to name a few. Each, for the most part, can be done with straight heads, umbrellas, softboxes ect. but to use them all effectively so that you "beautify" your customer is knowing which one to choose and use for each individual customer! Pick a style of a shooter you admire and try to replicate their work... even using window/natural light by using additive reflectors and subtractive reflectors. Naturally lit portraits could end up being your niche! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jml Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi Cassie. Welcome to Photo.net. Most here try to be kind in offering help to us newbies, so don't be put off by the intolerant comments of some. However, please do follow the advice to search previous discussions regarding lighting. It's an endless subject with more differing views than anything else here on PN in my opinion. But, you will learn to filter out what doesn't apply to you and absorb gratefully what does. I have researched, as have many here, the Alien Bees lighting. It is the way I will eventually go. Please check out their web-site, it shows the many choices you have if you go with their product. It helps indeed to get a good book (or 2 or 3 :-) on lighting, and you will find recommendations for those on past threads as well. Much success to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassie_kenning Posted January 26, 2006 Author Share Posted January 26, 2006 Thank you everyone for your opinions. I have done some research but am overwhelmed as there is so much information on lighting. I am definately a newbie...but love photography. I am not looking to win any awards and mostly photography my kids and family members. I have also done volunteer senior photos for kids at a local studio who can not afford to have them done professionally. I love natural lighting but do not always get the outcome I desire. I wasn't sure if one strobe would do the trick...or if 2 would be better....or maybe just a speedflash added to my camera would help. I was just looking for some advise on what to start with and practice with. Once I figure this website out I will try and upload some photos and explain what I am trying to achieve :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cassie_kenning Posted January 26, 2006 Author Share Posted January 26, 2006 Sorry, meant to say local "school" not studio :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_walton2 Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 Cassie, I certainly didn't mean to come across brash and maybe shouldn't have said "I agree on all counts..." like I did. I do have to say that there are ALOT of stuff out there that isn't all that good but we as "gadgeteers" might tend to be sucked in by a lesser quality product because it is cheaper. Photography, like anything else, is in the realm (definitely!) is a get what you pay for kind of thing. I mean that as far as lighting ect. If your planning on doing "location" portraits, like going to someone's home, where there is electricity with numberous outlets... self contained lights are a choice as are power pack/light kits. If you want to do location/out in the wild kind of portraits, think of the self contained/all in one kind of powerpack/lights like Norman 200 or the more powerful 400B's, Lumeydyne's or the Quantums. For the powerpack kits, you can get into Novatron line (which really are quite durable!) and an "inexpensive" kit with 2-3 lights, powerpack of about 400w/s, stands, umbrellas and a rolling case comes in at just under $1000USD (go here:http://www.novatron.com). There is a bit of a thought process you need to go through to know what you want to get into and judging that will steer you into a useful lighting setup that you can grow with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmowery Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Thank you for giving some more insight about yourself and your needs. I strongly suggest you forget about purchasing any sort of off camera lighting set up. Instead first learn how to use an on camera flash. You will be able to acheive beautiful pictures by utilizing different techniques like bouncing the flash ect. Learn more photography and practice. You will be able to bless others with your pictures and your new on camera flash will be fine. Nobody will even know the difference. Later down the road when you have gotten experience with the flash then you can start to pursue a second flash. Take one step at a time. Having the umbrellas and lights does not make the photographer. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jml Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 Cassie, I heartily second both responses from Scott and Michael. Not that I am really in a position to advise at this point. But definitely start "small". I'm amazed at the great pictures ones get from the more simple flash lighting. If you haven't already, do check out Michael's web-site, his work is stunning. Here is a pic of my granddaughter. Not technically great I'm sure, but...a little window light...and a little fill light (580EX Speedlight) with the Lightsphere II attached. You'll see many comments on that diffuser here on PN as well. I like it very much, but it's not a save all by any means.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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