What kind of lighting?

[crystal_smith5]

<p>Help! I have been asked by my daughters dance teacher to photograpg her little dancers and I need some lights and dont know what to get. I have continuous lighting and I was thinking about getting some strboe but I just know. I contacted a guy at bhphoto and he stated that I should do continuous but I have continuous and woud like strobes? I also shoot in my home...what should I get and hoiw much wattage?</p>

[henryp]

<p>IMO you want to start with a three-light strobe kit so you'll have main, fill and back lights. I started doing high school 12th grade yearbook portraits with a 4-head 400ws outfit. I was happy to double up on the output, but you can certainly start at <1000ws total. You can use monolights or pack-n-head systems, although IMO monolights let you mix-n-match individual components more easily. Buying into a pack-n-head system is like buying into Nikon or Canon. Once you're in a brand, you're in the brand.</p>

<p>You can use two umbrellas to start or a umbrella for fill and a soft box for main. I've been asked not to post links to the B&H site, but you should have little trouble finding a variety of kits to choose from.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /> <strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[crystal_smith5]

<p>Thanks Henry- I have a couple of ones that I am looking at... Everyone says backlighting... where at in the back? Behind the subject or behind the backdrop?<br>

What is IMO?</p>

[py-photography]

<p>IMO <br>

In<br>

My<br>

Opinion</p>

 

[Charles_Webster]

<p>A back light is placed behind the subject to provide a bright edge to help separate the subject from the background. In portraits, it's generally a hair light and is often on a boom above and behind the subject.</p>

<p>For an on-location shoot, I'd just use a softbox for key 45deg off axis, and an umbrella over the camera one or two stops below the key for fill. Hair light on location is too fiddly.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[nathan_stiles]

<p>I disagree w/ Henry on a pack locking you into a brand and monolights not-- once you get some modifiers for you monolight, you'll want to buy only brands that use the same speedrings/adapters. However, I also feel if you are going to use 3 lights or less, monolights are the way to go. I have 5 heads and perfer a two pack system.</p>

<p>I'm really enamored w/ Photogenic's StudioMax system that has the future option of running on battery (look for a 'B' in the product name). At least as far as an entry level system goes. You might want to get a 16" reflector for it as a spot. A sturdy stand so you can raise it high, maybe even a boom arm if you have some money for it.</p>

[r_smith2]

<p>Crystal for what you are wanting to do a simple setup with 2 or 3 Nikon SB26 or SB28 speedlights along with some shoot through umbrellas, a 5 and 1 reflector as well as some cheap radio triggers and you are set no matter what brand of camera you are using. As mentioned previously the investment into a monoblock or a pack lighting setup and associated light modifiers is an expensive long term decision not to be taken lightly. You can spend a fortune on light modifiers and then if down the road you find that your lighting needs require something different then you're right back to square one and just that much deeper in the hole financially. I started with JTL ac/dc monoblocks and added more JTL, Photoflex, Calumet, and Bowens strobes along the way as needed (they all accept the same S-bayonet light modifier mounts). Currently I am using Bowens 1500 and 2400 packs but because I had planned ahead in the beginning all the light modifiers I have bought through the years continue to fit. I have since added 3 Alien Bee's to my arsenal so that I can mix them with my Canon Speedlites by using Radio Poppers so I know what kind of investment is needed when switching to or adding strobes with a different modifier mounting system. I have well over $1000 in softboxes, long throw reflectors and a beauty dish just to support the addition of 3 more strobes not to mention the cost of the strobes. It is an expensive game to play and it is best to keep it simple when you are starting off. As I mentioned at the beginning a simple setup with some speedlites (speedlights) may be the way to go.</p>

[ericophotography]

<p>I started my studio lighting with flashes (that could be triggered remotely) on light stands and graduated to "real" studio lighting. I found that as may have been mentioned above, the following.<br>

1. Studio lights are easier to control.<br>

2. Easier to "paint the scene" creatively.<br>

3. Easier to use modifiers.<br>

4. God forbid if you happen to get a model to sit for you or if someone happens to be peaking through the window, look much more professional.</p>

[ericophotography]

<p>I started my studio lighting with flashes (that could be triggered remotely) on light stands and graduated to "real" studio lighting. I found that as may have been mentioned above, the following.<br>

1. Studio lights are easier to control.<br>

2. Easier to "paint the scene" creatively.<br>

3. Easier to use modifiers.<br>

4. God forbid if you happen to get a model to sit for you or if someone happens to be peaking through the window, look much more professional.</p>