What Lighting Eqip. for Backdrop?

[brittany_mccoy]

<p>Hello! I am looking to purchase some lighting equipment for doing some backdrop photography. I mostly want to do maternity and portraits. I have the beginner pack backdrop package (<a href="http://www.aurabackdrops.com/beginner-pack-p-353.html">http://www.aurabackdrops.com/beginner-pack-p-353.html</a>) from Aura Backdrops and I am trying to find the right lighting equipment since I have none as of now. I would like something that is self standing as I dont really want to do anything I have to hanging on the ceiling/walls etc. I would like to stay under $400. I am new to the whole lighting idea so I really dont know if I need a softbox, umbrella etc. so suggestions would be great, and if you have a link to a specific package/product that would be great too so can check it out :)</p>

<p>...thanks in advance, and if I left anything out let me know.</p>

[976photo]

<p>Check out B&H Photo or Adorama for some decent light kits, but remember the general rule of thumb... you get what you pay for. You can do a lot with only one light, but you can do more with two and it's going to be hard to get two good quality lights for only $400.</p>

<p>Also look at White Lightning / Alien Bees lights by Paul Buff, very good quality but they may be a little more than what you want to spend right now.</p>

<p>You can go with either a softbox or umbrella if you want.. or both. Both do the same thing but with different effects. An umbrella will be cheaper to start with.</p>

[brittany_mccoy]

<p>I've checked out AlienBees before, as I have had someone recommend them. I guess my confusion is what all should I get one softbox, one reflector, one umbrella...and then my next question what sizes?</p>

[brittany_mccoy]

<p>Would something like one of these work...http://www.alienbees.com/flash.html<br>

and it is possible to have it flash when I take a picture at the same time? like I said I am very new to this!<br>

Also in addition to one of the flash units above I could get a softbox to go with... would a softbox and a flash unit be a good combo?<a href="http://www.alienbees.com/foldable_detail.html">http://www.alienbees.com/foldable_detail.html</a></p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>Those two items would do what you indicate you want, and will hold up pretty well unless you're dragging them out on location every day.</p>

<p>Depending on your camera, you might be able to make the AB flash as a slave to your camera's pop-up flash (not on most Canon cameras, however). Otherwise you will need a sync cord to connect your camera to the strobe. Or CyberSync wireless triggers, also from the Alien Bee folks.</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[henryp]

<p>Traditional portraiture uses four lights. The main is set higher than the camera and 30-45 degrees off the camera-subject axis. The fill light, usually producing half as much illumination as the main, is set on axis, often directly above the camera. The hair & back lights are usually set to the same output as the main, but they can be varied depending on your subject and the effect you want to achieve. This is true for monolights and pack-n-head systems. many of us use light modifiers to change the quality of the light. I like a soft box for my main & hair lights and an umbrella for my fill. YMMV.</p>

<p>Offhand I don't know of a 4-light kit in your price range although there are 3-light kits. You can start without a hair light if your budget is really tight. Don't forget that if you buy individual lights a la carte you'll need stands too. Sooner or later a light meter will become necessary if you're serious about this.</p>

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

[danny_low]

<p>The basic lighting set up is 2 lights. That is what I recommend for a starting setup. You can always add more lights later as you gain experience. I also recommend getting one of the many books on studio lighting so you can learn what to do with those lights.</p>

<p>Softboxes, umbrellas and reflectors all do the same thing, soften the light for a better photograph. I recommend softboxes as I found them easier to use. You can always buy umbrellas and reflectors later on as you learn what you need.</p>

<p>The size of the softboxes depend on what you are photographing and how much softening you want. The same applies to reflectors and umbrellas. You can also adjust the effect of the size by moving the lights closer or further within limits. For your purposes, something in the 2-3 feet size range should be adequate.</p>

<p>A 2 light Alien Bee kit is within your price. They are not the best but are very good and well suited for beginners.</p>

<p>Danny</p>

 

[henryp]

<blockquote>

<p>The basic lighting set up is 2 lights.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Traditional head-n-shoulders portraiture is, as I said above, a four-light system. Two lights is about as basic as one can get and it certainly won't provide professional results. it is bare-bones at the very best.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Softboxes, umbrellas and reflectors all do the same thing, soften the light for a better photograph.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Softboxes, umbrellas and reflectors are all light modifies but they do different things and are designed for different results. Stoves and refrigerators are both kitchen devices but to say they <em>all do the same thing </em>is simply incorrect.</p>

<p>I don't want to overwhelm Haley with too much too quickly especially as my impression is he's not the most experienced photographer in photo.net, but I also think oversimplification does him no favor.</p>

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

 

[danny_low]

<p><em>"Traditional head-n-shoulders portraiture is, as I said above, a four-light system. Two lights is about as basic as one can get and it certainly won't provide professional results. it is bare-bones at the very best."</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

I used to live near a traditional full service photography store. One of their services was a course on studio lighting. It was taught by a sales rep from one the companies that made lighting equipment when I took the course. One of the questions asked was how many lights did we have to buy to get started. His response was he would not object if we wanted to buy more than two lights but two was really all we needed. Most of the course was on how to get professional quality photos with just two lights. It was only at the end that he showed what could be done with more lights. One of the lessons was how to use cheap reflectors to get the effect of additional lights.While I eventually bought more lights, I started with a basic two light setup with softboxes and that worked just fine as I learned the art of using lights. </p>

<p>A 4 light setup pushes the limits of Haley's budget. More equipment does not make for professional quality photographs. Knowing how to use the equipment properly is what makes for professional quality photographs. Experience is the best learning tool. When photography is a hobby you can get away with buying more equipment than you know how to use. When photography is a business, doing that is a good way to go out of business. Starting simple and buying more equipment when the money comes in, is the proper way to stay in business. Getting overwhelmed by too much equipment is a common mistake in photography.</p>

<p>Danny</p>

 

[976photo]

<p>All of the portrait pics in my port are are done with two lights. I have two White Lightning X-800 strobes with softboxes and I use the wireless Cybersync triggers. That's it. I know a few professional photographers who use two, maybe 3 lights, and get excellent results. You do not NEED 4 lights to get good results. There are many stunning photographs on this very site that make use of only <strong>one</strong> light.</p>

<p>Haley, work within your budget, and get the best quality light you can afford. You definitely want to get either a softbox or an umbrella to diffuse the light, but which one you get is up to you. If you can spring for a two light setup, that will be a very versitale setup without getting complicated to start with. You can always add a light later as you gain more experience.</p>

<p>As mentioned, you can also use your on camera flash as a fill light, so even if you can only get one strobe, set that at about a 45 degree angle from your subject and use it for your main light. Use your on camera flash for a fill light to soften the shadows and bam, you have a two light setup.</p>

<p>Think about this. Here's where I'm comming from, what's the single most important thing you need to make a photograph? LIGHT. With great lighting you can take an amazing picture with a throw-away camera. So you've invested all this money in a nice camera and lens, why would you want to skimp on cheap quality lights? When the light is the most important aspect of a good photo.</p>

<p>Quality over quantity. My two cents.</p>

[mariosforsos]

<p>Henry is - in terms of lighting theory - correct. That it is entirely possible to take amazing images with one, two or three lights does not negate traditional lighting theory. True, you could use a window as a light source, reducing your lighting requirements and you can play with one or more reflectors, but even if those are not "lights" (in the lets-go-out-and-buy-them sense), they are nevertheless light sources.</p>

<p>However, the OP has already invested in a backdrop system and therefore chances are he will need some way of separating his subjects from those backgrounds, thereby immediately necessitating the use of SOME sort of light there. True, that light can be something as simple as a normal desk lamp with a sufficiently bright bulb, but that is a light too.</p>

<p>I would advice Haley to look into a two-light system (so he can stay within budget) and at least one (but again, preferably two) large-ish softbox (or even octabox) as his main lighting posse. This setup can then be easily augmented with a very low-power, simple separation light (no modifiers necessary for that one) and maybe, in the long term, depending on his needs, another low-powered light with a snoot or some other directional modifier, for a hair light...</p>

[brittany_mccoy]

<p>Thanks for all the responses...this has def given me some food for thought.<br>

I am thinking about trying one light with a softbox and maybe the trigger as some of you have mentioned. I have a Nikon d5000 so I think that will work, but non the less can ask the vendor.<br>

Btw...I'm a girl, just thought I'd add that in since I've gotten the "him" alot lol.</p>

[henryp]

<blockquote>

<p>I am thinking about trying one light with a softbox</p>

</blockquote>

<p>If you're only going to use one light, an umbrella is more directionless and forgiving that a softbox. And, one light + a reflector is probably better than one light.</p>

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

[brittany_mccoy]

<p>Thanks for the advise :)<br>

...now with the wireless trigger how exactly does this work? If I use the B-800 flash unit from Alienbee will the trigger and my d5000 all work together so when I snap that one shot it all flashes in sync with my camera? No extra buttons i need to push at the same time....right?</p>

[henryp]

<p>if you want to use your on-camera flash to trigger the B-800 via its optical slave you have to be sure the on-camera flash is set NOT to product the small almost invisible pre-flashes the camera uses for exposure. Those pre-flashes will trigger an optical slave and cause the remote flash to fire prematurely.</p>

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

[976photo]

<p>The best option is to use the wireless transmitter and reciever. If you get the cybersync ones they work just fine, you'll attach the transmitter to your camera on the hot-shoe mount. Plug in the reciever to the back of the Alien Bee light, make sure you plug in the sync cord to the PC input on the back. The light will fire when you shoot your camera.</p>

<p>Also, if you don't plug anything into the Alien Bee, it has a sensor that will fire the flash whenever another flash is detected, so you can use your oncamera flash to trigger the strobe like mentioned. It's better to use the transmitter though.</p>

<p>Another alternative would be to plug a sync wire directly from your camera to the flash unit. However, there's two problems with this, one you're tied to the light with the wire so movement is restricted. The other issue is the D5000 does not have a PC sync port built in, so you'd have to get an adaptor that mounts to your hot shoe. B&H Photo sells those for around $20 I think.</p>

<p>I'd suggest the wireless triggers as your first option though </p>

[henryp]

<blockquote>

<p>the D5000 does not have a PC sync port built in, so you'd have to get an adaptor that mounts to your hot shoe</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That's be the Nikon AS-15,</p>

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