Studio Equipment

[UberVamp44]

Ok Im looking to get some stuff to do Portrait work. so Im looking for lights and such but im realy not shure exactly what I will need. eny suggestions and help would be great. my budget isnt much at all so least amount and cheapest would be best when it comes to suggestions unless quality does matter then well I guess ill fork out the cash so enyhelp enybody would be great


P.S. didnt know where this went so I put it in this forum

[Norm in Fujino]

I shouldn't be speaking since there are professionals here who can probably give you exactly the advice you need, but until they show up, there are lots of online tutorials that explain the kinds of lighting setups used. Someone mentioned the Canon tutorial page earlier today, and the other manufacturers probably have similar ones. The Olympic page has one on studio portraits and glamour that mention the setups used.
http://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_lessons/index.html
You might also look at http://www.photoworkshop.com/

[TheObiJuan]

I plan on doing portrait work aswell. I have settled with the alienbee digibee kit.
I feel it is a great starting point for any serious studio photgrapher. Good luck. ;)

[BlueGrassGirl]

I am interested in this also. Is a dslr the only camera that will do indoor studio portraiture or will a regular digital camera be decent enough for a beginner?

[D70FAN]

I am interested in this also. Is a dslr the only camera that will do indoor studio portraiture or will a regular digital camera be decent enough for a beginner?

Actually it depends on the camera. For SLRs (including digital) a good portrait lens is generally (not always) a lens that exibits good bokeh (very smooth blurred background). This generally calls for very shallow depth of field (DOF) with apertures in the f1.4 to f2.8 area, and focal length in the 50mm to 105mm range (after conversion on dSLR's). All-in-ones typically don't do this very well as they have a wonderful DOF but not very good bokeh-abilities. For a better explaination:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/bokeh.htm

You can simulate this on an all-in-one by using your zoom (about 2X or mid-position, or higher) and setting the camera to it's lowest possible aperture setting (if you have manual settings) at that zoom range. You should get a fairly good background blurr, but it may not have the bokeh qualities that professional portrait photographers like. Again, it depends on the camera and lens.

Even with a point-n-shoot I have seen some passable portraits. Give it a try, you might be surprised.

[D70FAN]

Ok Im looking to get some stuff to do Portrait work. so Im looking for lights and such but im realy not shure exactly what I will need. eny suggestions and help would be great. my budget isnt much at all so least amount and cheapest would be best when it comes to suggestions unless quality does matter then well I guess ill fork out the cash so enyhelp enybody would be great


P.S. didnt know where this went so I put it in this forum

Wolf/Ritz have a nice starter setup that is very portable and reasonably priced lighting setups from Smith-Victor.

http://www.ritzcamera.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&categoryId=4186986&bct=t1004%3Bc13000966

I do very little studio work, but have used low cost studio lighting (maybe 8 or 10 times in 10 years), and it works fine.

[jamison55]

As far as studio lighting goes, I'm a big believer in strobes. Strobes give off more light with less heat thatn the appropriately named "hot lights", and thus allow you to shoot at lower ISO's and smaller apertures.

I've done a search on EBay, and can't find the strobe kit that I purchased, but it consisted of two of these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30087&item=7505608627&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) with white and silver umbrellas and a nice carry bag for <$200 BIN. I have used this kit for a bunch of portrait sessions, and a few weddings, and couldn't be happier with it (especially for the price).

Here's a sample of a shot in my garage studio last weekend using just one of the strobes fired through a white umbrella: http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//nkb%20061

[jamison55]

I am interested in this also. Is a dslr the only camera that will do indoor studio portraiture or will a regular digital camera be decent enough for a beginner?

Any digital camera can do indoor studio portraiture.

With a basic PnS, you need the ability to turn off the onboard flash, and a decent set of hot lights (like the ones in George's post).

With a more advanced PnS (with a hot shoe) you can control a set of strobes (like the ones I own) using an off camera flash pointed away from the subject and dialed down to low power. Having manual control of the SS and Aperture is a must for a strobe setup.

You don't even have to have "real" studio lights to build a small home studio. I have used both salad bowl clamp lights, and halogen work lights to illuminate my subjects. The great thing about digital photography is that it doesn't cost anything to press the shutter, so you can experiment to your heart's content! Start pointing lights at a willing subject, and see what comes out!

[BlueGrassGirl]

Thanks for that information. I think I will start practicing without a "real" studio lighting kit for now. My camera has the option to turn off flash. I can also control aperature and shutter speed. But to what degree,I dont know...

Would a 500 watt halogen lamp work for starters? I'm just not sure how to position it and if there is anything else I need. What is a good basic background to start with, white, black, or multicolored?

[manilaboy]

It is always depends on ur financial ability to get the gear. Therei s Manforotto light stands and Bowens or Esprit flash units. U will need three units and better to buy it as a set. It also depends where u live.

In the USA so many flash unit manufacturers. One is from Paul C. Buff called White Lightning.

Some are made in China and some are made in England.

These units will last u a lifetime.

[BlueGrassGirl]

I am getting a lot of shadows in the background and sometimes a blurry photo. What prevents this? Right now I am using a Kodak dx6490, no flash, and a 500 watt lamp. Do I also need an external flash/strobe for the camera? This camera has a plugin for that but I'm not sure what to buy. Do I also need a reflector? Help!!!!

[jamison55]

I am getting a lot of shadows in the background and sometimes a blurry photo. What prevents this? Right now I am using a Kodak dx6490, no flash, and a 500 watt lamp. Do I also need an external flash/strobe for the camera? This camera has a plugin for that but I'm not sure what to buy. Do I also need a reflector? Help!!!!

Using a single light will produce shadows - especially against a light colored background. Try a darker background (like a black sheet) and move your subject further away from it. If you are getting blurry results, it is probably because the light is not powerful enough. Try moving the light a little closer to the subject. Place the camera on a tripod. A reflector won't shed more light on the subject, but it will bounce some light into the shadow areas. Keep trying...

[gary_hendricks]

I shouldn't be speaking since there are professionals here who can probably give you exactly the advice you need, but until they show up, there are lots of online tutorials that explain the kinds of lighting setups used. Someone mentioned the Canon tutorial page earlier today, and the other manufacturers probably have similar ones. The Olympic page has one on studio portraits and glamour that mention the setups used.
http://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_lessons/index.html
You might also look at http://www.photoworkshop.com/

Thanks for the link, Norm - its worth a read.

[BlueGrassGirl]

I have read all of the online tutorials that everyone has suggested and I also got an ebook to learn more about lighting, aperature, shutter speed, DOF, and all of that. I am still learning and experimenting. :D However, I have yet to get a good result inside with my mini fake indoor setup. ( If my budget allowed, Id be buying real equipment and a better camera..probably the Nikon D70 or the cheaper Canon EOS Rebel but until then I will work with what I have got... :) ).
Jamison55 thanks for your help so far. I appreciate it.

[UberVamp44]

Well ive decide on a smith vector 3 piece set for 170$ I think for now that will do and thank you everbody for the help

[BlueGrassGirl]

Hi, what type of set did you end up getting? Do you mind posting some sample portraits when you get a chance? I dont want to spend that kind of money until I get a bigger space to work with and possibly a better camera.

[jamison55]

Hi, what type of set did you end up getting? Do you mind posting some sample portraits when you get a chance? I dont want to spend that kind of money until I get a bigger space to work with and possibly a better camera.

BlueGrassGirl, I just re-read that you have a 6490...with a PC flash connector...you are all set! For a stricly play-around-at-home kit, you can pick something like this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30087&item=7508259772&rd=1) up on EBay for <$50. It includes a basic strobe + stand + umbrella. The umbrella will diffuse the light and soften the shadows. It is not the most powerful kit in the world, but should light a small area sufficiently...

[BlueGrassGirl]

Hi, thats really weird. I just found the exact same thing on ebay and was just getting ready to ask someone on here if that lighting kit would work for my camera. Will that give me more light than what I have now? Right now I am using a 500 watt halogen lamp and homemade diffuser ( sheer white flame resistant material) but I am still getting some blurry photos( if I take 10 photos, 4 may not be blurry. I'm not sure if its because I am trying to photograph active kids or if I dont have the light setup in the right place). However, I am not getting any shadows. Also, I am working in a very small space. The furthest away I can get from my subject is maybe 3-4 feet since I only have one open spot where I can put up a background . I got 4 1/2x9 black material from walmart. It only cost me $3.00

How close should I be for face shots?

[TheObiJuan]

blurry photos have to do with technique, not lighting. Adjust the ISO, shutter, aperture, or any combination of the above.
I would rather underexpose the picture and have them tack sharp. This way you could recover details in Photoshop.

[gary_hendricks]

That kit jamison55 mentioned is really cheap. Am considering whether to buy it ...

[BlueGrassGirl]

I am considering the kit also. So the blurry photos have nothing to do with lighting? I keep getting a lot of exposure errors and it just wont focus. Maybe its my camera. I have it on a tripod in manual mode. Also, I cant get less than 2.8 aperature with my camera.

[jamison55]

I am considering the kit also. So the blurry photos have nothing to do with lighting? I keep getting a lot of exposure errors and it just wont focus. Maybe its my camera. I have it on a tripod in manual mode. Also, I cant get less than 2.8 aperature with my camera.

Blurry photos are a result of lighting...indirectly. If you don't have enough light, the camera will choose a slow shutter speed, causing blur if you or your subject moves. Hot lights - like the halogen work lamp you were using - don't throw off much light, so you end up having to either up the ISO or mount your camera on a tripod, and get your subject to stand really still.

Strobes, on the other hand, are basically powerful flashes that put out large quantities of light in a single burst. Because of this, you can choose a much higher aperture/shutter speed combination. When I use my strobes in a small room, I an usually hovering between f8 and f11 at ISO 100 and 1/125 - 1/250 sec. With digital cameras it is easy to figure out your settings by putting your camera on full manual mode and monkeying with the SS/aperture until it looks right.

I cannot vouch for the light on EBay, as I have never used it, but it has a GN of 55 so it appears to be powerful enough for a small home setup, and it is priced just right for someone who wants to play with studio lights for not much cash. With a single light setup, you probably also want to invest in a reflector to wrap some of the light aorund the other side of the face.

If anyone decides to give it a try, be sure to post your results!

[jamison55]

Hold everything...I finally found the kit that I use here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30087&item=7508138710&rd=1

It is an amazing value for the price, perfect for a smallish setup. I use mine in my garage studio, and take it on site for in-home portraits and weddings.

I had mine for about 6 months now and it works like a champ!

You've seen these: 1 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//paige&ryand%20057p) 2 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//nkb%20061)

Here's a few more: 1 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//sm122604%20032a) 2 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//smpg2) 3 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//smpg3) 4 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//smry2) 5 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//smry3) 6 (http://www.fphoto.org/jamiewexler//smrypg)

I warn you, though, once you start to shoot with controlled lighting, you won't want to shoot with anything else!

[BlueGrassGirl]

The first one is the one I am interested in. Does anyone know whether it is over 500 volts? My cam can accept a max of 500 volts.

[BlueGrassGirl]

Ok, I bid on and won one of those auctions. I just hope the volts arent too high for my camera. I assume its pretty standard though. I hope anyway.
I hope this helps with my blurring problem. I will post some results after I get it, figure it out, and all...
I got a white foam core board as a reflector and on the other side, aluminum foil...lol... I know this is a cheap way to go. I will practice with it and the light kit I won first then decide if I need more.... :D
Is there anything else I need to know before I get started?

[jamison55]

Ok, I bid on and won one of those auctions. I just hope the volts arent too high for my camera. I assume its pretty standard though. I hope anyway.
I hope this helps with my blurring problem. I will post some results after I get it, figure it out, and all...
I got a white foam core board as a reflector and on the other side, aluminum foil...lol... I know this is a cheap way to go. I will practice with it and the light kit I won first then decide if I need more.... :D
Is there anything else I need to know before I get started?

500v is a pretty high tolerance, (my 20D recommends <250v, my DReb <6v). I definitely think you will be safe!

A couple of things to play around with:

- Use the camera in "full manual" mode, and disable the onboard flash.
- Start with f8~1/125 (ISO 100), and modify the ratio until you get an exposure that you like.
- Move the light closer or further from your subject to increase/decrease the amount of light.
- To really diffuse the light, remove the umbrella entirely and bounce the strobe off of a wall.
- Make sure there is enough ambient light in the room for the camera to focus (since the more inexpensive kits don't have modeling lights).

White foam core board is an excellent reflector!

Have fun!

[BlueGrassGirl]

Thanks for the information. I assume ambient light is window light or do you mean a light on in the room?

Also, I have read conflicting information on several different sites on the Aperature for portraits. Why F8? I guess if someone could explain to me exactly what that means and how it works then I would know. I think I have been using 2.8-3.6 range. Also, I have a full manual mode but I dont have the option of manual focus on this camera. Everything else can be put manual to a limit.

Another question, how far should the camera be from my subject and how far should the subject be from the background.

Thanks again :)

[jamison55]

Thanks for the information. I assume ambient light is window light or do you mean a light on in the room?

Also, I have read conflicting information on several different sites on the Aperature for portraits. Why F8? I guess if someone could explain to me exactly what that means and how it works then I would know. I think I have been using 2.8-3.6 range. Also, I have a full manual mode but I dont have the option of manual focus on this camera. Everything else can be put manual to a limit.

Another question, how far should the camera be from my subject and how far should the subject be from the background.

Thanks again :)

Correct on the ambient light, doesn't have to be from a window, could be a lamp...just make sure there is enough to focus.

My "studio" was converted from a small, one-car garage so the space is fairly small. Given the power of the lights, I have found that I need a small aperture to ensure correct exposure (since the max sync speed of my camera prevents really fast shutter speeds). Thus the f8 and higher. If my space was a little larger, I could move the lights a little further from the subject to reduce the output of the strobes and get away with a larger aperture...maybe next house! It sounds like your space is similar to mine, so I suggested the settings that work best for me. On the other hand, your strobe is not as powerful so you might need to open up the aperture by a stop or so to compensate.

I am sure you have read to use a larger aperture for portraits to blur the background. On your Kodak the sensor is too small to reduce the DOF, so it is a moot point.

When I say "full manual" mode I mean aperture and shutter speed. I generally always use autofocus.

You'll have to experiment with the distances to see what works best for you. Moving the subject away from the background will reduce the shadows even more. Wehn I shoot with one strobe, I usually position it over my shoulder , slightly offset from my subject. I usually shoot from 5-6 feet away from the subject, and position the subject 2-3 feet away from the background...again, it is digital so it doesn't cost you anything to experiment until you get the results you want.

[BlueGrassGirl]

I got the strobe kit in today and have been practicing a bit. I'll be able to do more later. However, I tried using Aperature of 8 and photos were darker so I went down to 3.2-4.0 and they looked much better. However, I am still having a hard time getting my camera to focus. When I turn on my flash, it will automatically focus even if there is no light but I cant use the flash. Is there a way to block the flash but leave it on so that my camera will focus better?
I am getting better shots with this strobe kit and better looking light overall. However, I am still having some focusing issues because of not enough light I assume. So far, I am mostly pleased with this kit that I bought. I just need more practice.
Any additional help and feedbback is appreciated.

Here is my first test shot. I just told my little man to sit there for a second. I didnt have time to set anything up or dress him up..lol...

[D70FAN]

I got the strobe kit in today and have been practicing a bit. I'll be able to do more later. However, I tried using Aperature of 8 and photos were darker so I went down to 3.2-4.0 and they looked much better. However, I am still having a hard time getting my camera to focus. When I turn on my flash, it will automatically focus even if there is no light but I cant use the flash. Is there a way to block the flash but leave it on so that my camera will focus better?
I am getting better shots with this strobe kit and better looking light overall. However, I am still having some focusing issues because of not enough light I assume. So far, I am mostly pleased with this kit that I bought. I just need more practice.
Any additional help and feedbback is appreciated.

Here is my first test shot. I just told my little man to sit there for a second. I didnt have time to set anything up or dress him up..lol...

I'm not sure how much more you expect from a single strobe. This is a very nice shot. Why would you want to "dress him up"? The best shots of my kids are when they were wearing play clothes, and set-up time was measured in seconds. The best expressions are unposed.

Very nice.

[jamison55]

I got the strobe kit in today and have been practicing a bit. I'll be able to do more later. However, I tried using Aperature of 8 and photos were darker so I went down to 3.2-4.0 and they looked much better. However, I am still having a hard time getting my camera to focus. When I turn on my flash, it will automatically focus even if there is no light but I cant use the flash. Is there a way to block the flash but leave it on so that my camera will focus better?
I am getting better shots with this strobe kit and better looking light overall. However, I am still having some focusing issues because of not enough light I assume. So far, I am mostly pleased with this kit that I bought. I just need more practice.
Any additional help and feedbback is appreciated.

Here is my first test shot. I just told my little man to sit there for a second. I didnt have time to set anything up or dress him up..lol...


Your first shot looks great! I love the nice even light that strobes give off! Move them around the subject to change the quality of the light. Tough one on the focus. Sounds like whatever af assist mechanism your camera has is dependant upon the flash (like my 20D). My only suggestion would be to try to add more light to the room and see if the AF improves...

[BlueGrassGirl]

lol...I didnt necessarily want to dress him up but usually when parents take their kids to get their photos taken they dress them up. :) That's basically what I meant. I dont expect more from one strobe. It's my camera that is the problem..it wont focus good enough unless I turn the flash on then all of a sudden it will focus and then I just close it real quick before the shot. There has to be a better way to do this.

Thank you for the compliments.

[BlueGrassGirl]

I plan on possibly getting a dslr in the next 6 months, which one would do the best in this type of situation ( the focus situation) and the lowest cost one. Could I even use this strobe kit for a dslr?

[jamison55]

I plan on possibly getting a dslr in the next 6 months, which one would do the best in this type of situation ( the focus situation) and the lowest cost one. Could I even use this strobe kit for a dslr?

The original Digital Rebel at $600 would probably work great for you. I took all of the pictures on my website with mine, and even used it to shoot my first few weddings. Keep an eye on the Buy and Sell forum on www.fredmiranda.com for great deals on them. I saw someone selling one last week for $475 with a 256MB card. The DRebel will work fine with your new strobe kit. My DRebel also focuses fine in low light situations, but if you have trouble, you can always switch to manual focus...

[BlueGrassGirl]

I cant find that camera for under $750 around here. Also, what additional lenses or other equipment would I need for outdoor sports photos. That is the main reason why I bought the Kodak. It looked easy to use for outdoor sports during the day with decent zoom.