Hello All,

In the retouchpro I can find all solutions, that's why I'm posting this thread here.

Here is the detail :-
I want to setup my own studio. currently I've but with the limited equipments and very low quality digital camera.
Now I want to shoot photos professionally (we can say "modeling photography") and can invest for it. I've buyed a place sized approx. 9 Feet x 20 feet. I want to setup there my commercial studio for modeling photography for general customers. I'm a photoshop retoucher/restorer since 10 yrs. I know kinds of images well and played with thousand of images, but I'm not a professinal photographer and do not have much practical experience of professsional photogragy. Also I don't know much about equipments available in the market.

My query about is :
I need to know what kind of equipments I should setup in my studio and the name of companies which can give me best results for Camera, Front light, back light, side light, focuses, backgrounds, flowers etc. I need to know all the necessary equipments to setup in my studio, so I can shoot professionally and produce high quality results.

I know in the retouchpro there are very experienced persons/photograhers. So, please respond me and give me the list of equipments which should be used in a studio.
again thanks in advance.

Two questions:

What is the ceiling height?

When you say "modeling photography" are you talking about one person at a time or multiple people at one time?

check out photoflex for lighting equipment...

It depends so much on what exactly it is that you want to do. I'm not quite sure what you mean with "modeling photography".. Fashion? Portraits? Fashion can be so many things - and so can portraits.

Also - you sound like money is not an issue? If that's the case I'd go for a Hasselblad H2 with a Phase One P45+ digital back or a H3D, then a bunch of Broncolor lights and generators with an assorted range of softboxes, "dishes" and so on and/or probably a range of Chimera stuff as well. Then a Mac Pro for shooting tethered and of course an Eizo ColorEdge monitor. And of course a wide range of booms, and other lighting supports. Then you can start worrying about various stuff - backgrounds, stuff to help posing (chairs, boxes etc.), effects and so on and so on. That it just off the top of my head and just to make it clear that you'll have to prioritize what you really want to do - otherwise you'll spend what could've bought you a small country instead.

Hello Mike,

ceiling height is only 8 feet from ground.
I want to setup an studio for a single, family, proposal photo, group photo.

Hello Peer,

I want to shoot portraits, it seems that I do not want to make fashion photograhphy of models. I want to shoot local persons, girls, mens, family, school group etc., I want to shoot girls photo which should like model photo. I want to do all stuff which can be do in studio for local public not with models.

I think it will help to understand u better what I want.

Ashkumar.

Hello Mike,

ceiling height is only 8 feet from ground.
I want to setup an studio for a single, family, proposal photo, group photo.

So your studio is 9 feet wide, 20 feet long and 8 feet high. The ceiling hight is going to limit your lighting, better to have a ceiling at least 10 feet or better. The 9 foot width is going to limit your ability to do any kind of group without showing the walls. Any chance of getting a bigger space? Or would you consider doing your group shots on location?

If you bought all the stuff that Peer K mentioned, you might not be able to get it into that room, let alone yourself and a customer. :)

Hello Mike,

ceiling height is only 8 feet from ground.
I want to setup an studio for a single, family, proposal photo, group photo.

I do a lot of my work in a small basement set up. only 7' celings and it I think the main space I shoot it in is 15 x20.. It has it's limits but it pushes your creativity. I also have three strobes and reflectors setup .. (usually 2 strobes)

I shot this year's christmas card with two strobes in that very space. (http://2lpix.com/christmas2007/card_web.jpg)

and here is another LINK (http://2lpix.com/borysiak/) to a shoot I did around the same time.

My point is you can pull off a lot in a small space.

Click above for picture

2Lpix

I agree that one can make almost any place work. Do you have any photos of a 6'5" person, standing, full length? Your examples (which I like) show very short people and they are sitting, which all adds up to give you enough room to place the light in the correct position. And your floor space is almost double of his.

If one is just starting out, why add to the difficulty?

If one is just starting out, why add to the difficulty?


How was I adding to the difficulty? I don't do a lot of full length. and if I had to shoot someone that size i'd do it on location. or just walk outside.. LOL . What I was trying to say , and may have been misunderstood was he can make the space work without leasing another space (as one poster suggested getting a bigger space) not working with what you have or thinking you can't use the space you have is more discouraging than anything else I can think of.

I should have added to my post was to start with one light a soft box and a reflector and build form there.

If you worry too much about the destination, you'll miss the journey or never begin it. Just start shooting and build from there. Just my $0.02

Best of Luck,
Larry

seach for equipment at www.adorama.com they sell all you need!!!

Silvia.

2Lpix

What I meant is that the smaller the space, the harder it gets. I had a camera room that was 24 feet wide, 40 feet long and 27 feet high. Space was never a consideration, if we could get it through the door, we could do it! Groups of 40 or better people, cheer leaders with one girl flying, multiple backgrounds all set up at one time so we could just move the subject from set to set, etc etc.

As you reduce the size of the area, the more thought and time one has to put into "figuring out how to do it" than in actually shooting. I have always hated having to compromise on an idea just because the space was too small.

But thats all in the past, I have down scaled the business, and am now happily a 1 man band, shooting strictly on location, with the ultimate in small spaces, no studio at all! :)

I would sugest you take some basic photography classes to first understand what you need to know, you can have the most expensive camera,lenses and lighting equipment in the world, but not knowing how it works, it is useless.
visit a studio in a nearby town and ask for a tour, most photographers are eager to talk photogragraphy.
Len

I'm agree with Mike and 2Lpix. Views of both of you different in writing but it seems both of u thinking right in practical.

As mike saying :- if u have more space u can get desired results,
2Lpix saying :- u can also work with small space if have creativity.

I'm thinking that both of u right at ur place, As I am starting my business It's hard to get additional space but I can increase my width 3 feet, so my width is now 12 Feet x Lenth is 20 x Height is 8 Feet. If u think that additional length is helpful then I can purchase it upto total 25 Feet.

I don't have much experience of phtography, so I want to start initially. Please help me to decide what euipments I should purchase first.
1. I want to shoot my customer to different-different backgrounds.
2. I want to shoot with different lightings with different moods.
3. I want to shoot kids, girls with different-different objects.
4. I want to shoot 6-8 persons group not more than 8 persons.
5. I want to produce very high quality results.

I heard about digital screen that can be use in the place of other backgrounds, I'm not sure that this product available in the market or not. If it comes then please give me link to study for this product.

Finally I want the list of prodoucts which should I purchase first. Also suggest me camera model which will appropriate for me.

Now, I've started to read photography lessons on the web.

I'm looking to hear all of u.

thanks.

I can recommend you the webphotoschool.com lessons and each lesson tells you the right products for each one.

Silvia.

I'm looking for more advise from experts.

thanks.

ok, If you dont want to search yourself I can tell you.... you need this....

1 Main light, it can be an octodome, an umbrella or softbox
1 Fill light, umbrella, softbox with/without grid, or reflectors
1 Hair light, with snot or barndoors
1 Back light
1 Background light
Stands for each light
Lightning filter holders plus filters for different colors or effects for background
Background support plus seamless papers or collapsible backgrounds, or a chromakey background (this's helpfull if you want to put your background on Photoshop).
1 light meter for incident and reflected, flash and ambient light.

The lightning must be slaves and you can buy two radio pulsars for the comunication of camera and lights (this avoid the use of sync cords).

The lighning can be monolights, tungsten or fluorescent, I prefer monolights.

If you want more that's up to you, that depends on the photographer and its preferences.

Hope this helps!!

Silvia.

P.S: I'm a photographer!!!

I don't have much experience of phtography, so I want to start initially. Please help me to decide what euipments I should purchase first.
1. I want to shoot my customer to different-different backgrounds.
2. I want to shoot with different lightings with different moods.
3. I want to shoot kids, girls with different-different objects.
4. I want to shoot 6-8 persons group not more than 8 persons.
5. I want to produce very high quality results.

....
Finally I want the list of prodoucts which should I purchase first. Also suggest me camera model which will appropriate for me.

Now, I've started to read photography lessons on the web.

I'm looking to hear all of u.

thanks.


Ashkumar - setting a goal for yourself is good. Reading, studying, and asking questions is also good. You might want to think about starting slowly and learning as you go rather than buying a lot of equipment that some professionals use -- you need to discover what your own situation requires, what your customers will want, as well as what you are able to do now. You will make some changes as your knowledge and skills grow and your interests may change as far as what type of photography you want to do.

What camera do you use now? Have you used it for portrait photography? Have you found locations in your town that could be used for backgrounds for outdoor/indoor photography - some portrait photographers do not use a studio, but use the customers' home and outdoor scenic areas for "environmental" portraits.

Here are some more links for reading:

http://photo.net/learn/studio/primer

http://www.lightingmagic.com/equipumb.htm

http://www.lightingmagic.com/sgalgen.htm

Strobist.com - Lighting 101 (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html)

Strobist.com - Lighting 102 (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/06/lighting-102-introduction.html)

Strobist - Home Depot week - Backgrounds (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2007/10/home-depot-week-backgrounds.html)

ashkumar..
okay, before you spend$$ on space make sure to get a grip on what it is you'll be doing..
Check out the "One Light Set Up" thread on Fredmiranda (started by yours truly) ;-)CLICK HERE (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic2/424115/) (you will be amazed what some really great pro's do with just one light!! When you are done with that.. Read What I like to call THE MOTHER OF ALL STUDIO THREADS.
"Show us your Studio" (http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/144181)

oh and BTW... Here is another shoot I did in my small space using a "huge" 30"x60" soft box as keylight (camera Right) and a 35" umbrella for fill. just used some real cheap Seamless paper for the background. The plexi on the floor will cost you.. so I'd wait on something like thath and get your camera and lenses first. :-) CLICK HERE (http://www.2Lpix.com/rachel_jan)

Happy Reading! and GOOD LUCK !
Larry

Hello Larry,

It's great !!!! It is very good starting point to understand what exactly I should use.

I'm very happy. I'll read all and will let u know. please give ur email address so I can contact u after reading.

thanks a lot.

It depends so much on what exactly it is that you want to do. I'm not quite sure what you mean with "modeling photography".. Fashion? Portraits? Fashion can be so many things - and so can portraits.

Also - you sound like money is not an issue? If that's the case I'd go for a Hasselblad H2 with a Phase One P45+ digital back or a H3D, then a bunch of Broncolor lights and generators with an assorted range of softboxes, "dishes" and so on and/or probably a range of Chimera stuff as well. Then a Mac Pro for shooting tethered and of course an Eizo ColorEdge monitor. And of course a wide range of booms, and other lighting supports. Then you can start worrying about various stuff - backgrounds, stuff to help posing (chairs, boxes etc.), effects and so on and so on. That it just off the top of my head and just to make it clear that you'll have to prioritize what you really want to do - otherwise you'll spend what could've bought you a small country instead.

Yep!!!! What he said.....there's about well over $150K right there. And your gonna do local girls and people right, for what, a few hundred buck a sitting....yeah, your be off the ground in no time

Play nice! Encourage and REALLY help him as a few have done!

I was joking, ypou may want to look into the Paul Buff equipment, its very affordable and I have heard people really like it

Yes. Paul Buff has two lines. The Alien Bees and the White Lightning line. Alien Bees is their entry level stuff and you get a lot of output for the money.

These days, if I were looking for a lighting set up for a studio, I definitely would look at the continuous source lights and soft boxes from Westcott. The Spider Lights like the TD5's are very flexible. Can be adjusted easily and you can get to know what good lighting looks like.

I think you should buy this dvd "The Best of Dean Collins on Lighting" worth every penny.
Best regards,
Edgar
.............................................
www.edgarmaivel.com

I think you should buy this dvd "The Best of Dean Collins on Lighting" worth every penny.
Best regards,
Edgar
.............................................
www.edgarmaivel.com

I was looking for a link? Not one I guess. I love DVD's and now online video classes at annual subscription prices (NAPP, Smart Shooter, Lydia.com etc,). Same stuff over and over, but after 50 + years I still love to hear the different approaches to the same and changing "rules".

http://www.learningbydvd.com/the-best-of-dean-collins-on-lighting-4dvd-set-p-1884.html?currency=USD&language=en

$200 shipped is a lot for 6 hours of instruction. But never having seen this one, I won't say any more. Any other reviewer opinions on this DVD series for those looking to learn? You can rent them here!

http://smartflix.com/cart/

Here is a pretty honest review from the Strobist site:
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/08/review-best-of-dean-collins-on.html

Here is a short course on the Kelby Training site. I think that you can get one month access to all their courses for $19.99 or $199 for a year. I have a one year and I do get a lot out of it. If you are a NAPP member, you get a further discount (about 10%). http://www.kelbytraining.com/?page=online/all-classes&id


Setting up a studio is the TITLE

Lesson 01 Introduction (1:03)
Lesson 02 Setting Up a Seamless Background (5:51)
Lesson 03 Introduction to Studio Flash (3:51)
Lesson 04 Softening the Light From Your Strobe (5:08)
Lesson 05 Trigger Your Flash (3:13)
Lesson 06 Positioning Your Light (5:23)
Lesson 07 Using a Light Meter (3:15)
Lesson 08 Composing Portraits (4:37)
Lesson 09 Using a Reflector as Your Second Light (3:52)
Lesson 10 Positioning the Hairlight, and Reflector (6:15)
Lesson 11 Using a Beauty Dish and a Fan (5:02)
Lesson 12 Dramatic Lighting for Portraits of Men (5:56)
Lesson 13 Creating a Custom White Balance and the Final Image (3:28)
Lesson 14 Adding a Background Grid Spot and Class Wrap-Up (6:13)
Lesson 15 Andy's Quick Tips: Picking Your Lights (0:36)
Lesson 16 Andy's Quick Tips: Making Your Own Lightstand (0:44)
Lesson 17 Andy's Quick Tips: Safety Chains (0:37)
Lesson 18 Andy's Quick Tips: Using Grid Spots (0:20)
Lesson 19 Andy's Quick Tips: Three Rules of Using C-Stand Booms (0:31)