Lighting equipment query

[scott_summer]

hi everyone,

i'm on a tight budget lately but i really love to venture studio shots. i wanted to know if the following equipment is enough. i only have 2 studio strobes, 300w each, i also have 2 shoot through umbrella, 1 bounce umbrella, 1 36x24 softbox, barn door with gels and honycomb grid. i know there are lots of people here willing to share their thoughts to a low budget person like me.

with many thanks in advance,
scott

[creativeretouch]

yes, you should be OK for the beginning. You can use one head as a main light and second one as a fill light on the model. You can use some additional light for a background - any small flashgun - but you need to find the way how to synchronize them ...

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by creativeretouch

yes, you should be OK for the beginning. You can use one head as a main light and second one as a fill light on the model. You can use some additional light for a background - any small flashgun - but you need to find the way how to synchronize them ...

thanks creativeretouch, that was very helpful. i guess i need to save more to fund for the 3rd lighting. by the way, i have a large reflector. is it possible to use it to replace the fill light and use the 2nd strobe to light the background?

[creativeretouch]

Look, this is easy - do not think about heads, just about light. You can move them around as you wish. But you need to keep their power in your mind.
If the light from a small flashgun will be strong enough bounce it anywhere you wish. But again - you have to wait a few seconds when it will be charged again.
If the light is not strong enough - just move it closer to your object.

[franko60]

If you seriously want to learn about lighting people, I'd seriously recommend joining digital Wedding Forum. Some of the best wedding photographers from around the world frequent the forums and almost all are willing to help newbies and share their experience.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by creativeretouch

Look, this is easy - do not think about heads, just about light. You can move them around as you wish. But you need to keep their power in your mind.
If the light from a small flashgun will be strong enough bounce it anywhere you wish. But again - you have to wait a few seconds when it will be charged again.
If the light is not strong enough - just move it closer to your object.

thanks... i'll give it try.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by franko60

If you seriously want to learn about lighting people, I'd seriously recommend joining digital Wedding Forum. Some of the best wedding photographers from around the world frequent the forums and almost all are willing to help newbies and share their experience.

thank you so much... but it would more helpful if you can provide the link for that forum.

[creativeretouch]

I have found a nice tutorial here:

http://www.studiolighting.net/catego...deo-tutorials/

[franko60]

If you have the funds I would also recommend the lighting series by Dean Collins (the original printed books are out of print now, but the series is available on DVD). Dean was truly the master of light. I bought the whole series when I first opened my studio in 1982 and am seriously thinking of buying the DVDs again, just so I have them available.

It appears from your post (and forgive me if I'm wrong) that you have little experience of photographic lighting. I would therefore strongly recommend getting some very good books on lighting. I have many in my library dating from the '70s and '80s (John Freeman produced some great ones also) before worrying too much about what equipment to buy. Frankly, you can learn the principles with 2 or 3 small on-camera type flashes with adapters to allow them to be mounted and fired on stands, preferably with an umbrella adaptor plus some modifiers such as translucent panels, reflector boards, etc. Once you've learned the different types of light, how each light source interacts with other sources, how to calculate exposure and how each type of modifier affects the quality of light, then you're ready to invest in good studio equipment. Learn first, buy later.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by creativeretouch

I have found a nice tutorial here:

http://www.studiolighting.net/catego...deo-tutorials/

thanks again for the interminable help, creativeretouch. i really enjoy applying the online tips provided in the site you gave me. you guys rocks!!!

[Sweetlight]

All the world has but one sun, all the rest is just a big scrim or a big reflector. Keep it simple.

[scott_summer]

hi franko60,

when i have enough funds, i'll buy Dead Collins books.

yes, you're right! my experience in studio lighting is too little that made me decide to open a thread to help me gain knowledge from gurus like you guys.

probably i had a mistake buying the strobes first and learn later scenario.

thanks for the lucid recommendations.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by Sweetlight

All the world has but one sun, all the rest is just a big scrim or a big reflector. Keep it simple.

thanks for the link... it also helps me a lot, though i been through outdoor using ambient light but it still helps me. right now, i focusing more on studio coz i'm planning to quit being an IT professional.

[franko60]

Dean Collins Finelight series is available as a downloadable PDF, all 5 series for $49 here. Basically the original art and film was lost, so they re-photographed the series with a hi-res digital camera and released it as a PDF. It's the best $49 worth you'll ever get when it comes to very sophisticated lighting techniques for a wide variety of subjects. You'll learn more from this than pretty much any other book - I did nearly more than 20 years ago and I've made a good living out of it ever since.

franko

[franko60]

And the URL for Digital Wedding Forum is http://www.digitalweddingforum.com

[scott_summer]

franko, thanks a lot for the link. i'm so motivated to know that you made a good living in photography with the help of the book you referred to me.

[pellepiano]

Small cheap flashguns are exellent as hairlight and efx, as they dont need to be diffused, so their power will function very well. I use a Sigma 500 Super as hairlight and I shoot at about F8-9 and still have to lower the sigma to a 1/8.

I have no big softbox, but use an old room divider ( 3 parts ) with some sheets on. Unusual catchlights in the eyes and big very soft light ( ex http://www.studiobild.com?image_url=imagei17.jpg ) Cheap solutions can work very well.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by pellepiano

Small cheap flashguns are exellent as hairlight and efx, as they dont need to be diffused, so their power will function very well. I use a Sigma 500 Super as hairlight and I shoot at about F8-9 and still have to lower the sigma to a 1/8.

I have no big softbox, but use an old room divider ( 3 parts ) with some sheets on. Unusual catchlights in the eyes and big very soft light ( ex http://www.studiobild.com?image_url=imagei17.jpg ) Cheap solutions can work very well.

hi pellepiano,

right now, i'm using a Canon 430ex flash for the hairlight, same as what you did but i never think of such a brilliant idea using room divider before buying strobes.

i include your idea in my list for future purposes where there's no available studio strobes and large expensive softbox at the shooting location with no electricity.

[pellepiano]

I think I may have explained poorly, I use a strobe behind the room divider.

[scott_summer]

Originally Posted by pellepiano

I think I may have explained poorly, I use a strobe behind the room divider.

thanks for making it more precise.

anyway, the underlying concept is more important.

[skydog]

I'm still having problems deciding what I need, at a minimum, for outdoor fill lighting. I need to be quick and portable for sports, weddings, and senior pics. Currently I use ambient light, reflector and a 580ex. All are doing a good job but I just don't get the highlights I often see from other photographer's photos.

[pellepiano]

I would suggest a transparent white umbrella and a radio transmitter ( like Cactus V4 ) so you can use the flash off the camera.