Rigging my own lighting

[Corry]

Ok...I'd REEALLY like to get into doing some portraits, but can't afford to buy a lighting set at the moment. Is there maybe a way I can rig somethign up with stuff I can get at Menards or Home Depot???

 

[Big Mike]

There are lots of things you could use. The trick is to be able to make the light soft when you need to. You need to diffuse the light somehow. Also you might want something like barn doors to control the light better as well.

You also have to be aware of the color temperature of the lights. Regular or even halogen bulbs will give a color cast with regular film. With a digital, adjusting for this is easy. With film you need tungsten balanced film or a filter on the lens. Or just shoot in b&w.

Another thing to watch out for is heat. I have a halogen work light that I got cheap at Home Depot, it's super bright but it gets very, very, very hot. Don't burn your house down or make your model sweaty...unless you want to make your model sweaty

 

[Corry]

Thanks, Mike! Anyonse else?? Anyone know HOW I can diffuse the light???

 

[Big Mike]

I once found a site that had a whole bunch of do-it-yourself tips for building soft boxes and screens out of PVC (plastic pipe) and some kind of white sheets.

The tips were actually scanned from old sheet that look like they were printed in the 70s or 80s.

I have searched for it again with no luck but I'm sure there are other sites with something similar.

or you could look into used/cheap lighting kits. There are lots of cheaper lighting set ups around. Something with one or two umbrellas etc.

 

[Big Mike]

Here is those scanned pages...
http://www.software-cinema.com/documents/tt-book.pdf

Here are some other links I found

http://www.pbase.com/otfchallenge/light_box+

http://www.studiolighting.net/article.php?aid=1

http://www.testshoot.com/softbox.asp

 

[Corry]

Thanks!!! I'll have to take a look at that first one when I get home...for some reason this computer won't load the page right now.

 

[green]

you can also buy theatre lighting gels. they're usually around $10 for a 2'x3' sheet they have ones that look like frosted glass and are made to diffuse light. fabric works, (just remember not to let it get too close to a hot light... or FIRE!) as would and kind of frosted plexiglass... for a neat look you could try lighting through those plastic panels they have for lights in suspended ceiling.