Simple studio lighting.

WolfSpring

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I am always looking in the back of books and seeing starter kids for studio lighting at like 250, then a back drop for 90 bucks and muslin backs for 20 bucks each. I one day would love to do simple studio work right from my house, you know the neighbors kids, maybe a shot for wedding invitations for a friends daughter. I grew up in a trade environment. My dad fixed stuff for others and mowed the lawns(a long with his full time job) and they proccessed his deer meat for him. So I'm not talking a living. So if I had the spare cash around tax time would I be waisting my money on one of these starter kits if I just wanted to practice on my kids? Or would I be better going with something off of Ebay thats better and used? I've got a lot to learn before then I know, but it's one of the paths I'm considering. Thanks
 
From what I can tell, many of the cheap studio kits are terribly underpowered. I'm not sure how usable the are, but I would think that they would be limiting.

Really, you could create great photos with window light and a reflector.

Knowledge and ingenuity will take you farther than a cheap lighting kit.
 
I am considering buying a book stricly on lighting. It seems to be my down fall so far. As far as the reflector it looks like something I should have anyway, and they seem to be compact. Only down side is it's normally me and one of the kids when we take the pictures or I'm doing mainly event oriented snap shots and nothing really posed except to catch there attention and say cheese lol. guess I need to actually sit down once and while and plan little trial pictures for myself to learn lighting better. It would make more sense then shelling out 250 for lights that wouldn't be doing me much right now. Thanks for the info.
 
have you seen strobist.blogspot.com? I just got through Lighting 101 and it was super.
 
I agree that if you can't lay down a good amount for some decent power strobes, i wouldn't bother with studio light. And continuous light sources are a huge pain with sub-par results.

As far as using a reflector goes, just depends upon the kinda light you want to shine onto your subject. i tend to see the silver/gold mix used a lot as well as full silver.

Good luck!
 
If you are going to get only one reflector I would suggest something larger than 12 inches, more like 36 or 42 inches. These will give you much more coverage. They are very compact when folded up and put away.
 
at this moment in time, it's actually a price issue for a month or so. Not that I can't afford it, but my car needs to get fixed first lol.
 
an idea for a cheap reflector. the studio i used in college had several reflectors, one was just a large glossy white posterboard and the other one was a large white posterboard covered in aluminum foil. both worked great and wouldnt be that expensive to make.
 
an idea for a cheap reflector. the studio i used in college had several reflectors, one was just a large glossy white posterboard and the other one was a large white posterboard covered in aluminum foil. both worked great and wouldnt be that expensive to make.

Not very portable though, OP wants to do location stuff.
 

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