Alternative Light Sources

[PixelRabbit]

My beautiful oldest daughter is coming home from college this Saturday for a week (yippee!!)
While she is here we are going to play with some ideas I have had but have lacked an important part, a model lol.

We are both excited about her playing model and me playing photographer so I'm brainstorming for other ideas. Thing is I don't have off camera flash/lighting so I need to be creative. The ideas I have so far involve candles /lanterns, flash lights, industrial work lights, headlights, clear coloured wrapping paper for gels, poster board for reflectors and of course natural light.

Any other suggestions for lighting? Examples would be way cool too

 

[PixelRabbit]

Forgot mirrors

 

[MLeeK]

You have a speedlight? Set up off camera and trigger with the on camera flash. Create a DIY light scoop for the on board flash so it doesn't go forward and have fun!

 

[tirediron]

Forgot mirrors

Mirrors can be tricky as they often create rather harsh specular highlights.

 

[MLeeK]

Forgot mirrors

tin foil is a bit softer...
Reflectors are better if they are the poster board that has a foam core-much sturdier.

 

[DiskoJoe]

My beautiful oldest daughter is coming home from college this Saturday for a week (yippee!!)
While she is here we are going to play with some ideas I have had but have lacked an important part, a model lol.

We are both excited about her playing model and me playing photographer so I'm brainstorming for other ideas. Thing is I don't have off camera flash/lighting so I need to be creative. The ideas I have so far involve candles /lanterns, flash lights, industrial work lights, headlights, clear coloured wrapping paper for gels, poster board for reflectors and of course natural light.

Any other suggestions for lighting? Examples would be way cool too

Go buy a flash? They are really handy to have and not really expensive.

 

[PixelRabbit]

You have a speedlight? Set up off camera and trigger with the on camera flash. Create a DIY light scoop for the on board flash so it doesn't go forward and have fun!

I have 1 ancient speedlight with a missing battery cover :S

Forgot mirrors

Mirrors can be tricky as they often create rather harsh specular highlights.

Thanks! I did some research after reading this, might leave the mirror out or play with it in a more artistic way than bouncing light.

Forgot mirrors

tin foil is a bit softer...
Reflectors are better if they are the poster board that has a foam core-much sturdier.

Didn't think of tin foil! I used it when I was shooting waterdrops, thanks.

My beautiful oldest daughter is coming home from college this Saturday for a week (yippee!!)
While she is here we are going to play with some ideas I have had but have lacked an important part, a model lol.

We are both excited about her playing model and me playing photographer so I'm brainstorming for other ideas. Thing is I don't have off camera flash/lighting so I need to be creative. The ideas I have so far involve candles /lanterns, flash lights, industrial work lights, headlights, clear coloured wrapping paper for gels, poster board for reflectors and of course natural light.

Any other suggestions for lighting? Examples would be way cool too

Go buy a flash? They are really handy to have and not really expensive.

I really really really wish I could and I WILL but alas my camera budget is lower than NIL until perhaps Christmas time.

 

[paigew]

Laptop, ipad, tv?

 

[amolitor]

You can use anything for a reflector!

Sheets and towels can give you a little color, unless you only have white ones. A sheet hung between the window and the subject is a softbox, a sheet lying on the floor or draped over a chair is a reflector. Pretty much any "home light" source is going to be very dim - candles, lamps, etc. So, think of poses that either can be easily held very still for 1/4 second while you shoot from a tripod, OR think of things to shoot where motion blur is an integral part of the image.

If you have miniblinds or vertical blinds, they can cast interesting patterns of light.

Things like a closeup of hands resting on a table (or some similar closeup of Very Very Still body parts) could be light-painted with a flashlight or a laser pointer, which can produce sort of random results but if you take 20 you'll probably find one that you like.

The main this is SPACE. If I were you I'd find a room with good windows for light, and basically empty it, including taking any hanging art down off the walls. It's maddening trying to work around furniture and whatnot.

 

[PixelRabbit]

Paige, excellent! There is one idea that I'm hoping to work out that the laptop might work well in!

Amolitor, awesome!
I have empty rooms lol and alllll the natural light you could ever dream of having, there is another room the same above this one





I will def. play with sheets for the pretty shots.

There is one shot in particular that I'm trying to flesh out, (I'll share in a few when I go inside and dont have to one finger type it lol) to give an idea of where my head is at and the style/effect that I'm working towards

 

[amolitor]

Oh wow, what a great space!

I'd be tempted to try taping shapes of opaque material on the windows to create interesting shadow patterns, or just finding some material. If you had a few sheets of that decorative lattice stuff you can buy for garden fencing, or similar, you could tack that up in a window to create some interesting effects.

 

[PixelRabbit]

It was funny, I didn't start photography until after we moved in here (moved in in Oct. last year and got my camera in Nov. lol) and when I looked at pictures of great studios I went JACKPOT!! If I ever develop an interest in doing portraits and studio work I'm set

Ok so I'll try my best to describe the main idea I'm brainstorming and hoping to pull off with Danielle. Here are my notes simplified lol
-dark and dramatic
-An evil apothecary, witch, conjurer in her workshop
-pouring water and dropping a seed onto soil in a mortar and pestle
-mixing and pouring liquids and powders
-incense and boiled water for smoke/steam
-mainly lanterns and a TON of candles for light

We have her makeup and clothes mostly planned out and are going to go from "pretty/sleek" to start to more dramatic/dark/evil as we mess up the set.
I have old bottles and some antiques that will make the set.

 

[kathyt]

If you are using big windows like that during the day I always take a big piece of styrene (Home Depot) and use it on the opposite side of my subject for fill light. It looks very natural and it's super cheap. I learned alot about natural lighting from Sue Bryce. She is one of my favorite pros.

 

[Derrel]

With those windows, you look like a candidate for at least a pair of large reflectors; think of 42" x 72 " PVC or wooden frames, about the size of household doors. Fitted with white, or silvered reflecting material of "some type"; cardboard painted white: Foam-Core boards, white fabric; pre-crinkled aluminum foil glued to cardboard...whatever!!! Then join two of them together with hinges, or rope, twine, wire, whatever....and thus make a large, freestanding V-flat.

 

[amolitor]

Like one of those privacy screens that Marilyn Monroe was always stepping behind, and then tossing clothes over toward the camera?

That's genius! It's probably obvious to everyone except me, but I maintain that it's still genius