Economical Continuous Lighting for Shooting Outdoors

[ElNico]

...Is there such a thing?

I'm starting out in people photography, and I've been looking into getting some basic lighting equipment on a budget. From what I've been able to gather so far, there is currently one major obstacle stuck in my craw: It seems that continuous (as opposed to flash/strobe) lighting can be either affordable or usable outdoors, but not both. More specifically, incandescent lamps are (potentially) affordable but cannot be cordless, whereas LED lamps can run on batteries but are much more expensive.

(The significance of being able to shoot outdoors, incidentally, is not needing to pay ~$400 per shoot for a studio.)

To wit, one store I went to had a lighting kit that included two incandescent lamps, umbrellas, and possibly some other things I'm forgetting, for around $200; but the lights need to be plugged in. The store employee I was speaking with told me that if you want cordless lighting, that means you need LED lighting (because even if you could hook up an incandescent lamp to a battery, it would burn out very quickly). And LED lamps, it seems, are upwards of $250 each - and I would need 2 or 3 of them - before the cost of filters and the batteries.

To be clear, I'm okay with the added cost of batteries, and I realize I also need a large reflector/defuser which I haven't mentioned. My issue is with the difference between $200 for two lamps with umbrellas but not cordless, versus $500 for two lamps without umbrellas if I want them to be cordless.

Now, this is a small sample size. But it's enough to make me want to ask on here whether there is a way around this problem, or if I just need to shop around more; or whether I should just accept the fact that basic lighting equipment is going to cost at least $500.

Is there potentially a more affordable solution this? Thanks.

 

[mrca]

Multiple solutions. First, why do you want continuous light? If you want to shoot outdoors, it can be woefully under powered. Want free continuous power. Use BOB. the big orange ball. Get a couple reflectors in silver or white including a multi that includes black and a diffuser. I can easily and quickly make studio quality shots with that gear, it is light, inexpensive and wysiwyg, what you see is what you get. Learn to use the diffuser or find overhead cover, ie trees, patios, inside door ways to eliminate racoon eye shadows from direct sun and to give a more horizontal direction to the light. Try moving subject to edge of shadow area and use a reflector as a main from the sun lit area or if you have nice diffused light as fill. Wanna take it to a whole new level with no power. Pick up a thin plexi mirror about $50-70 at a plexi shop , thin enough it will flex and about 30 inches square. They are unbreakable unlike glass mirrors and can throw light 100 yards with blinding intensity. You can bang it through the translucent scrim and produce beautiful soft, slow shadow edge transitions on your subject. No electricity needed, thanks to Bob. Finally, for a departure from the knee jerk reaction to pop a light, if you already have diffused light, you don't have to ADD light with continuous, strobes or reflectors. SUBTRACT with the black reflector cover, a tree, building, black jacket or shirt etc to give you the ratio you desire and the soft shadow edge transition you already have from the cloud diffusion remains as you change the ratio. So for less than 150 you can purchase a couple of reflectors/scrims, perhaps a 40 inch translucent umbrella to have held over head as a diffuser and can later be used with strobes. But first start by finding overhead cover or open shade, then build you shot and gear list from there. Sorry if you have gas, gear acquisition syndrome and are dying to buy lights, you don't absolutely have to have them unless you are shooting outdoors at night and even then I have taken killer shots just using existing lights after dark.

 

[photo1x1.com]

Yes, yes and yes to what mrca said. Continuous light you can really use outdoors is going to cost a fortune and you also need to invest in a truck . Reflectors are superawesome IF there is no wind but even then hard to use if you are alone. SoI'm afraid available light (and shade) is pretty much your only option if you don't want to use flash and live in an area that regularely has some wind.

 

[ac12]

If you shoot outdoor, you need almost ZERO wind.
Any wind will make a reflector, umbrella or softbox act like a sail.
You will need an assistant at each light modifier, to "try" to control the modifier in the wind. And beyond a certain wind level, it will be essentially impossible to control.

You shoot in a studio to be able to control the environment and light.

Try using your garage as a studio.
That is what a lot of students and hobbyists do.

 

[ElNico]

So, basically, when outdoors I can get away with using natural light and reflectors/diffusers. Super.
As for dealing with wind, the guy at the store suggested getting some sandbags to hold the stands down. (I know this works, as I've seen it done with temporary road signs.)

A few specific questions:

Pick up a thin plexi mirror about $50-70 at a plexi shop [...] You can bang it through the translucent scrim and produce beautiful soft, slow shadow edge transitions on your subject.

perhaps a 40 inch translucent umbrella to have held over head as a diffuser

Is there a way to do either of these things without an assistant? I don't really have anyone to hold things for me. For "proper" reflectors and diffusers, there are stands designed for that specific purpose (I mention this because I've seen a lack of acknowledgement of it elsewhere), but both of these points sound like you're assuming a person is holding it.

For that matter, what's the difference between holding an umbrella above the subject, and using a standard "large disc" type diffuser, angled horizontally using a stand?

SUBTRACT with the black reflector cover, a tree, building, black jacket or shirt etc to give you the ratio you desire

For a back jacket or shirt, are you talking about the model WEARING it, or are you talking about using it as a reflector? If the latter, I'm not sure exactly what you mean; do you just mean folding it and holding it up, or do you mean something more specific?

Learn to use the diffuser or find overhead cover, ie trees, patios, inside door ways

How do I use trees as a diffuser without making the model look green? One of my posted photos was criticized for exactly this. I asked this question at the time, and was told that I'd know the answer after doing some basic research; my research has answered some of the questions I had, but not this one so far.

Try using your garage as a studio.
That is what a lot of students and hobbyists do.

The garage of the house I live in has far too much stuff in it for that. The background would look horrendous.

unless you are shooting outdoors at night and even then I have taken killer shots just using existing lights after dark.

This is getting a bit off topic, but since you mentioned it... I received the impression, from my previous big conversation on here, that you can't get away with having zero lighting equipment. Even if it's just reflectors and diffusors, you need to modify ambient light SOMEHOW. My question then in regards to this quote is, is that really true? If the setting you're in has artificial light, is it possible to get at least descent shots using just that light?

The main reason I bring this up is because I've been wanting to do a photoshoot with "red carpet" kind of theme in a place like a hotel common area or an art gallery - a place with fancy looking furniture, upholstery, and staircases - and, while I image it's possible to pull this off discreetly enough to avoid getting yelled at and/or kicked out if it's just me, my camera, and a model in a dress, I feel like it would be an awful lot harder if I'm also dragging equipment around.

 

[photo1x1.com]

I hope you don´t mind my point of view on your questions to mrca and ac12

So, basically, when outdoors I can get away with using natural light and reflectors/diffusers. Super.
As for dealing with wind, the guy at the store suggested getting some sandbags to hold the stands down. (I know this works, as I've seen it done with temporary road signs.)

Yes, available light has become quite modern in recent years. Many photographers here in Austria don´t use flash at all, and some of them even charge a premium (it doesn´t seem to be like that in the US though). That doesn´t mean you can´t try other things, but you don´t absolutely have to.
Regarding the wind: temporary road signs have a smaller surface and are heavier than reflectors. I have used big reflectors with steel tripods and sandbags from california sunbounce. They are really well built and rugged. But still - as soon as the wind comes they are hard to control and keep in place. But these again are rather expensive, so are steel tripods. So they might be out of your budget. "Cheap" collapsible reflectors are even harder to control.

A few specific questions:

Pick up a thin plexi mirror about $50-70 at a plexi shop [...] You can bang it through the translucent scrim and produce beautiful soft, slow shadow edge transitions on your subject.

perhaps a 40 inch translucent umbrella to have held over head as a diffuser

Is there a way to do either of these things without an assistant? I don't really have anyone to hold things for me. For "proper" reflectors and diffusers, there are stands designed for that specific purpose (I mention this because I've seen a lack of acknowledgement of it elsewhere), but both of these points sound like you're assuming a person is holding it.

For that matter, what's the difference between holding an umbrella above the subject, and using a standard "large disc" type diffuser, angled horizontally using a stand?

You can have your model hold the umbrella if you take a very close shot. But what you can read out of mrca´s post: you can achieve quite a lot without expensive equipment. There are many ways to get creative with light. It´s easier, however if you have an assistant.

SUBTRACT with the black reflector cover, a tree, building, black jacket or shirt etc to give you the ratio you desire

For a back jacket or shirt, are you talking about the model WEARING it, or are you talking about using it as a reflector? If the latter, I'm not sure exactly what you mean; do you just mean folding it and holding it up, or do you mean something more specific?

Black (or very dark) material of any kind will always have the same effect. Think of it as a vacuum cleaner for light. It sucks the light out of things that stand near it. The bigger it is and the closer it is, the bigger the effect. It doesn´t matter if it´s a t-shirt, black side of a reflector or a building. Try it in your living room. Put your camera on a tripod, take a vase and three shots: one without any light formers, one with a black t-shirt on one side and then exchange the black t-shirt with white. The black shirt will make the vase darker on that particular side and the white shirt will make it brighter.

Learn to use the diffuser or find overhead cover, ie trees, patios, inside door ways

How do I use trees as a diffuser without making the model look green? One of my posted photos was criticized for exactly this. I asked this question at the time, and was told that I'd know the answer after doing some basic research; my research has answered some of the questions I had, but not this one so far.

The green in the color of the face when standing under a tree is most of the time not from the tree, but rather from your surrounding. Especially grass or other trees around, that are lit by the sun and work like a green reflector. Avoid anything around your subject that is highly saturated and lit by the sun. If you can´t avoid it, you can.

1. live with it
2. correct it in post (easier if it is shot in raw and you used a grey card)
3. use a reflector or flash to fill the scene with neutral white light (but that´s actually not what you are trying to do)

unless you are shooting outdoors at night and even then I have taken killer shots just using existing lights after dark.

This is getting a bit off topic, but since you mentioned it... I received the impression, from my previous big conversation on here, that you can't get away with having zero lighting equipment. Even if it's just reflectors and diffusers, you need to modify ambient light SOMEHOW. My question then in regards to this quote is, is that really true? If the setting you're in has artificial light, is it possible to get at least descent shots using just that light?

The main reason I bring this up is because I've been wanting to do a photoshoot with "red carpet" kind of theme in a place like a hotel common area or an art gallery - a place with fancy looking furniture, upholstery, and staircases - and, while I image it's possible to pull this off discreetly enough to avoid getting yelled at and/or kicked out if it's just me, my camera, and a model in a dress, I feel like it would be an awful lot harder if I'm also dragging equipment around.

If you are free to choose your location and good at "seeing" light, you don´t need to have any reflectors. There are many spots around that have awesome light (google: "ambient light night portrait" - though not all results are really only ambient). However, if you have a specific idea for a specific location that doesn´t have the ideal light (you have in mind), you absolutely need to bring your own.
On a sidenote: sometimes it is better to ask for permission to take photographs. It gives you much more time to shoot your ideas rather than just go there and snap away continuously checking forsecurity.

 

[ac12]

Don't make learning any more difficult than it already is.
Learn and practice in a place with ZERO wind.

Temporary street signs have WIDE bases, are HEAVY and sit low to the road.
Most light stands that I know of do not have wide legs. And most are not real sturdy. Because they are more for indoor use than outdoor use. The the larger the modifier/softbox and the higher you raise the modifier/softbox, the more leverage the wind will have to knock it over.

Take a single stand with different modifiers (umbrella, softbox, reflector) one at a time, and point it in different directions as you would in a shoot, and see how stable and controlable it is, out in the wind.
I advise you to stand so that you can grab the stand if it starts to fall.

It is your gear, to use as you please.

 

[Derrel]

Reflector fill is your friend, as are large diffusion panels, AKA "scrims". Continuous light from the sun is the same power as the sun(lol), making it the perfect, low-cost fill and main light source. Do some on-line research on reflectors and scrims. Better than LED lights at lower cost. However, if you do want to look into LED lights, there are quite a few new and less than $200 per unit lights.

 

[mrca]

Photo is absolutely right. There are "free" reflectors- white buildings, white concrete, sand, glass, white trucks. Free overhead blockers to direct light from nearly straight down around mid day to more horizontal, eg, patio covers, garage doors or door ways, tree canopy, inside a window. Diffusers exist free too. Clouds, sheer curtains, north light. Subtraction from dark buildings, trucks, tree trunks. You can often find them in combination. Now you may not be able to use every background without modifying light, but I can shoot studio quality shots all day with just a camera. With lights, I can stand in the middle of a football field and produce studio quality images in any direction. With a reflector or diffuser just makes it even easier. If you don't know how to use existing light, perhaps you should start there and only then start adding gear as you find you need it. I know, not much fun for gear acquisition syndrome or money burning a hole in your pocket, but even when you have lighting or reflectors/scrims you have to start by analyzing the light where your subject is standing and the background.

 

[Derrel]

Learning to see and analyze light can sound daunting, but it can be done. One tip I want to give you is that at the edges of shaded areas caused by buildings or trees, there is often a very narrow zone where the quality of the light is gorgeous. This zone can be as little as five or six feet wide, but it is there. On one side will be a darker background, on the other side will be a lighter background, and the subject can be in a gorgeous sweet spot. Off to one side into the shade or into the light the quality of the existing light can be poor, but as I mentioned in this sweet light zone, the results can often be excellent. At the end of an alleyway, for example there is often a very narrow place with the quality of the light is simply fantastic, but back in the alley the light is not so good.

I guess what I want to say is that you need to really look at the light, and the effect that it creates on the person. Many people say that high overhead sunlight is absolutely awful, but that is not entirely true. If the model is positioned in the correct relationship to the sun, that sunlight acts like a hard parabolic light source like a pan reflector from the 40s or 50s or 60s, and it can create very dramatic lighting.

Anyway, I just wanted to pass along the idea that light is not always perfectly consistent and you need to really pay attention to how the light falls.

 

[mrca]

Darrel is absolutely right. Shade from a building called open shade can have a great quality near the shadow edge. You can also pick up a hair light off the top of the building and low reflector fill if on a white surface like concrete. If you realize what lighting pattern you want on the face, even hard, overhead can or street lights are useable by having the subject look up to the light. Bottom line, start learning seeing ambient light and using pockets of great light. You will realize sometimes it could stand some minor improvement and that is when you can go to reflectors/scrims. Learning light is free and will take your work to a new level.