Help purchasing lighting kits

klsweet · Sep 6, 2009

I was wondering if I could get some advice for lighting kits...I looked on Ebay (smalllllllllll budget)

but with my small knowledge on the subject I dont want to make a wrong purchase......

Location of my little studio will be in my basement

I will be photographing seniors and children at this time...

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help me out...:blushing:

KmH · Sep 6, 2009

The lower priced stuff on eBay is continuous lights and they get hot. Burn a child (or senior) in the instant of a touch, hot. You have business liability insurance, right?

I need to know: how high is the ceiling in your basement?

redtippmann · Sep 6, 2009

alright I was going to get some cowboy continuous sets on amazon a while ago. Im sooooo glad I didn't! I was on a tight budget and I made a thread and a nice guy , JerryPH showed me a list of stuff to get:

A vivitar 285hv $90
A shoot through AND bounce umbrella is $14.
A light stand is $23.
A swivel mount is $16
A wireless trigger receiver and transmitter are $30

so I got that and I found one of those reflectors you put in your windsheld in the summer and attached that to a stand and I can get fairly good results! I might post one here later, but I got to go now.

Here was my post it could help: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/171858-my-first-studio.html

Derrel · Sep 6, 2009

I would seriously suggest looking at the Adorama Flashpoint 320A monolight from Adorama's web site. It's a 150 watt-second flash with a 100-watt modeling lamp, a built-in umbrella mount and swivel, and comes with a 10 foot,air-cushioned light stand and an umbrella. All for $129.95. With free shipping.

Flashtubes are user-replaceable. THis is lower in cost than a 285HV,swivel mount,stand,and umbrella, and the advantage is you have a modeling light to help you learn how to position your light to get the shadow placement you want,and also so you can see if yo have catchlights in the eye where you want them.

The "Strobist" idea of using shoot-through umbrellas and battery-powered flashes is nice, but I think beginners learn better,an shoot better, using real studio lights, which are designed to accept real studio light modifiers, like grids, barn doors, and which have built-in umbrella and stand-mounting hardware. Once you learn how to really light, the strobist approach makes more sense to me. If you want to shoot seniors and kids, a 4-light system is pretty easy to use. Main light, fill light right on camera axis, a hair/separation light using a 7 inch reflector with a 20 degree grid or a 40 degree grid and a barndoor, and one light to light the background. THis requires three light stands and a backlight stand.

Avoid the majority of the eBay junk. Four, 150 watt-second monolights is ample for a basement studio. There are other, even lower-cost ways to go at it, but for $1,000 you can build a decent studio using "real" equipment.

klsweet · Sep 7, 2009

They are 8 foot ceilings

klsweet · Sep 7, 2009

Thank You for the replies! I will use your advice to continue my search!

KmH · Sep 7, 2009

klsweet said:
They are 8 foot ceilings

That limits how high you can get your lights. redtippmann's recommendations were about where I was headed too,

I suggest you visit www.strobist.com and get the book:

Minimalist Lighting Professional Techniques for Location Photography by Kirk Tuck.

You'll also have an on-location capability that way. Discover the places to buy gear and shop for the stuff that fits your price range. Impact makes some of the lower priced stuff but it still sturdy enough.

In the meantime you can aspire to something like this or Alien Bee's lights

redtippmann · Sep 7, 2009

ok it was raining today so I got set up in my back room. Its about a 8-9 foot cealing. (fairly low) I had my set up out there and I got my sis out there for practice. Here is one result. I had one strobe above and she was holding a reflector just above her belt line and at f/2.8 and shutter at 1/150 of a second. its called butterfly lighting:

and one of me:

both were right out of the camera no PP

So for a portable set for around $200 I am happy with it. Just want to get one more strobe sometime. But Im saving for my macbook pro now!

klsweet · Oct 24, 2009

Thank You so much for the examples!!! This is great cant wait to try this...I'm still shooting outside taking advantage of the weather....

syphlix · Oct 24, 2009

redtippmann said:
alright I was going to get some cowboy continuous sets on amazon a while ago. Im sooooo glad I didn't! I was on a tight budget and I made a thread and a nice guy , JerryPH showed me a list of stuff to get:

A vivitar 285hv $90
A shoot through AND bounce umbrella is $14.
A light stand is $23.
A swivel mount is $16
A wireless trigger receiver and transmitter are $30

so I got that and I found one of those reflectors you put in your windsheld in the summer and attached that to a stand and I can get fairly good results! I might post one here later, but I got to go now.

Here was my post it could help: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/171858-my-first-studio.html