I 'built' a lighting kit. I think I'm screwed...... lol

[duck411]

So, never been much for studio work until lately, with having to utilize a white sheet or use another photographer for pageant pics, i figured i should invest in a lil. Couldn't find any kits in the $ range I thot would do.... and randomly, pieced together a set... And now. I'm like WHAT DID I DO!? So... tell me, what needs to go in the closet and what else do I need to buy? LOL.

I have 2 45" Convertible Umbrellas (I'm not shooting through them, but I could!? lol). I have 2 sockets w/ umbrella adapters from Adorama. I have 2- 8 ft. light stands for the previous. And I think the kicker is my 85w 5550k CFLs... Oh... and 9 ft of super white seamless paper... - Where I'm set up also has a window to MY right , right up next to the background.... I think I need to eclipse that window.

I thot a 2 light setup would world for me, but I cannot seem to rid the pics of shadows........ HELP!? Now I'm thinking, hair light.... back light.... lol.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

reflector may be cheap alternative to a third light you need? Light 1 front light 2 back reflector side/fill?

 

[duck411]

reflector may be cheap alternative to a third light you need? Light 1 front light 2 back reflector side/fill?

That's what i was thinking I have a big ol' relfector i could use.... i'm away from the studio now, but will try it later.

 

[cgipson1]

Some pics showing your issues would help....

 

[duck411]

Some pics showing your issues would help....

I know. but I totally ran off and left my gear on the sofa..... Maybe later tonight I can get some on, after I try again w/ the reflector. Currently waiting on Grandma to get home and take the kiddos off my hand for a bit.... so I can get my drop hung.

 

[KmH]

I have 2 45" Convertible Umbrellas (I'm not shooting through them, but I could!? lol).

Yes, that's why they are called 'convertible'. Keep them.

I have 2- 8 ft. light stands for the previous.

Yes. Keep the light stands.

And I think the kicker is my 85w 5550k CFLs...

Yes. Keep the 85 W CFLs. You can use them to light just the 9 ft of super white seamless paper.

Where I'm set up also has a window to MY right , right up next to the background.... I think I need to eclipse that window.

What direction does the window face? How far from the near edge of the seamless paper is it, and how far in front of the near edge of the seamless paper?

It seems that you are going way to fast. I strongly recommend you slow down. Let your technical knowledge and experience catch up with your wallet.

Strobed lighting will work better than constant lighting.

 

[duck411]

I have 2 45" Convertible Umbrellas (I'm not shooting through them, but I could!? lol).

Yes, that's why they are called 'convertible'. Keep them.

I have 2- 8 ft. light stands for the previous.

Yes. Keep the light stands.

And I think the kicker is my 85w 5550k CFLs...

Yes. Keep the 85 W CFLs. You can use them to light just the 9 ft of super white seamless paper.

Where I'm set up also has a window to MY right , right up next to the background.... I think I need to eclipse that window.

What direction does the window face? How far from the near edge of the seamless paper is it, and how far in front of the near edge of the seamless paper?

It seems that you are going way to fast. I strongly recommend you slow down. Let your technical knowledge and experience catch up with your wallet.

Strobed lighting will work better than constant lighting.

The window faces southeast and is probably around 10-12 inches from the paper. The room is relatively small, i only have that 1 wall, the other wall is a staircase, the other has a door in the middle, and the other, 2 windows. - Also got a vaulted 20 ft ceiling.... It's a guest house. So, when you say use the 85s for the paper... does that mean I need something stouter for my subject? i need to maybe try my speedlite turned down with that... hmmm..... Sorry... i tend to ramble, my brain is stuck in hyperdrive. Hopefully I'll get some peace & quiet tonight and more in the weeks and months to come to toy with it all again and do more than just thumb through the portrait lighting literature i bought.

 

[KmH]

Constant lights are rated in watts. Your CFL's are rated at 85 watts, but CFL's make more light than an equivelent 85 watt tungsten light.

For the sake of an example lets consider a really bright constant light that is a true 500 watts.

With a 1 second shutter speed and a 500 watt constant light, 500 watts x 1 second = 500 watt seconds. That's more than enough light, if you are able to use a 1 second shutter speed like when you're shooting a motionless product or a still life, while the camera is mounted on a rock solid camera stand or tripod.

To shoot people with continuous light and not have any motion blur, you can't use a 1 second shutter speed. You need more like a 1/100 shutter speed.

So with a 1/100 shutter speed, 500 watts x 1/100 second = 5 watt seconds which is hardly any light at all. Plus, none of the light being made when the shutter is closed is even used to make the photo.

So it's a game of shutter speed, though to some extent you can trade ISO for more shutter speed. That depends on how much higher ISO image noise you can tolerate in the photo. For most portrait shooters the tolerence for image noise in the photo is - zero.

So more light is needed. Constant lights just aren't up to the task for shooting people.

Hot shoe flash units (speedlights) are measured in Guide Numbers (GN numbers) but the more powerful camera maker speedlights are in the 75 watt/second or so range, and have just enough power to get the job done. But, with spedlights you can't see beforehand what the light is doing, or what the shadows will look like.
Here is some good info about speedlights and guide numbers; Strobist: Guide Number: Your Free Flash Meter
Guide number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Studio strobe lights are rated in watt/seconds, and many have constant 'modeling' lights that allow one to see the shadows that will be cast. The minimum I recommend for studio strobes is 150 w/s, but 200 w/s units are better. There are uses for even more powerful studio strobes of 400, 800 and even 1600 w/s.

 

[duck411]

Constant lights are rated in watts. Your CFL's are rated at 85 watts, but CFL's make more light than an equivelent 85 watt tungsten light.

For the sake of an example lets consider a really bright constant light that is a true 500 watts.

With a 1 second shutter speed and a 500 watt constant light, 500 watts x 1 second = 500 watt seconds. That's more than enough light, if you are able to use a 1 second shutter speed like when you're shooting a motionless product or a still life, while the camera is mounted on a rock solid camera stand or tripod.

To shoot people with continuous light and not have any motion blur, you can't use a 1 second shutter speed. You need more like a 1/100 shutter speed.

So with a 1/100 shutter speed, 500 watts x 1/100 second = 5 watt seconds which is hardly any light at all. Plus, none of the light being made when the shutter is closed is even used to make the photo.

So it's a game of shutter speed, though to some extent you can trade ISO for more shutter speed. That depends on how much higher ISO image noise you can tolerate in the photo. For most portrait shooters the tolerence for image noise in the photo is - zero.

So more light is needed. Constant lights just aren't up to the task for shooting people.

Hot shoe flash units (speedlights) are measured in Guide Numbers (GN numbers) but the more powerful camera maker speedlights are in the 75 watt/second or so range, and have just enough power to get the job done. But, with spedlights you can't see beforehand what the light is doing, or what the shadows will look like.
Here is some good info about speedlights and guide numbers; Strobist: Guide Number: Your Free Flash Meter
Guide number - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Studio strobe lights are rated in watt/seconds, and many have constant 'modeling' lights that allow one to see the shadows that will be cast. The minimum I recommend for studio strobes is 150 w/s, but 200 w/s units are better. There are uses for even more powerful studio strobes of 400, 800 and even 1600 w/s.

SO, I need to study up on strobes.... My reason for continuous was I take lots of pictures of lil ones, mainly my own toddlers.... and the flash.... well.... they hate. especially the babies who get that - WTH was that look. lol. Now.... do i use the umbrellas with strobe lighting reflected.... and get a backlight?.....and what about the ambient light from the window? Leave it? Cover it?.. OK. But for now I'm so frazzled... it's late for me.... Home to study. Thanks for the info.

 

[KmH]

You're welcome.

I put a fair amount of effort into most of my posts, to share my knowldge, provide links to supporting information, to make sure I am communicating clearly by using the appropriate capital letters, paragraphs, punctuation, etc., and to set an example of how written communication is supposed to be done.

In all honesty, I feel really dissed when I get a reply that lacks the appropriate capital letters and has .... all through the reply.

 

[bazooka]

You're frazzled, because as KMH said, you're moving too fast, trying to learn too much at once. Start with one strobe on a stand in a relatively dark room on manual. Point it at a medium-sized object like a stuffed animal or a matte book (not glossy). Use a tripod to make your testing easier. Now, expose properly for the book without flash. Take a shot and make sure the histogram looks ok. Then underexpose the shot by increasing shutter speed (don't go higher than your sync speed.... unlikely in a relatively dark room at ISO 100) and turn on your flash. Find out what power output you need to properly expose the book at whatever distance the flash is from the book.

Once you get a properly exposed book... start playing. Move the light half the distance from the subject and reduce the power by half and observe what happens, if anything. Try different directions, add your umbrella, try bouncing it off your white backdrop, etc.... With each change, note what happens in the photo and try to understand why before doing something else. Stick with one light for now.

Once you can predict what the photo is going to look like before you take the shot, you're ready to move on to two lights. And by lights, I mean strobes as they are much easier to work with, not constant lights.

 

[duck411]

My apologies, KmH. My English teacher mother wouldn't be pleased either. My husband says you can definitely tell what kind of mood by the style of message I leave. Like I said, I do really appreciate your input and your honesty. And.... You're both right. I need to slow down, otherwise I will stay frazzled. Thanks Bazooka for the suggestion. I think I'll walk with it. Lol.