Need help! What do I need for a photography studio?

[Doggert]

Thanks! I'll keep your suggestions under consideration...

I read the reviews on the lighting kit on amazon and it seems like it's pretty cheap. Anyone know a decent kind/brand of lighting that wouldn't be too expensive? I just don't want my studio to fall apart as I don't feel like going through this again.

Also, should I put soft boxes on the lights or umbrellas? Is there a difference? Does the amount of light bulbs differ between the two?

Thanks again for everyones help...

 

[MalcolmDuffy]

I wouldn't buy too much all at once or it can get overwhelming and a bit frustrating. Trying to get the head around lots of new equipment can be more if a hindrance. You'll probably want some close guidance to get you on the right track, see if any local photographers can help out if I were you.

 

[MalcolmDuffy]

No. it's not a big problem if you can't edit the photos, but the quality of the final images will suffer.
You can make images in the camera as JPEG files (.jpg). The camera will do the editing.
The editing that gets done is based on a program a team of camera software engineers wrote that is mainly geared to the happy snaps most people make rather than product photos.
Also the edits are global edits, or applied equally to the entire image. Many product photography edits are local edits, applied to only part of the image.
The background is usually edited for different reasons and using different techniques than the product that was photographed.

One of the things you're going to discover is that a camera does not work like our eyes do and the camera has to be told what color temperature the light in the scene is.
Our brains make that adjustment for us humans. You'll have to make that adjustment on the camera. Digital Photography Tutorials

The key to good product images is mostly about the lighting.
Because of the wide variety of products you want to photograph, I too highly recommend the book mentioned above - Light: Science and Magic. The front 2/3 of the book cover essential product photography lighting fundamentals.

In addition to the lights, camera, lens, tripod, etc, for smaller items you may want a light box - CowboyStudio 30-Inch Photo Soft Box Light - 4 Chroma Key Backdrops
For reflectors simple, inexpensive, office supply store foam board will often work. White foam board is used to add light, black foam board is used to subtract light.
Foam board can also be used to block light from areas where you don't want it to go.

A product photography studio set up to photography a variety of items will also have many different kinds of clamps and other gear used for lighting.
The variety of gear used for lighting is called 'grip gear'
At the end of a movie you may have seen Key Grip and Grip listed as one of the job titles used to help make the movie.

I believe that KmH provides a detailed account of the items needed for your project. Studying some good photography books will be particularly beneficial. I agree that adjustments need to be made for a satisfactory outcome. You can experiment by taking a few shots until you find the style that best represents your company and your personality. This is crucial too. You need to take pictures that reflect your real character. This is what will attract customers, together with the good quality of your products.

 

[Designer]

Thank you for all of your replies...

I made a list of what I'm looking at getting from the items you guys suggested.

Could you guys give me an opinion of this studio setup? Anything else I would need?

Lighting:
Amazon.com: ePhoto VL9026s 2000 Watt Lighting Studio Portrait Kit with Carrying Case with 2 Soft boxes, 2 Light Heads and 10 Fluorescent Bulbs: Electronics

Camera:
Nikon D3100 or Canon t2 (not sure) with tripod...

Background:
White vinyl backdrop, background supports, and photo soft box.

As for those continuous lights that are compact fluorescents, I would caution you to stay away from them. I know the price seems reasonable, but you should be looking for regular studio flash shuch as:

Flashpoint FPBK1 Budget Studio Monolight Flash Kit 160 FPBK1

The price for this kit is $250, and it will be a good starting point with some equipment that will be useful for years to come.