Need Help With Lighting Purchase

[tmjjk]

I am new... of course. I have been researching lighting and am very nervous about dishing out the cash before I get some opinions. I would like to know the best set up to achieve a natural lighting look. I'm not sure how many or what I need really at all. I was thinking a soft box and reflector... but unsure of the type of bulbs.... or if I should have umbrellas.... ANY help would be greatly appreciated... I am working with very limited funds. Going to be posting pics for critiquing as well.

 

[tirediron]

Almost impossible to recommend any sort solution without knowing what your budget is; lighting can range from a few dollars to tens of thousands. If you can provide a dollar figure, that will enable much more appropriate solutions.

 

[Village Idiot]

Or what you're shooting or where you're shooting. We could recommend a $30 reflector or a $40,000 Profoto or Broncolor lighting kit.

 

[Derrel]

"very limited funds"...look at the Adorama Flashpoint 320M monolight with an umbrella and light stand. Start with that. Make a DIY reflector out of poster board, or white-painted cardboard, or a PVC pipe frame with an opaque white fabric tightly stretched over the frame. As far as a reflector goes--think LARGE, as in "the size of a door". Seriously.

 

[tmjjk]

thank you... I was hoping to spend around $100 or $150. Hoping I can maybe get higher quality second hand possibly. I am mostly shooting children and babies. I use natural light when possible, but I would like to have more control over the situation. I am a beginner and was just hoping for a basic start up lighting kit... maybe even an external flash...or speedlite. I just wanted some input before I made any decisions. I have made a gigantic reflector.. almost the size of a door and I tried creating a three light scene with clamps lights... flourescent bulbs (100w) and a sheet... I know pitiful! I was just trying to see how that would work before spending the money. Thank you again for any input. I am embarrassed even posting this...

 

[Derrel]

Don't be embarrassed. I think most people have tried rigging up some type of Rube Goldberg type of lighting modifiers. The Flashpoint monolights are right in the price range you've set, and are a lot of light for the money spent. Here's a 320M with a softbox and a nine and half foot black light stand for $159--with FREE shipping included in the price.

Flashpoint II FP320SB2 Monolight Kit, 150 Watt Second FP320SB2

 

[Mach0]

Don't be embarrassed. I think most people have tried rigging up some type of Rube Goldberg type of lighting modifiers. The Flashpoint monolights are right in the price range you've set, and are a lot of light for the money spent. Here's a 320M with a softbox and a nine and half foot black light stand for $159--with FREE shipping included in the price.

Flashpoint II FP320SB2 Monolight Kit, 150 Watt Second FP320SB2

I have that mono and no complaints.

 

[socal82]

Tmjjk I'm new and been looking for a light set up as well. I have been looking at the wescott 28in soft box with stand and bracket for the umbrella for 149.99 not sure which one will be better for what your doing, maybe some of the people that know more will tell us.

 

[tmjjk]

You guys are awesome!! Thank you so much for your help... its much appreciated!! Maybe you can critique some of my photos too THANKS AGAIN!

 

[socal82]

How did you do with the work lights? I tried a stick in a can with a clamp light and a scrim to diffuse the light didn't come out to well.lol it's kinda hard when your new and have limited equipment.

 

[tmjjk]

A very yellowish color to the pics... I created a soft box with a cardboard box, a clamp light, flourescent 100watt bulb and a white sheet... and then used two large pieces of foam core covered with a large deconstructed silver metallic gift bag. The homemade reflector worked great... just need to figure out those lights. I think if I used a backlight facing the wall behind my subject, and a diffused fill light it may have worked, but I have to get all three lights temperature right. You can't say I am not trying though