New lighting, where do I start? :)

[KmH]

So I have always used natural lighting but decided that I would get some studio lighting.

For what kind of photography? Continuous, or strobe lights? Do you need an on-location capability?

What is the size of the camera room, particularly the ceiling height?

How much money can we spend?

I know I need a light meter but in the mean time how can I practice without one as I need to save up for a few weeks!

Uh, you don't need a hand held light meter, but a hand held meter can save a lot of time perfecting setups. A hand held meter is also a time saver for setting up 'natural' light photography too, so I'm really surprised you don't already have one. How do you measure incident light without one? What metering mode(s) do you use with your cameras?

Sorry I know this is a bit vague but even some links to some videos that will help or tutorials would be great Thanks

Oh, it's way more than just a bit vague.

I get the distinct impression you don't know a whole lot about photographic lighting, of any type, 'natural' or otherwise.

But here is some lighting reference material that I often link to, some of it I link to several times a day, right here on TPF;

Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Photographic Lighting Equipment: A Comprehensive Guide for Digital Photographers

Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography

Oh gee. I forgot to check. Do you have an effective color managed workflow, calibrated eiditng/printing tools, and soft-proofing?

 

[vonstarrphoto]

So I have always used natural lighting but decided that I would get some studio lighting. I know I need a light meter but in the mean time how can I practice without one as I need to save up for a few weeks! Any pointers? Sorry I know this is a bit vague but even some links to some videos that will help or tutorials would be great Thanks

You can bracket shots, trial and error until you have a handheld meter. Which lights do you have and what other lighting equipment also? Give us more idea about the set-up and objectives.

Heya thanks for responding

What does bracketing involve? I have these lights Elinchrom D-Lite it 4 Studio 2 Go Set (20805) - Warehouse Express and just a large silver/gold/white reflector, that is about it really! I have a wireless trigger for the lights too And thank you for your friend request

 

[vonstarrphoto]

So I have always used natural lighting but decided that I would get some studio lighting.

For what kind of photography? Continuous, or strobe lights? Do you need an on-location capability?

What is the size of the camera room, particularly the ceiling height?

How much money can we spend?

I know I need a light meter but in the mean time how can I practice without one as I need to save up for a few weeks!

Uh, you don't need a hand held light meter, but a hand held meter can save a lot of time perfecting setups. A hand held meter is also a time saver for setting up 'natural' light photography too, so I'm really surprised you don't already have one. How do you measure incident light without one? What metering mode(s) do you use with your cameras?

Sorry I know this is a bit vague but even some links to some videos that will help or tutorials would be great Thanks

Oh, it's way more than just a bit vague.

I get the distinct impresion you don't know a whole lot about photographic lighting, of any type, 'natural' or otherwise.

But here is some lighting reference material that I often link to, some of it I link to several times a day, right here on TPF;

Light: Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

Photographic Lighting Equipment: A Comprehensive Guide for Digital Photographers

Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography

Oh gee. I forgot to check. Do you have an effective color managed workflow, calibrated eiditng/printing tools, and soft-proofing?

I just usually play around with my 50mm yes my monitor is calibrated with spyder three. I am here to learn the more technical aspects of photography as I mentioned before. Thanks for the links.

 

[kundalini]

Heya thanks for responding

 

[Kbarredo]

Look up how to read a histogram in google. Its hard to explain but have you ever pressed a button and a weird graph pops up. That's the histogram. If you learn to read it properly it is more accurate than the built in meter on the camera. Also stop arguing with these guys you can't win. They could straight out call you a retard and others will say they weren't being rude. Believe me I know. If a question is too easy they say google it. When a question is too long to explain they say they don't want to take the time.

 

[Kbarredo]

First off do you want a portable lighting set? I know you said studio but are you going to be using it for outdoor on location shots as well. if you are mostly using it for studio lighting a monolight set is much cheaper than buying the parts individually. Also monolights have a Modelling lamp as well as the flash bulb so you know what where the flash will light up when it fires. speed lights on the other hand are very portable but you have to guess where the light will land and with beginners its hard as hell. continuous lighting is the cheapest and what you see is what you get in the pics. But they suck because you need to keep the shutter low because they are not as bright as flashes. This is ok when your model is an adult or not living but horrible when they are children because it creates alot of motion blur. Read up on "how to stop motion with flash". Sorry I'm referring you so much on google but I'm using my galaxy phone and swype is starting to hurt.

 

[vonstarrphoto]

I gave up arguing with them ages ago and let them carry on! lol. It is pointless and yet they happily produced a few pages of insults whilst I was gone, really can't be bothered to read them so it is no skin off my back Thanks for taking your time to explain stuff I already have these lights Elinchrom D-Lite it 4 Studio 2 Go Set (20805) - Warehouse Express. OK cool I shall just google some stuff, it is just nice to talk to actual people not a search engine which some people don't seem to get either Thanks

 

[The_Traveler]

OK cool I shall just google some stuff

But isn't that what people suggested?
Aren't you giving in to the mob?
Screw that Interweb stuff.
No, stand your ground and insist on getting first hand instruction.

There is a small defect in your reasoning.
Experienced people have probably given this advice many times before and may be too burnt out to respond or may even have written it down somewhere.

Inexperienced people might be the only ones anxious to spout their new - and defective knowledge.
But that won't be important, I guess, as long as you are getting the information from an actual person (who may not be a real photographer although he does play one on the Intertube.)

Best regards from someone who knows very little about lighting and thus can't help but does enjoy watching you make a small fool of yourself.


Lew

 

[Kbarredo]

OK cool I shall just google some stuff

But isn't that what people suggested?
Aren't you giving in to the mob?
Screw that Interweb stuff.
No, stand your ground and insist on getting first hand instruction.

There is a small defect in your reasoning.
Experienced people have probably given this advice many times before and may be too burnt out to respond or may even have written it down somewhere.

Inexperienced people might be the only ones anxious to spout their new - and defective knowledge.
But that won't be important, I guess, as long as you are getting the information from an actual person (who may not be a real photographer although he does play one on the Intertube.)

Best regards from someone who knows very little about lighting and thus can't help but does enjoy watching you make a small fool of yourself.


Lew

But that is the point of this forum. The experienced ones teach and the newbies learn. The search bar is like the bookshelf in the classroom. The "pros" are the the teachers. Now if you love photography and spreading the knowledge then do so. Continue to teach and help others. But how many people here have been in a class and asked the professor something only to have him say "look it up yourself I dont feel like teaching you". If you are burnt out on teaching others then why must you let the world know. We like to ask questions here because its interactive. Tell me would you rather read a book or have the author teach you and engage with you in person. When we ask questions on this forum its so we can ask more questions if we still dont get it. I just dont understand how people think. It takes more energy to open a page and write 300 words than to just keep scrolling down. In reality they click due to 3 reasons. They want to make a smartass comments for more likes, they want everyone to know how much they are annoyed and they like starting drama.
If you do not have the patience and capability to teach then do not do so. All many of us ask is to get out of the way of those who have no problem spouting the same stuff over and over can teach us. Realistically how many people here were spoon fed the information they know. You think scientists today said hmmmm maybe Ill pick up a biology book and learn to create a new form of anti biotics. No they were taught by a person in a room, spoon fed information. All the assignments were just ways to test how well they can recall information taught to them.
Now many of you can sit there and call others lazy but you have no idea what their situation is. I have been called lazy here by people who couldnt last 5 minutes in my 4 hour mma workout on top of pulling a 10 hour job. Unfortunately anonymity allows people spout their poison without thinking. All we can do is ignore smart asses.
Now I can argue until Im blue in the face but people will never change their attitude. People will always follow those that have more experience than them. If derrel or kmh said its better to take pictures blindfolded, many people here would probably do so. Going against some people in this place is like walking into a chapel and calling the priest a satanist. The followers would blindly defend them to the death.

 

[Starskream666]

I'm guessing you're a single mum

 

[Gaerek]

But that is the point of this forum. The experienced ones teach and the newbies learn. The search bar is like the bookshelf in the classroom. The "pros" are the the teachers. Now if you love photography and spreading the knowledge then do so. Continue to teach and help others.

I think most totally agree with you here.

But how many people here have been in a class and asked the professor something only to have him say "look it up yourself I dont feel like teaching you".

And here, your analogy fails. Why?

1) A professor, or teacher gets paid to teach students. Someone on a forum is doing it for free, using their precious time.
2) A professor, or teacher uses the same curriculum class after class. They don't keep re-writing it for every class. A forum post could be analogous to a curriculum.
3) In most college classes (have you ever been?) I have been in, there is a lecture. However, there is also usually assigned reading, and research assignments. Essentially, there is a "look it up yourself" component to many college classes.

If you are burnt out on teaching others then why must you let the world know.

Wouldn't you be burnt out of answering the same questions over and over again with nothing to show for it? There's no need to answer the same questions over and over again, when they've already been answered suffciently.

We like to ask questions here because its interactive. Tell me would you rather read a book or have the author teach you and engage with you in person.

Why do you think authors write down information instead of tell each and every individual person the information contained within? I mean, it would be better to be taught by the author instead, right? I guess we should just get rid of books and all written text and let authors instead just let people be interactive with them. Again, a flawed argumment.

When we ask questions on this forum its so we can ask more questions if we still dont get it.

Then bump an old thread, or link the old thread in a new post and say, "I read this post, but it doesn't quite answer my question. Here is what I don't understand..." It's quite simple.

I just dont understand how people think. It takes more energy to open a page and write 300 words than to just keep scrolling down. In reality they click due to 3 reasons. They want to make a smartass comments for more likes, they want everyone to know how much they are annoyed and they like starting drama.

What's the third reason? I think you're way off base. I enjoy helping people. But there are many people here who think "help" is synonymous with "hand holding." I don't care about likes, and I don't care about drama. But with people can't take the couple minutes to help themselves, and expect the veterans here to continually answer the same basic questions over and over again, it upsets me. I'll call you out on this.

If you do not have the patience and capability to teach then do not do so. All many of us ask is to get out of the way of those who have no problem spouting the same stuff over and over can teach us. Realistically how many people here were spoon fed the information they know. You think scientists today said hmmmm maybe Ill pick up a biology book and learn to create a new form of anti biotics. No they were taught by a person in a room, spoon fed information. All the assignments were just ways to test how well they can recall information taught to them.

And this is why you and MANY others have alienated some of the best people you possibly can. People are ignoring the wrong people. And that's fine, I suppose. But that would be like ignoring Ansel Adams while he gives a lecture on photography. Keep listening to the people who don't mind answering your questions, and fail to learn. Keep ignoring those that actually know what they are talking about.

 

[vonstarrphoto]

I'm guessing you're a single mum

Haha how presumptuous we are! No not that it is any of your business but I am not thanks I have a partner

 

[pgriz]

It’s a little bit more complicated than “teachers teach, newbies learn”. The process of learning can be thought of as a journey, with a starting point, a destination, and a route that will take you from here to there. Newbies typically don’t know where they are, since they haven’t learned to recognize the scenery around them. And when you don’t know what you don’t know, then you can be thinking that you’re much further up the trail than you actually are. So the first challenge is for the teacher and the student to agree that they are at the same starting point. That’s when the name-calling starts:

“Hey teach, look how high I am!”
“Pftt. You’re in a ditch, and you’ve gotten out of the swampy water and are getting up the slope of the road shoulder.”
“No, I’m not! I can see the river that I have crossed, and now up going up the foothills of that mountain!”
“Um, that “river” is two feet wide, filled with semi-stagnant water, and the “foothills” you’re climbing are some eroded road shoulders.”
“Teach – you’re not being very helpful!”
“Well, I’m trying to explain to you where you are, and you don’t want to know it. And until you get out of that ditch, we aren’t going anywhere.”
“uh, you’re a fraud.”
“And you are lazy.”

If we agree on a starting point, and we have a specific destination in mind, then we can plot a route to it. There can be more than one route to the objective, but chances are, if you follow the route the teacher outlined, you’ll get there. Of course, students can veer off the route and try to do it themselves. If they are lucky, they’ll find a shortcut, but usually, they will end up on a much more difficult path, or even in a dead-end ravine. It really helps to know the terrain, and the newbie just doesn’t have this information.

 

[vonstarrphoto]

OK cool I shall just google some stuff

But isn't that what people suggested?
Aren't you giving in to the mob?
Screw that Interweb stuff.
No, stand your ground and insist on getting first hand instruction.

There is a small defect in your reasoning.
Experienced people have probably given this advice many times before and may be too burnt out to respond or may even have written it down somewhere.

Inexperienced people might be the only ones anxious to spout their new - and defective knowledge.
But that won't be important, I guess, as long as you are getting the information from an actual person (who may not be a real photographer although he does play one on the Intertube.)

Best regards from someone who knows very little about lighting and thus can't help but does enjoy watching you make a small fool of yourself.


Lew

Haha! I put I will just go google it but that wasn't hat I wanted to do as google doesn't interact with you, that's the whole point of this forum. Please kindly all go away?! I haven't hijacked your threads so why do it to mine?! Why don't you go do something useful instead of picking on me?! Seriously this is so boring now!! I have got help, that is all I wanted hence joining this forum. So your petty and juvenile digs at me are lame and misjudged. tarah!

 

[vonstarrphoto]

"OK cool I shall just google some stuff, it is just nice to talk to actual people not a search engine which some people don't seem to get either Thanks" READ PROPERLY