Opening A Studio & Need Lighting Suggestions.. Please!

[deidragibbsphotog]

Hello!

I am new to this forum, so I'm hoping I can get some much needed help!

I started my photography business almost a year ago. Up until now, about 85% of my photos have been taken outside. I do everything from Infants to Weddings to Boudoir sessions. My studio was just constructed, and now I'm in search for the proper lighting equipment. I've read articles over and over again, but I'm not sure I want to buy something without talking to a professional first.

These are the questions that are flooding my brain:

Continuous or Flash/Strobe Lighting; which do I need?

I have some natural lighting from a small window, should I put in a larger one or can using these lights make up for it?

Umbrellas/Softboxes; which are better?

Are there certain equipment brands/websites that are better than others?

I haven't taken any classes, so I know there are a LOT of things I am behind on - equipment wise - but, I my business is rapidly progressing. Moving into the colder months here in Southern Illinois, I know I am going to be doing a lot of indoor sessions and I want to have the proper lighting. Any information you can offer would be great. Thank you!

 

[katerolla]

I got this from this site a few weeks ago and had a good read of it, even thou I studied photography for four years it come in handy,

hope it helps

zarias.com :: The blog of editorial photographer Zack Arias White Seamless Tutorial :: Part 1 :: Gear & Space

 

[tirediron]

Strobes

The larger the window the better, but ensure that you can also block it out completely too.

Neither, they're different modifiers for different purposes; you will need them both.

Profoto, Alienbees, Opus

Adorama, B&H

 

[KmH]

+1 ↑ ↑ ↑

What are the dimensions of your camera room - Width, length, ceiling height? The window would be most useful if it faces North.

 

[Derrel]

There are plenty of strobe systems on the market. My preferences would be Speedotron, Photogenic, and Einstein from Paul C. Buff. Photogenic and Einstein lights have the advantage of being IGBT, which means that the color temperature of the lights stays, basically, the same over the entire power range.

A few to share **nsfw**? [Page 1]: Lighting Technique Forum: Digital Photography Review

Photogenic lights are made in the USA, as are Speedotron. Not that far from where you live, actually. They are two of the pioneering companies in studio flash lighting, going way,way back, to before WW II. Their products are made to last.

 

[Big Mike]

Yes, go for strobes rather than continuous lights.

There are two main types of studio strobes (well three, if you include hot-shoe flash units). They are monolights or a pack/head system.
Monolights are self contained lights and each one has a power cord. A pack & head system has a power pack main unit and then you can plug in multiple heads (lights) to a single pack.
There are pros and cons to either choice and they can work equally well in a studio.
Maybe Derrell can expand on this a little more.

As for softboxes vs umbrellas; that is up to you...there are pros & cons to each. Umbrellas are a lot less expensive, they pack up very quick & easy and they do do a good job of softening the light. however, they typically spill light over a much bigger area making it harder to constrain & control your light.
Softboxes (which I prefer) can cost a lot more and can be a pain to pack up & move. Not to mention they can take up more room in a tight studio space. But they can make it easier to control where you light goes, and where it doesn't.

You should also consider many of the other accessories that you will need. For example, are you going to use light stands for your lights? They are the obvious choice, but if you have the means, you could do something better for your studio...like installing a rail system on the ceiling, so that you need not have stands cluttering up the floor. This is especially nice if you have kids running around the studio. Or you could install some sort of articulating arms that are mounted to the wall or ceiling.
Another option would be to use something like 'Auto poles', which can act as light stands, background stands and in the right sized room, then can be used vertically or horizontally, braced between two surfaces, taking up a lot less space than a light stand.

If you do go with light stands, you may want to invest in some big sturdy ones, rather than the cheap ones. Good stands can last a lifetime, but you really want something that won't tip over easily. But if you plan to travel with them, or shoot out of the studio, then weight becomes a priority so the smaller ones might be a good option.

The list goes on and on....

 

[Derrel]

You do not need "a lot" of stuff. You need a main light, a fill light, a background light or two, and a separation/hair light. I think a four- or five-light setup produces the most universally acceptable "professional lighting" setups. The addition of background lighting often involves using two lights to make a pure,clean white background. That said, a main light lights the subject, a second light placed right near the camera and aimed straight ahead provides on-axis fill lighting and can add eye sparkle. A separation/hair light can be used to partially illuminate the body contours and/or the hair. In my book, a separation light is NOT "a hair light", but is more commonly called a kicker light, and is designed to illuminate the body/hairline countour when dark clothes are shot against a dark background. A "hair light" is slightly different, and can be installed more or less permanently above, in the rafters, as a source of lighting from overhead.

Anyway...light stands...the heavier, turtle-base styler are best for serious users in-studio, or turtle based stands with casters (wheels). Those do not fall over, they roll when people trip on the cords. I think it is necessary to have some parabolic reflectors with honeycomb grids and plastic or mylar snap-on diffusers, plus barn doors. A lot of people try grids, but feel the light is too hot...well, it might be...until you use the grid WITH a mylar snap-on diffuser added. Check the Speedotron web site for a look at mylar diffusers, or look for the new "diffuser sock" style fabric diffusers.

There are a lot of lighting modifiers made these days...you want to make sure that the brand of lights you buy are suitable for people work. Do not buy too much power if your studio is small. Many people go a bit overboard on power.

 

[Village Idiot]

The biggest question is, what's your budget?

We can recommend $12,000 worth of lights, but if you only have $2,000 to spend, then our recommendation will be worthless.

 

[Ccauceg]

Don't get overwhelmed with how much gear you need, you can do amazing things with just 2 strobes.

 

[gsgary]

Personally i would be looking at Elincrom or Bowens, minimum of 3 lights