portrait lighting

[maverickphoto]

Ok im starting to get people intrested in doing some portrait sitting with me. I need some lighting. What kinda set up should i be looking for? Soft boxes? ect......and must be able to take it on locations.

 

[Village Idiot]

Ok im starting to get people intrested in doing some portrait sitting with me. I need some lighting. What kinda set up should i be looking for? Soft boxes? ect......and must be able to take it on locations.

Budget?

Do you want the $300 lighting special or the $3000 lighting special?

 

[maverickphoto]

Good question, I was looking at around $300-400.

 

[Village Idiot]

Good question, I was looking at around $300-400.

Cheapest thing I can think of off the top of my head involves ebay


Set of Gadget Infinity, Cactus V2S trigger and receiver = $30
Additional receiver = $15
2 x Vivitar 283 = $35ea used
2 8’ lightstands = $20ea
2 Umbrella adapters = $15ea
2 westcott 43” white satin shoot through umbrellas = $20ea


The bare necessities comes to about $220. You may want a reflector and a stand. You can get better triggers, but that ends up costing you about $150-$200 more though. The GI wireless triggers can be very unreliable. It all depends on what say they were produced and how you’re intending to use them.

The Vivitar 283’s are a work horse. They’re older but cheap on e-bay.

The rest are just lightstands and umbrellas.

If you know nothing about off camera lighting, I suggest you start here: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

 

[Big Mike]

You can create great portraits with nothing more than window light. So rather than thinking about what type of equipment you need, think about the type of portraits you want to take and then figure out what type of lighting will get you those results.

 

[sperry]

You can create great portraits with nothing more than window light. So rather than thinking about what type of equipment you need, think about the type of portraits you want to take and then figure out what type of lighting will get you those results.

agreed. good advice mike.

and if you can't find a window one light is all you need - hot shoe and umbrella. maybe a reflector too.

http://picasaweb.google.com/samuel.perry/portraits

for the infants, they were taken with a window, reflector, and hotshoe on camera (my transmitter wasn't working that day). i had planned to use off-camera hotshoe but for some reason it wouldn't work that day. unwelcome surprise when you break out all of your gear and get ready to shoot. oh well, it didn't turn out completely bad.

http://picasaweb.google.com/samuel.perry/kids

just goes to show how little you can get away with.

 

[Village Idiot]

You can create great portraits with nothing more than window light. So rather than thinking about what type of equipment you need, think about the type of portraits you want to take and then figure out what type of lighting will get you those results.

Cheap, but a pain. Window light isn't always where it needs to be. Having at least one strobe gives you flexibility.

 

[maverickphoto]

I was looking at getting a pair of pocket wizards, a strobe and a umbrella oh and a reflector. I think that should get me started?

jason

 

[William Petruzzo]

Look at Alienbees. Full range of completely sufficient equipment and really well priced.

But I still have to agree with Big Mike. You can waste an awful lot of money buying a bunch of equipment if you buy it expecting it to make great pictures for you, when you're not even quite sure what kind of pictures you want to take.

 

[maverickphoto]

when you're not even quite sure what kind of pictures you want to take.

I plan on taking family pics. Some inside and some outdoors. I even have one set up for this saturday. Of course its my cousion and her family and im doing it for free for the experince.

 

[William Petruzzo]

Good place to start. Village Idiot's suggestion about the Vivitar flashes might be the best for you, since you're just starting to get a feel for studio setup. I can't say much about the Vivitar stuff. I've never used it. But I've heard good things.

If you wanted to spend more, I couldn't recommend Alienbees more highly.

Just my two cents.

 

[Village Idiot]

Good place to start. Village Idiot's suggestion about the Vivitar flashes might be the best for you, since you're just starting to get a feel for studio setup. I can't say much about the Vivitar stuff. I've never used it. But I've heard good things.

If you wanted to spend more, I couldn't recommend Alienbees more highly.

Just my two cents.

Unless you want portability. Just an AB B800 & Vagabond II will run you $600 where as three Sunpak 383's will be $240 new.

 

[Village Idiot]

I was looking at getting a pair of pocket wizards, a strobe and a umbrella oh and a reflector. I think that should get me started?

jason

Yes. Are you sure you want to get into this though? Two PW's are about $370.

They are the industry standard and if you're a serious hobbyist or working your way towards doing this professionally, then it's worth the investment. If you're only going to "play" with them on occasion then it could be a waste.

 

[maverickphoto]

They are the industry standard and if you're a serious hobbyist or working your way towards doing this professionally, then it's worth the investment. If you're only going to "play" with them on occasion then it could be a waste.

I plan on gettig into this professionally. I have about 15 families set up for the next few months that will be paying customers. So let me ask you guys something. So would getting a speedflash, a pair of pocket wizards, a reflector, a strope and a umbrella be a good starter set up? or help me out. what all would i need for a good set up? I did find this from a forum member on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=130252965194

 

[Christie Photo]

I plan on gettig into this professionally.

Professionally? Then look into Balcar, Photogenic or Broncolor.

EDIT: Oh... I just re-read the thread and saw "looking at around $300-400." You cannot buy professional studio portrait lighting with this budget.