What's next for basic portrait photography setup $1000? (Nikon D90)

[dezignx]

My friends who do a lot of portrait work use large octo-boxes for their main/key light...they like the quality of light they produce.

Thanks

if your looking for an on location portrait set up.. i would check out alienbees.com they have a few packages..

if your looking to do portraits, I would recommend getting at least 2 lights.. 3 would be best.. but when your looking at the price of their lights, remember, you also need stands, power, and some sort of diffusion.. (like a light box) also, unless you have a nicely colored wall, I would get some sort of back drop Seamless paper is great.. will run you around 50 bucks per roll(white and or black are the usual) then you will also need a backdrop stand.. which will run you around 100 bucks..

in my studio, I have black and a white seamless backdrops.. I also have a green screen.. incase someone wants a weird design on the backdrop.. but green screen is only good if you know how to do chroma key stuff in photoshop.. I didn't buy a backdrop stand.. I mounted them to my ceiling using copper piping.. it works great...I have 3 lights.. I use nikon sb 50's.. havent moved into continuous lighting yet.. soon though.. I also use Cactus triggers.. so I have a wireless flash trigger.. its not much, but it gives me good results.. I also just recently made a Beauty dish, which is really awesome for portraits..

hope this has been helpful..

This has been very helpful....Thanks alot
Do you recommend the paper over the cotton (for backdrop)?

Figure on a year before you so much as think of buying more photo gear.

OMG. Why are you people making this out as if its rocket science. I would love to know the answer to this I got my first dSLR (a Nikon D50) on a Thursday, and was rocking pictures (that I still show) on a Friday. Can we please diabuse ourselves of this tiring myth that understanding how a camera works is some mythical thing. It really isn't. Understanding the physics behind light and optics is tough; Very true understanding the simply rules, and that aperture controls flash, and what the different metering modes are - this is childs play. Stop trying to puff the learning behind this up, so that you can validate your own knowledge. Well said

To the OP, you have pretty much what you need to take the picture; now you need to focus on lighting. Here's what I would recommend:

Grab ONE LIGHT DVD by Zack Arias (you can buy it or find it "elsewhere" I'm sure). Your mind will be blown by what you can do with a single off camera lighting set up.

If you can't afford the ONE LIGHT, grab the NIKON GUIDE TO CREATIVE LIGHTING. 30 bucks, and well worth it. It will demystify some of the ideas/techniques behind off-camera flash, as well as give you a leg up on what exactly you need.

At minimum, while you learn, go to BHPhoto and buy this for 100 bucks: two light stands, two umbrella adapters, and two umbrellas. You really only need one for right now, but you might as well get the second one to have waiting in the wings. If however you want to go full tilt, pick up two SB-600's from Adorama for about 420, plus the 100 for the umbrella kit, and you're looking at 520.

Now, if you want portable POWER, pick yourself up an Alienbee/Vagabond setup. The Vagabond is 300 bucks, and an AB800 is 280 bucks. So you're looking at around 600 bucks for the Alienbee setup, not including lightstand. Do NOT get the Alienbee without the Vagabond as the AB requires a power source. The AB is more powerful, but I would honestly start with the SB-600's as I can't see you needing the power of an Alienbee at this stage of the game.

(another helpful post) Thanks so much

 

[shortpballer]

Figure on a year before you so much as think of buying more photo gear.

OMG. Why are you people making this out as if its rocket science. I got my first dSLR (a Nikon D50) on a Thursday, and was rocking pictures (that I still show) on a Friday. Can we please diabuse ourselves of this tiring myth that understanding how a camera works is some mythical thing. It really isn't. Understanding the physics behind light and optics is tough; understanding the simply rules, and that aperture controls flash, and what the different metering modes are - this is childs play. Stop trying to puff the learning behind this up, so that you can validate your own knowledge.

To the OP, you have pretty much what you need to take the picture; now you need to focus on lighting. Here's what I would recommend:

Grab ONE LIGHT DVD by Zack Arias (you can buy it or find it "elsewhere" I'm sure). Your mind will be blown by what you can do with a single off camera lighting set up.

If you can't afford the ONE LIGHT, grab the NIKON GUIDE TO CREATIVE LIGHTING. 30 bucks, and well worth it. It will demystify some of the ideas/techniques behind off-camera flash, as well as give you a leg up on what exactly you need.

At minimum, while you learn, go to BHPhoto and buy this for 100 bucks: two light stands, two umbrella adapters, and two umbrellas. You really only need one for right now, but you might as well get the second one to have waiting in the wings. If however you want to go full tilt, pick up two SB-600's from Adorama for about 420, plus the 100 for the umbrella kit, and you're looking at 520.

Now, if you want portable POWER, pick yourself up an Alienbee/Vagabond setup. The Vagabond is 300 bucks, and an AB800 is 280 bucks. So you're looking at around 600 bucks for the Alienbee setup, not including lightstand. Do NOT get the Alienbee without the Vagabond as the AB requires a power source. The AB is more powerful, but I would honestly start with the SB-600's as I can't see you needing the power of an Alienbee at this stage of the game.

Agree exactly with your first comment...

 

[StillStories]

Grab ONE LIGHT DVD by Zack Arias (you can buy it or find it "elsewhere" I'm sure). Your mind will be blown by what you can do with a single off camera lighting set up.

100% agreed. This DVD is amazing.

 

[dezignx]

I read some reviews on it earlier and also watched the sample videos of it, you're right it is amazing. hmmm might have to sway the fiance' in getting this for my birthday to keep from spending my own money lol

 

[Plato]

Here's my pics. Can you tell me anything at all about the equipment that I used?

P&S?

Most of your photos are snap shots. Sorry.

Now we've heard from the resident equipment collector.

 

[jealous]

HAHA jesus christ some of you are jerks.
dezignx just listen to the people that give you genuine answers, the ones that **** on you for asking a question are insecure, ignorant and just plain childish.
just remember to have fun doing it my man because if you dont you'll end up a grumpy biatch like some of the folk around here.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Here's my 2 cents worth.

Please note that I will not mention a lot of brands because, aside from my 1 yo DSLR, my equipment is over 20 years old and I am not familiar with today's brands of gear I do not need.

First, check out the strobist's website which I think no one has mentioned:
Strobist
It's free to read and very good. You don't have a flash and most every photographer will need one eventually so, yes, get a flash. This one flash will let you do quite a bit as far as portraits are concerned and learning some of the basics of lighting including the use of the always very useful reflectors. But I would never buy more than one unless you become more advanced and start using more than one camera at a time and you need a flash on each of them. Flashes are not designed for studio type work. Not enough power and can't handle the work load that a strobe is designed for. With that one flash, get a stand, stand adapter and umbrella or light box (they get used somewhat differently and you'll need to decide which you want). Just one each since a lot of strobe systems are designed to accept only their own accessories.

Also get a tripod. Not absolutely needed for portraits but I shot 90% of mine with a tripod. It allows me to do several things: no need to put the camera down to fix the subject's hair or shirt or whatever so that once you've composed your image, it stays that way; when you work with strobes and use a flash meter for your light reading, the camera stays put and again, no need to recompose your image; most people you shoot portraits of are not models and I've always found it easier to direct their eyes in the direction I want when I can say "look towards me" when I'm not stuck to the camera. They also tend to be more relax, less self conscious when your not constantly half hidden behind your camera.

This brings me to the next piece of equipment: a remote release. Wired, wireless, your choice. I tend to go with wired unless I absolutely need wireless.

Last, one or two reflectors. The cheapest reflector is a piece of foam core board that you can find at any craft store. There are reflector/stand kits available with 5-in-1 reflectors. Black/white/gold/silver/translucent that are not bad.

And that's it to start.

I would say that for starters, forget about extra battery, extra memory card and PS Elements. The battery and memory card you have know is most probably plenty enough for one portrait session. Then you go home, put those photos on your computer, erase the card, recharge your battery and you're good to go again.

As for PS Elements, I see a lot of people here using Gimp which I understand is free and at first, I wouldn't worry so much about pp work. Learn how to get the shots you want in camera and you'll end up spending a lot less doing pp later.

Forget about the background too for now. Use the great outdoors. They're free.


Once you've used that for a while and you decide you like portraits, then start looking at strobes.

Cheers.

 

[JenLavazza]

I am also just starting out and have very little money to buy fancy things (although I'm ordering my 50mm 1.4 Af-S lens later in the week!! Had to save for a month though!)....anyhow, I went to a local fabric store and bought lots of cheap material to use for back drops. So far they have worked great. Also, I shoot outside whenever possible. If you could all see my set up I'd be the laughing stock of PF! My hubby made me a stand and I use chip clips to clip my "back drops" to it so they don't blow in the wind!! lol What a sight! But I'm only shooting friends and family, so who cares.
Lighting will be my next purchase too since winter is around the corner and living in IL I won't be outside! Thanks to everyone for the suggestions on what to buy!

 

[Derrel]

I'll give the OP some advice on what to buy, based on years' of experience. You will want to have three, or better yet, four almost identical lights. A PC synchronization cord is all you need-you do NOT need a wireless infrared or other type of triggering system just yet.

New lighting equipment costs a lot of money, so I am going to suggest you buy the following things from eBay. A Speedotron Brown Line D402 4-outlet power supply. A single M11 light head and two MW3U lights and one M90 light head. The M11 head will be your softbox head. This system is *designed expressly for* portraiture and location lighting. Used, you can buy the D402 pack for $100-$125, or new for $365 direct from Helix Camera.com (Helix is the retail outlet for Speedotron Corp,same building,Chicago).

The M11 light head will likely come with a 7 inch reflector. You also want a 50 degree, 11.5 inch diameter reflector and a 20 degree honeycomb grid for the reflector, plus a 2-way barn doors for 11.5 inch and a snap-on diffuser for the 11.5 inch reflector.

Buy some decent light stands. Buy a Photoflex 36x48 inch softbox. Buy TWO 40 inch Lastolite Umbrella Box umbrellas. Buy a white seamless paper roll and a charcoal gray seamless paper roll and a black seamless paper roll. Purchase some roughly 13x13 in. squares of gelatin filter material to create colored backdrops.

You can buy Speedotron Brown Line MW3U lights for $34-$50 each on ebay all the time. M90 lights are similarly priced. M11 heads Are $225 new, so pay no more than $75 for them on eBay. Buy at least ONE heavy-duty roughly 9 foot Avenger "turtle base" style heavy light stand. Buy 3, medium-weight 9 foot light stands for the other three lights. Make a 48x72 inch rectangular frame of white PVC pipe and get two A-clamps from Home Depot to mount it to a rolling, castor-wheeled laundry stand from K-mart of someplace like that. Make a 48x72 inch white,reflective fabric for the frame,and maybe a white, semi-transparent rip-stop nylon fabric for it. Sew elastic corners onto the fabrics.

BOOM! You hve a portrait studio with a beautiful hair light with the 11.5 inch + honeycomb + diffuser + barndoors, and two very good umbrella box umbrellas to use with the two MW3U lights, and an excellent backlight with the M90. Buy the $13 M90 flood adapter for 110 degree coverage for illuminating backgrounds.

This stuff will work for the next 30 years without breaking down. But don;t be a sucker--buy all of it you can on the eBay market,where it is cheap. Wedding season has wound down,and a lot of this will be available over the net few months,cheap.