Discussion
How many of us P&V PHers have a mock up home studio?
I've a decent sized spare room that's i'm not really doing anything with. I've been mulling over converting it to a cheap studio to try and do some seamless white shots.
Nothing serious, or for money, just messing around really and learning more while hoping to get some nice looking shots. I can imagine it will work well for smaller items, but a problem I can foresee while trying to shoot a person-sized object on is light control. As it's a normal height ceiling light will start to bounce everywhere with shoot through umbrellas, and I don't really want to limit myself to reflective umbrellas.
Back to the point of this thread. Does anyone have a home studio for playing? If so, could you post up a shot of it, and some examples you've managed to shoot out of it?
I've a decent sized spare room that's i'm not really doing anything with. I've been mulling over converting it to a cheap studio to try and do some seamless white shots.
Nothing serious, or for money, just messing around really and learning more while hoping to get some nice looking shots. I can imagine it will work well for smaller items, but a problem I can foresee while trying to shoot a person-sized object on is light control. As it's a normal height ceiling light will start to bounce everywhere with shoot through umbrellas, and I don't really want to limit myself to reflective umbrellas.
Back to the point of this thread. Does anyone have a home studio for playing? If so, could you post up a shot of it, and some examples you've managed to shoot out of it?
Stiggers pointed me at Karlu's website back in March and from that I bought a pair of Interfit heads, stands, softboxes and triggers together with a 7x6 foot backdrop that came with a white and black train. I think it was around £500 all in.
The heads are quite low powered (@150W) but are enough to overpower ambient light easily. They're a standard fitting, I ditched the softobxes fairly quickly and went for an S type beauty dish and snoot - went on with no problems. I've used them a few times with good success, and they're portable enough (with the carry case) to take out and about if needed.
I'm probably going to add another 2 heads to use as foreground/subject lighting and keep the 150's for backdrops, but I need to get a proper studio sorted out really, as I'm just using a spare room as well. I just about have space for one in the garden, it's width more than anything as I'd prefer to have paper rolls rather than fabric (ironing out creases can take a while). Needs to be around 8-9 foot high I think so you dont get the rollup in the field of view.
So, starter kit for £500 if you want, build up on it from there.
ETA image of next doors kids - just one softbox on around 2/3rds power from camera right. Second softbox from the left would have blown out the creases you can see on the left of the image. I was only testing the lights, hence foot crop and highlights blown a little
The heads are quite low powered (@150W) but are enough to overpower ambient light easily. They're a standard fitting, I ditched the softobxes fairly quickly and went for an S type beauty dish and snoot - went on with no problems. I've used them a few times with good success, and they're portable enough (with the carry case) to take out and about if needed.
I'm probably going to add another 2 heads to use as foreground/subject lighting and keep the 150's for backdrops, but I need to get a proper studio sorted out really, as I'm just using a spare room as well. I just about have space for one in the garden, it's width more than anything as I'd prefer to have paper rolls rather than fabric (ironing out creases can take a while). Needs to be around 8-9 foot high I think so you dont get the rollup in the field of view.
So, starter kit for £500 if you want, build up on it from there.
ETA image of next doors kids - just one softbox on around 2/3rds power from camera right. Second softbox from the left would have blown out the creases you can see on the left of the image. I was only testing the lights, hence foot crop and highlights blown a little
Edited by andy-xr on Monday 1st June 14:09
Edited by andy-xr on Monday 1st June 14:30
k out of me now so converted back into a bedroom Simpo Two said:
(some scary-looking friends you have there Mr Freud)
thats modelmayhem for you 
Ever used it? Great place full of people that think because they are "models" that I'll pay.
Not paid anyone yet and worked with some great people. That couple there, the lad is dating an established model that I'm shot now for free, she loved working with me that we're doing some set projects this year. She's in LA on a shoot now and no its not a mucky one!!Oh the studio measured 3x3. The new one at the bottom of the garden is 8m x 3.5, would go to 4 but unfortunately that would mean removing trees
stigmundfreud said:
they're what enables blokes with cameras up and down the country to think they are photographers, charge (way under value) for (substandard) work and then as a result make full time photographers suffer!
Cool! I'll ring up your boss tomorrow and tell him I'll do your job for 50p a year Simpo Two said:
stigmundfreud said:
they're what enables blokes with cameras up and down the country to think they are photographers, charge (way under value) for (substandard) work and then as a result make full time photographers suffer!
Cool! I'll ring up your boss tomorrow and tell him I'll do your job for 50p a year 
I dont charge stigmundfreud said:
oh back on topic for a second, in that 3m x 3m to get 2 stops at f11 the main light was usually at full power when using a softbox. Thats on a 300w head for some guidance, though I have recently been shooting at 50iso. I'd recommend 300s if you can afford them
Conversely, and also back to the theme, low power can be as useful as high power, and adjustability is crucial in controlling DOF, especially when your shutter speed is limited to 1/250th or whatever your synch speed is. I started with Elinchrom Prolincas but each was only available in full or half power, so I now use 100W and 400W Elinchrom Styles which means I can get down to just 12W if needed, essential for tabletop work.Everybody's needs are different; you just have to work out what you need to do and gear up to suit.
Thanks for the comments and pictures (and the rather amusing 2 way between John and Mike )
I've already light stands, strobes, umbrellas and reflectors, so was budgeting around £500 for further lighting and a roll of white, though I'm still not sure if I'll have problems with light on the low ceiling.
As for modelmayhem being a place "full of people that think because they are "models" that I'll pay", try seeing it from a models point of view.
They get bombarded with people who think they're photographers because they've a 400d, just trying to get their clothes off for a glamour shoot.
)I've already light stands, strobes, umbrellas and reflectors, so was budgeting around £500 for further lighting and a roll of white, though I'm still not sure if I'll have problems with light on the low ceiling.
As for modelmayhem being a place "full of people that think because they are "models" that I'll pay", try seeing it from a models point of view.
They get bombarded with people who think they're photographers because they've a 400d, just trying to get their clothes off for a glamour shoot.
jon- said:
Thanks for the comments and pictures (and the rather amusing 2 way between John and Mike )
I've already light stands, strobes, umbrellas and reflectors, so was budgeting around £500 for further lighting and a roll of white, though I'm still not sure if I'll have problems with light on the low ceiling.
As for modelmayhem being a place "full of people that think because they are "models" that I'll pay", try seeing it from a models point of view.
They get bombarded with people who think they're photographers because they've a 400d, just trying to get their clothes off for a glamour shoot.
quite its full of them from both sides but if you really want to experience ego overload (other than myself) then the models on purestorm really take the bisqwit)I've already light stands, strobes, umbrellas and reflectors, so was budgeting around £500 for further lighting and a roll of white, though I'm still not sure if I'll have problems with light on the low ceiling.
As for modelmayhem being a place "full of people that think because they are "models" that I'll pay", try seeing it from a models point of view.
They get bombarded with people who think they're photographers because they've a 400d, just trying to get their clothes off for a glamour shoot.
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