bare essentials for studio portraiture

[Davi]

If you wanted to learn and practice your portrait work, but didn't want to rely on the British weather to provide the lighting or climate... what are the "absolute must have" items. Any suggestions for DIY replacements and other cost cutting measures are always good :P

[andy-xr]

Cheap n cheerful option assuming you want to use flash and dont have speedlights

1 x curtain or existing wall/backdrop
1 x http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...
1 x empty space


For me, the most useful thing I'd want is something to flag the lights with and/or bounce light into. Polyboards or a reflector and a black puece of fabric would do the same thing.

[ian in lancs]

A camera... Seriously, everything else is optional except a subject.

[Simpo Two]

ian in lancs said:

A camera... Seriously, everything else is optional except a subject.

Light is useful to avoid getting black frames...

I started with a s/h Elincrhom kit from eBay and expanded/sold/invented from there according to what I was trying to do. Your questions is a bit like saying 'I want a DSLR and three lenses' - until you've made a start, you don't know what you want/need. I'd suggest a 400W head, a 100W head, a reflector, a softbox and radio trigger for starters - but that's just me

[Colin RedGriff]

Other than camera and lens I would suggest

Flash, umbrella, and stand
or
reflector with natural light from a window

[ian in lancs]

Simpo Two said:

ian in lancs said:

A camera... Seriously, everything else is optional except a subject.

Light is useful to avoid getting black frames...

I started with a s/h Elincrhom kit from eBay and expanded/sold/invented from there according to what I was trying to do. Your questions is a bit like saying 'I want a DSLR and three lenses' - until you've made a start, you don't know what you want/need. I'd suggest a 400W head, a 100W head, a reflector, a softbox and radio trigger for starters - but that's just me

Smartarse! the (non) flippant point i was making is as said by redgriff "reflector with natural light from a window". With current camera high ISO capability getting natural looking pictures using autumnal window light/reflector(s). Getting similar quality from a home studio is a challenge and I would advocate starters buying or using just one light and a reflector. The biggest mistake made in studio's is over lighting and in a home studio with close walls and low ceilings light control is a nightmare.

[Simpo Two]

ian in lancs said:

With current camera high ISO capability getting natural looking pictures using autumnal window light/reflector(s).

Eh?

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 31st August 21:59

[ian in lancs]

Simpo Two said:

ian in lancs said:

With current camera high ISO capability getting natural looking pictures using autumnal window light/reflector(s).

Is there a bit missing off that sentence?

nope! With current camera high ISO capability get natural looking pictures using autumnal window light/reflector(s

[Simpo Two]

The first one wasn't a sentence, now I see what you mean. Yes, you can get now a 'correct' exposure from less light, but the whole point of the subject is controlling the light, is it not? You started off by saying the only thing you needed was a camera and forgot about light altogether. Creating and controlling light is the most important thing, the camera just records it. A single window source is great as far as it goes, but will quickly get rather repetitive. I agree that a white room is easy to over-light, but that's why I said '100W' in my reply - in fact mine stops down to 12W, essential for shallow DOF with tabletop work. Control is key IMHO.

[ian in lancs]

I've heard it said on more than one occasion it's the ability to manage shadows that marks out the great from the good....

[Simpo Two]

That's an interesting comment. Sometimes one's mind thinks in reverse and electric dark bulbs would be handy so you can project darkness! But maybe we're moving away from portraits to more general studio work.

Edited by Simpo Two on Wednesday 1st September 09:08

[Davi]

Thanks for all the thoughts chaps! Very interesting, and looking at those ebay units, not as cost prohibitive as I thought it would be!

WRT natural lighting, unfortunately at the moment the only free time I get to practice this element is after dark, so the biggest window in the world isn't going to help

[xrrr]

I too am in the market for some basic studio gear. I plan for a day of shooting generic stock shots of people isolated on a white background. I have a room booked in my local community centre, I have some friends sorted as models but I need some help with the gear.

I currently have:
1x stand
1x Canon 580EX Speedlite
1x Canon 430EX Speedlite
1x Umbrella
1x Trigrip Reflector
1x Synch chord (the 580 can trigger the 430)

I appreciate that these *are* the bare essentials but I find the lack of modelling lights a pain and from experience of using the flashes in my house the power might be a bit low on them for doing full body shots bounced off the umbrella. I very very nearly just bought the 3x180W lighting kit from ebay mentioned above but I thought I would ask if that is the best given what I already have purchased.

Until I read this post I with thinking of just buying a softbox and stand. Would people recommend I go for the 180W lights from ebay or something else? Budget is around £250 I guess.

[andy-xr]

I should have put the caveat in that those ebay lights will probably break at some point. I guess if they're not critical (ie, you're not doing a life/death shoot) then they'd be worth a punt, they're so cheap it's rude not to. If reliability is further up your list than cheap, have a look at Bowens, Elinchrom etc

• ETA....Power from 180W heads isnt going to be great, you'll probably get around F8 @ ISO100 from say 10 feet away. There's probably a GN on them somewhere though. Personal preference would be for 300W heads for a bit more flexibility, the ebay seller does do them but at a different price.

Edited by andy-xr on Wednesday 1st September 10:40

[Ed_P]

I have a mobile set-up that I can take to balls, parties and the like. Don't know if this is any help to you, but I use a 580EX (as a key light - with an umbrella or softbox), a 430EX (as a fill light with an umbrella) and two 430EXs to light a Lastolite Hilite background. Gives this sort of thing:



I already had a couple of Speedlites, stands and attachments for "regular" work, so the additional kit was not too much of an extra outlay. Everything is controlled by a ST-E2 transmitter. I have a "standard" set-up with camera and Speedlites all in Manual, which gives good consistent results.

[xrrr]

Ed_P said:

I have a mobile set-up that I can take to balls, parties and the like. Don't know if this is any help to you, but I use a 580EX (as a key light - with an umbrella or softbox), a 430EX (as a fill light with an umbrella) and two 430EXs to light a Lastolite Hilite background. Gives this sort of thing:



I already had a couple of Speedlites, stands and attachments for "regular" work, so the additional kit was not too much of an extra outlay. Everything is controlled by a ST-E2 transmitter. I have a "standard" set-up with camera and Speedlites all in Manual, which gives good consistent results.

That is exactly the sort of high key look I was after. What sort of aperture can you get from that lighting setup?

I would need one or two more flash guns, a softbox and something like the hilite to get that look. £300-400 investment.

I need to have a browse through my SpeedGraphic catalogue to see what combo I can buy. Now I know that 300W is the right sort of power I now need to decide whether I augment my flashes or buy a cheap 2 light studio strobe kit.

No batteries and modelling lights are tilting me towards the studio strobes though.

[Ed_P]

xrrr said:

What sort of aperture can you get from that lighting setup?

My "standard" setup is 1/150th second at F8; ISO 200. That's with the two 430EX speedlites in the Hilite set to 1/8th power, the 580EX key-light (in softbox) at 1/2 power and the 430EX fill-light (through umbrella) at 1/4 power. It sometimes need a bit of "tweaking" depending on location and ambient lighting.

[xrrr]

Ed_P said:

xrrr said:

What sort of aperture can you get from that lighting setup?

My "standard" setup is 1/150th second at F8; ISO 200. That's with the two 430EX speedlites in the Hilite set to 1/8th power, the 580EX key-light (in softbox) at 1/2 power and the 430EX fill-light (through umbrella) at 1/4 power. It sometimes need a bit of "tweaking" depending on location and ambient lighting.

Smashing thanks. I think I am going to have to have a play about in my living room with what I have already got before I splash out.

[ian in lancs]

Ed_P said:

xrrr said:

What sort of aperture can you get from that lighting setup?

My "standard" setup is 1/150th second at F8; ISO 200. That's with the two 430EX speedlites in the Hilite set to 1/8th power, the 580EX key-light (in softbox) at 1/2 power and the 430EX fill-light (through umbrella) at 1/4 power. It sometimes need a bit of "tweaking" depending on location and ambient lighting.

Yep that's about right, settings and results. I have three Nikon SB600's and although the off camera flash control is fantastic I usually go manual. If you reduce power they'll recycle quicker too. They'll also work in open air location too. Depending upon range and ambient light (Nikon use IR trigger) I use cheap Youngko (sp?) radio triggers with 100m range! Despite all the advantages I found SB600's lack power lighting larger subject (areas) so I also have one 150w Interfit mains head (EX150D IIRC) and a 300W Interfit mains/battery head as main lights. If I need more I use upto the 3 SB-600's for, as said above, background, highlight or hair light.

Also consider raiding LEE filters web site for their free (!) colour filter swatch book (Designers edition). Perfect fit for Canon / Nikon flash guns. You'll find the 5cm thick pack of 100's of different coloured filters can create great effects on backgrounds and subjects.

Get a medium size softbox cheap from Stable imaging and a S type fitting that holds a flash gun, white and black A1 foam boards from stationers (reflectors or blockers) and you'll be sorted. I prefer a softbox to an umbrella in confined spaces because an umbrella, especially the translucent white ones (as opposed to silver lined), put the light all over the place and reflections coloured by the walls / ceiling make white balance difficult. On the latter point get a grey card and set the camera to about 5500K so each shot is consistent and adjust them all in PS using the grey card test shot later.

Good luck! Its a frustrating but rewarding journey. What's helped me the most was a local studio has model / group shoot nights Learning with and from others was fun! Shooting at home you soon run out of willing subject material!!!

[Davi]

ian in lancs said:

Also consider raiding LEE filters web site for their free (!) colour filter swatch book (Designers edition).

I'm either being blind or stupid here...