Beginners lighting set up

[ofcorsa]

Im loving my 400D, I think i mostly enjoy taking portraits ( when i can convince my friends and family to let me)

The main thing annoying me at the moment is finding a nice backdrop and also i can only really shoot in daylight as the on camera flash is very harsh.



This would have been alot better with an empty background (amongst other things!)

I Dont have the space for a studio so anything will have to be portable, what are my options?

[AlfaFoxtrot]

If you've got any cream painted walls they can make a reasonable background, or anything neutral that isn't too distracting.

A flashgun makes a big difference, I've just got an old manual on my DSLR and by aiming it up and bouncing off the ceiling you get a much better lighting effect than the onboard flash - which as you say is very harsh.

I'm pretty inexperienced myself, but those are things I've found to work.

[oddman]

You can probably change the flash output which might make it a bit softer.

I used a white tissue secured over the camera flash with an elastic band before I got a separate flash which softened the flash a bit.

If you want the best lighting a separate flash is better using bounce. If you do your research you might not need the latest Canon speedlight and be able to pick up a bargain from eBay.

[CarMac]

A friend of mine uses bedsheets as a backdrop when he's doing portrait stuff. The pictures are great.

[ssray]

i use a 550ex canon flash, it helps that you can bounce it off the walls etc or for direct you can diffuse it through tissue etc or have a small softbox type thing on it from evilbay, look up a compatable flash(cheap one) then look on the bay and experement then you can decide if you need £400 of bespoke canon flash.
ray

[Scho]

nice pic.

i like the background!?

you could try a soften diffuser as used with 550ex in this shot:


otherwide get a couple of monoblock lights,bowens esprit are ok and cheap.

[stigmundfreud]

10 quid would get you a decent cobra. It aint linked to the camera, it aint automatic but it will bounce and it will be infinitely better than the built in flash. Downside is you need to manually set the flash exposure for both distance and film speed but you'll learn loads.

If you want a good dedicated flash, the canon speedlights are great but the 550 or 580 will cost you ££££ for features you will not need/use over those of the 430ex

[ofcorsa]

Scho said:

nice pic.

i like the background!?

Thanks scho, its mainly the handle glinting and the join of the floor/walls is right inline with the nose. I did use shallow depth of field to lose as much as possible

loads of options there, thanks all. I'l trawl the bay for a cobra for now and see how i get on

[ofcorsa]

is something like this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-EOS-Hammer-Head-Pro-fl...

likely to be ok?

[Goldeeno]

Makeshift studio..... how about a clotheshorse and a bed sheet.... im not tight... honest! You can easily move it around so you can get good light from a window etc, just need a chair for the subject, i preffer a stool.

[ofcorsa]

Does anyone rate the Interfit kits available on ebay?

[Goldeeno]

To be honest find yourself a nice window and don't use the flash at all. A reflector would work well enough.

I did find an article that involved cutting the handle part from one of those 5L plastic milk bottles/jugs, the frosty plastic ones. This should fit over the pop up on camera flash and diffuse the light a bit.