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12/04/2006 11:18:31 AM · #1 |
Hey guys and gals.
More hardware specs from you guys is needed, I have recently purchased my Nikon D80 (woo hoo), but considering I want to get into working with portraiture of all kinds, and indoors and out.
But Im not sure what else I need.
I have my Nikon D80 with my 18-135mm lens and thats about the sum of it.
Now I am prolly going to play around anyway and see how things turn out, but I thought id ask you guys on what you think are essentials, reflectors maybe? an external flash?, some sort of spot light for indoor use.
Well I know one essential and thats models, but im working on that.
Id like to keep things to a low budget if possible, the D80 put me out of pocket quite a bit.
Thanks in advance.
Gachuk |
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12/04/2006 11:38:16 AM · #2 |
You'll get all kinds of answers on this, from cheapo ebay strobes, to Alien Bees, full studio setups.
Low budget?
Sounds like some slave flashes, couple of stands and some flash brackets are what you're looking for.
Do you have space for a studio setup?
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12/04/2006 11:40:08 AM · #3 |
Essentials ? An ability to see light. A big window. Maybe spend a couple of dollars on a 40"x60" white foam core as a reflector panel. If you want to get more advanced, buy another black foam core as a negative fill. A diffusion panel is also great for outdoor use (like a large, portable cloud). Learn how to see how the light changes and interacts with your subjects. Learn how to communicate and collaborate with them to create great pictures. Then think about adding more complexity into your lighting - maybe buy one strobe.
Nice to haves are things like alien bees, ring flashes, strobes, lights, softboxes, umbrellas, stands, wireless remotes, etc, but certainly not essentials to get started. Some people never feel the need to go beyond using available light effectively. Some have made entire careers out of not going beyond available light and maybe one strobe.
Message edited by author 2006-12-04 11:43:55.
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12/04/2006 11:44:26 AM · #4 |
| Buy a 50mm f/1.8. They're cheap, sharp and fast. Used to be normal on a film camera, with the digital crop factor it makes a nice portrait lens. |
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12/04/2006 11:51:05 AM · #5 |
Start here, he recommends some good stuff, but there are cheaper equivalents:
Step one
Check this post on some cheapo wireless triggers
Here's another quick link for some used stands/brackets/umbrellas.
Go back to Stobist for more info and ideas on how you can start using them.
Eventually, if you really want a studio, then you'll get a full setup, but this will do while you start out, and you can use it for a portable location setup even after you get the leave-at-home gear.
Message edited by author 2006-12-04 11:56:55.
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12/04/2006 12:01:05 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
... Some have made entire careers out of not going beyond available light and maybe one strobe. |
Yup, I think  librodo is a prime example of someone on this site that exemplifies that statement.
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12/04/2006 12:04:56 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by Gordon:
... Some have made entire careers out of not going beyond available light and maybe one strobe. |
Yup, I think librodo is a prime example of someone on this site that exemplifies that statement. |
Right. Once your portraits are better than his, then is the time to start thinking about increasing the lighting complexity, not before ;)
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12/04/2006 12:17:33 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by Gordon:
... Some have made entire careers out of not going beyond available light and maybe one strobe. |
Yup, I think librodo is a prime example of someone on this site that exemplifies that statement. |
Right. Once your portraits are better than his, then is the time to start thinking about increasing the lighting complexity, not before ;) |
Naw, it's all dependant on the style you want to achieve, IMO. You shoot in a lot of different situations and locations with flash/strobe photography. Natural light on a sunset beach usually translates to non-ideal model lighting. Sure, a large bounce and some photoshop can help, but it'll be nothing like what you get right off from a good portable flash setup.
Also, most of us are NOT going to get better than Librodo, so that's sort of a silly statement. I know successful portrait and studio people that suck compared to him. Maybe it's because they use to many strobes :P
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12/04/2006 12:24:36 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by Gordon:
... Some have made entire careers out of not going beyond available light and maybe one strobe. |
Yup, I think librodo is a prime example of someone on this site that exemplifies that statement. |
Right. Once your portraits are better than his, then is the time to start thinking about increasing the lighting complexity, not before ;) |
Naw, it's all dependent on the style you want to achieve, IMO. |
yup, you are right. I just think it is useful to learn the basics with a single good light source first, then add in the extra complexity later once you've got those basics solid. Everything after that is just more of the same. It does depend in if you want to essentially override all the available light or enhance/work with it though - that's certainly an aspect of style.
Most of the work with strobes and big setups often is trying to recreate good light that can be achieved with careful subject placement/ choice of location. Certainly if you are doing it on a budget with time constraints it makes sense to have all the gear you need to override the available light. But to start with ? On a budget ? On as low a budget as possible ? :)
Foam core is about all you need to get started - and that's a luxury. Most people already have a window. It just isn't as sexy as suggesting Alien Bee digital starter kits, or pocket wizards or strobist lighting kits, that's all.
Message edited by author 2006-12-04 12:28:24.
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12/04/2006 12:34:46 PM · #10 |
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12/04/2006 12:43:45 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
It just isn't as sexy as suggesting Alien Bee digital starter kits, or pocket wizards or strobist lighting kits, that's all. |
Hey, DPC is all about the sexy!! ;-D
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12/04/2006 12:56:08 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Originally posted by wavelength:
I think librodo is a prime example of someone on this site that exemplifies that statement. |
Right. Once your portraits are better than his, then is the time to start thinking about increasing the lighting complexity, not before ;) |
ROFL! |
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12/05/2006 04:14:46 AM · #13 |
Wow lots of information and lots of words of items I dont have a clue what they are.
I shall have to look around I think.
Thanks for information. The only thing about using light I have available is Indoor light sucks generally, windows dont always let enough light in it seems.
Im thinking I will more than likly start doing as much outdoor shots as possible, however at this time of year is not that easy, the weather is dull and murky, which might be okay for some shots, but I think could limit me. It will be better when summer hits again (which in the UK is like about a week in July:P)
Ill look into items youve suggested and see what could be plausible. Although I say low budget Im willing to pay if its worth my while and is good long term investment.
Thanks again for the info:) |
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12/05/2006 09:26:37 AM · #14 |
Outdoors:
get a 70-200 2.8 lens, preferably VR. It's what every pro uses, unless they have a 138 1.8 or something like that. You can use what you have, but you won't get the same look as the pros.
YOu need at least a speedlight (for fill) and a reflector (a 5 in 1 30-45" range). You can of course use lots more stuff, but this is what you'll use 80-90% of the time. The next thing up would be a scrim - something 4 x6 feet and the stands and sanbags to hold it all still - PITA to move about but if you live in sunny location or have no shady trees or porches, etc, you'll use it a lot.
Indoors:
this book
Then for the most flexibility... lightmeter (sekonic L358 w/ PW trigger), 1 pocket wizard Plus 2 (you can't adjust what you can't measure and the PW makes it all wireless).
you can start with 2 300WS strobes (AB400 if you must, paterson interfit stellar 300 cost less for the same featuers and the accessories are less costly).
Then get 2 600WS strobes, and a backlight stand (it's really short)
a set of gels - lets you change the color of the BG easily
grids - 2 or 3 for light modification.
softbox(es) - you can get a 2x2 to play with, but to get serious about portraiture your gonna want a 60 or 72" octabox or 2x4 foot softbox for the 600WS strobes. and C-stands to hold it all up (century stands - a type not a brand) and sandbags probably.
a boom is nice for holding a hair light, but not useful if you have ceilings under 10 foot.
Backgrops....for fun it's not important. If you want to make money at this (to pay for all the equipment :P) then you need the basics of a BG and then some unique BGs to give the customers a reason to come to you.
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12/05/2006 09:55:50 AM · #15 |
Here's another guy who's had modest success using natural light only.
Kevyn Major Howard
Be sure to watch the bit the Discovery Channel did on him.
;)
P |
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12/05/2006 09:59:27 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
Here's another guy who's had modest success using natural light only. |
Heresy! Burn the witch, burn the witch - with really powerful strobes if possible.
You must buy lots of gear to fund the lighting companies, if you want to even point a camera at a person. It isn't possible to find good light and use it effectively - it must be controlled & replaced!!!
I'm not saying lots of funky lighting toys aren't good to have, but they certainly aren't required to start doing great portraiture. I have a friend who clears $150k a year shooting portraits with a scrim and a gold reflector. When he is getting really technical he might use a $60 flash unit.
I.e., you don't need Prof_Fate's $3000+ shopping list to get started (Did someone miss the 'essentials' and 'low budget' comments at the top of the thread ? :)
Message edited by author 2006-12-05 10:01:20.
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12/05/2006 10:03:40 AM · #17 |
Originally posted by Gachuk:
Wow lots of information and lots of words of items I dont have a clue what they are.
I shall have to look around I think.
Thanks for information. The only thing about using light I have available is Indoor light sucks generally, windows dont always let enough light in it seems. |
Window light is about as good as light gets - most people spend a fortune trying to recreate those sorts of light sources (giant soft boxes are a prime example)
It might help if you threw up examples of the kinds of portraiture you want to do, too. If it is studio glamour for example, the lighting equipment is different to fashion, or dynamic portraiture, or headshot work.
Message edited by author 2006-12-05 10:04:20.
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12/05/2006 10:30:06 AM · #18 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
Heresy! Burn the witch, burn the witch - with really powerful strobes if possible. |
See this is why I come to DP early in the morning. Endless amusement :) |
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12/05/2006 10:39:07 AM · #19 |
For those times when windows aren't available...less than $100 from any hardware store can make you one of these visions of loveliness... |
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12/05/2006 10:40:14 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
For those times when windows aren't available...less than $100 from any hardware store can make you one of these visions of loveliness... |
and really freaky pupil highlights if you place them 'just' right ;)
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12/05/2006 10:42:29 AM · #21 |
Originally posted by Gordon:
and really freaky pupil highlights if you place them 'just' right ;) |
For those moments when modestly freaky just isn't enough ;) |
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12/05/2006 10:49:24 AM · #22 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
For those times when windows aren't available...less than $100 from any hardware store can make you one of these visions of loveliness... |
I still think you should drill a hole in the center and shoot through it.
That or get a bike helmet so you can mount it to your head. |
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12/05/2006 10:49:48 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by Pedro:
Originally posted by Gordon:
and really freaky pupil highlights if you place them 'just' right ;) |
For those moments when modestly freaky just isn't enough ;) |
I like really freaky.... |
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12/05/2006 10:59:13 AM · #24 |
Originally posted by Spazmo99:
I still think you should drill a hole in the center and shoot through it.
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Awesome. Then build one of these and go mobile with the whole deal.
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12/05/2006 11:02:56 AM · #25 |
If your real goal is to buy toys, then Prof_Fate's list is a fine start.
If you want to do great portraits, look at the kind of work you want to do and undertand their light.
It's very possible, as mentioned by others to do excellent work with your current setup, a window and possibly a chunk of white foamcore.
You might add a chunk of black foamcore and if you really want to get spendy, a 50mm f1.8 would be a great place to start. I think the Nikon version is about $90. |
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