Your $100 Studio . . . - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/25/2007 02:49:55 PM · #1

Here's your challenge.

You have a camera (P&S with manual mode, no extras or attachments), and a tripod already.

And you have $100.

Build me your "best" home (mostly portrait) studio-type set-up within that budget.
Tell me what you'd get, how much it would cost, and how you would use it.

Message edited by author 2007-01-25 14:54:39.

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/25/2007 02:51:53 PM · #2

Ya better define studio :) Do you mean for portraits or for stock or for product? Or just for art?

Lotsa differences.

01/25/2007 02:54:15 PM · #3

Originally posted by nards656:

Ya better define studio :) Do you mean for portraits or for stock or for product? Or just for art?

Lotsa differences.

Very good point !

Mainly family portrait (kids mostly).

DjFenzl

01/25/2007 02:57:06 PM · #4

For example, for product shots you could get some PVC pipe and some sheets for less the $100 and build a light tent.

For portraits you could get a work lamp from Lowes and then use poster board / car shades as reflectors. Or get some nylon from the fabric dept of Walmart (or wherever) and stretch it over homemade PVC frames as reflectors / diffusers.

Tamron SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical IF for Canon

01/25/2007 03:20:48 PM · #5

Originally posted by Megatherian:

I understand PVC pipe, poster board and nylon.

But what kind of "work lamp" do you mean ?

nards656

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

01/25/2007 03:22:04 PM · #6

If you gonna do portraits, you need to buy a roll of white paper and a pair of halogen worklights. Then buy a $20 barstool at Walmart and wait for your next $100.

Actually you'll need a reflector, too, and the worklights need some diffusion..

It's really hard to do portraits in that price range, sad to say.

01/25/2007 03:23:52 PM · #7

I'm guessing the poster board is for reflection, right ?

I also have precious little space for storage - so nothing can be large.

DjFenzl

01/25/2007 03:28:51 PM · #8

Originally posted by kashi:

I'm guessing the poster board is for reflection, right ?

I also have precious little space for storage - so nothing can be large.

Yep, poster board or reflective car shades (or cardboard with wrinkly aluminum foil) can be used as a reflector to reflect either flash or work light. You might want to try doing something like that with your on board flash before you get work lights. Work lights are very hot and can make a shot very uncomfortable very fast.

fotomann_forever

01/25/2007 03:29:11 PM · #9

All you need is three things:

A sheet for a background - please iron it :-)
A window, preferably North facing
A piece of white poster board to use as a reflector.

Providing you already have a window, total cost less than $10. Even less if you have a sheet and an iron. :-)

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

01/25/2007 03:31:50 PM · #10

Originally posted by kashi:

I'm guessing the poster board is for reflection, right ?

I also have precious little space for storage - so nothing can be large.

Originally posted by Megatherian:
Yep, poster board or reflective car shades (or cardboard with wrinkly aluminum foil) can be used as a reflector to reflect either flash or work light. You might want to try doing something like that with your on board flash before you get work lights. Work lights are very hot and can make a shot very uncomfortable very fast.

Not sure how to use the reflector idea with the on-camera flash.

Joey Lawrence

PhaseOne P45

01/25/2007 03:32:28 PM · #11

Cover some cardboard in tin foil and use natural light. Spend the rest on booze to get the customer drunk so they won't know the difference

Here's some tinfoil stuff I've done-

01/25/2007 03:33:10 PM · #12

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

All you need is three things:

A sheet for a background - please iron it :-)

Consider my hand slapped ! Guess that means I need to get an iron ?

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

A window, preferably North facing
A piece of white poster board to use as a reflector.

Providing you already have a window, total cost less than $10. Even less if you have a sheet and an iron. :-)

I have windows. They only face east. The joys of apartment living.

DjFenzl

01/25/2007 03:33:46 PM · #13

Originally posted by kashi:

Originally posted by kashi:
I'm guessing the poster board is for reflection, right ?

I also have precious little space for storage - so nothing can be large.

Originally posted by Megatherian:
Yep, poster board or reflective car shades (or cardboard with wrinkly aluminum foil) can be used as a reflector to reflect either flash or work light. You might want to try doing something like that with your on board flash before you get work lights. Work lights are very hot and can make a shot very uncomfortable very fast.

Not sure how to use the reflector idea with the on-camera flash.

just angle it so the light from your source (flash or work light) hits the board and then bounces it back at your subjects.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM

01/25/2007 03:35:05 PM · #14

Originally posted by Joey Lawrence:

Cover some cardboard in tin foil and use natural light. Spend the rest on booze to get the customer drunk so they won't know the difference

Here's some tinfoil stuff I've done-

I have no hope of ever having the quality of images you do Joey.

But I do have tinfoil.

Joey Lawrence

PhaseOne P45

01/25/2007 03:36:28 PM · #15

Originally posted by kashi:

Originally posted by Joey Lawrence:
Cover some cardboard in tin foil and use natural light. Spend the rest on booze to get the customer drunk so they won't know the difference

Here's some tinfoil stuff I've done-

I have no hope of ever having the quality of images you do Joey.

But I do have tinfoil.

Use whatever you have left on your head so no one can read your mind.

01/25/2007 03:37:43 PM · #16

Originally posted by kashi:

But I do have tinfoil.
Originally posted by Joey Lawrence:

Use whatever you have left on your head so no one can read your mind.

*LOL*

fotomann_forever

01/25/2007 03:41:12 PM · #17

Originally posted by kashi:

I have windows. They only face east. The joys of apartment living.

Well, you can use the east facing windows, but you'd probably get the best light (diffused) after noon.

The advantage of a north facing window (in the Northern Hemisphere) is that the light is diffused throughout the day.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

01/26/2007 06:57:14 AM · #18

Originally posted by kashi:

I have windows. They only face east. The joys of apartment living.

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Well, you can use the east facing windows, but you'd probably get the best light (diffused) after noon.

The advantage of a north facing window (in the Northern Hemisphere) is that the light is diffused throughout the day.

Afternoon light - check. I'll work on that. I've been aiming for mid-morning because the light is strongest then - it's diffused I want then ?

eschelar

Canon EOS-7D

01/26/2007 07:17:30 AM · #19

Read up a bit on color temperature too.

Make sure you don't mix too much.

Early morning or late evening is good.

There's another idea which is what movie studios often do... get something to diffuse the light and put the halogen outside your window... People like window light because A: it's natural light, so it's pretty strong, B: it's natural light, so it's very neutral or natural looking and C: it's directional, but diffuse.

Halogens are a bit yellow if I recall. Not a bad thing as this is quite similar to late afternoon light with warm tones. If you are only using one light source, it's much easier to control this tone issue.

Telehubbie

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/26/2007 08:11:30 AM · #20

Originally posted by kashi:

Originally posted by kashi:

I have windows. They only face east. The joys of apartment living.

Originally posted by fotomann_forever:

Well, you can use the east facing windows, but you'd probably get the best light (diffused) after noon.

The advantage of a north facing window (in the Northern Hemisphere) is that the light is diffused throughout the day.

Afternoon light - check. I'll work on that. I've been aiming for mid-morning because the light is strongest then - it's diffused I want then ?

Theoretically, you could put a white sheet over the window... then bada-bing, you have one giant softbox.

Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

01/26/2007 10:19:23 AM · #21

Originally posted by Telehubbie:

Theoretically, you could put a white sheet over the window... then bada-bing, you have one giant softbox.

Yep - great theory. Unfortunately the people who designed our apartment complex didn't see the need for allowing for window coverings of any kind. No way to place a curtain rod (the window is too wide), and can't get so much as tacks into the ceiling (I swear it's concrete). Just one of the "quirks" of our home.

idnic

Canon EOS-60D

01/26/2007 10:20:48 AM · #22

Originally posted by kashi:

Originally posted by Telehubbie:
Theoretically, you could put a white sheet over the window... then bada-bing, you have one giant softbox.

Yep - great theory. Unfortunately the people who designed our apartment complex didn't see the need for allowing for window coverings of any kind. No way to place a curtain rod (the window is too wide), and can't get so much as tacks into the ceiling (I swear it's concrete). Just one of the "quirks" of our home.

try tape :)

_eug

Nikon D50

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

01/26/2007 10:55:03 AM · #23

Originally posted by kashi:

You know that there are rods designed to be hung ABOVE the window and not to the sides of it, right?

Canon EOS-20D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/26/2007 11:10:04 AM · #24

You might check out 3Ms Command Hooks. You could hang those to the side of the windows or from the ceiling but they don't have to be permanent when you don't want them anymore.