Small Space/Studio Lighting For Poor People

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Canon

03/16/2010 11:41:41 AM · #1

I don't think it's any big secret that I don't have a studio. I'm bored with always trying to shoot outside and being at the complete whim of Mother Nature. Eventhough the horrible snow has gone everything is still dreary, brown, and muddy. It's still cold. Nobody wants to go outside to have their picture taken. I'm also tired of going to other people's houses and trying to work around their furniture, and using whatever craptastic lighting they have, and just my flash. I want a space that I can say, "Come to my place if you want pictures."

So, my kitchen is about 7.5 - 8 ft by 12 ft. Ever so slightly bigger than your average jail cell (6ftx9ft). I was thinking that if I put my kitchen table on the back porch or get rid of it (never wanted the damn thing anyway) I could possibly use the space as a small portrait studio. Last night, my daughter-in-law helped me out playing with a little lighting.

This was done by hanging my black ~~sheet~~ backdrop right next to my stove. I have a 150 watt light construction lamp on a light stand with an umbrella which was slightly behind and above me (as high up as it could go). I put my reflector on the sink and bouced my flash off of it. There was a back light that we eventually put on a bucket to make it higher up. At one point we turned on the room light to try and get a hair light. We also played around with moving the reflector so it was sitting in front of her at a 45 degree angle reflecting room light and me bouncing my flash off the ceiling. I didn't like that light at all. I could move the backdrop to the wall opposite the oven, and then my dad could possible put up a bracket to put a hairlight on. It would also be next to the sliding doors, so during the day I'd have natural light options. What I'd lose is the option of putting the light/umbrella on the side of the subject and a darn convenient prop for my reflector in the form of my sink. Not matter what I do the best I'm going to be able to do is a three light set up. It's just too small for four lights.

Anyone got any ideas for setting up lights in that small of a space? I never did get an answer to my questions about master/slave flashes.

This one was my favorite for the light on her face and the expression. I'm aware that a hair light would have been nice, but the ones where we turned on the overhead light I didn't like the overall light as well and her expression wasn't as much fun.

Message edited by author 2010-03-16 11:43:16.

JokersSoul

Canon EOS-50D

03/16/2010 12:24:26 PM · #2

Oh you crack me up. You and I sound a lot alike. I also have an issue with lighting as I am poor and cheap!

I will be interested to see what people have to say so I can get some tips too! Thanks for making me smile today!

DCrest01

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/16/2010 12:25:36 PM · #3

Sounds like we have a similar set up! I was just looking at these on Amazon:
//www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Studio-Umbrella-Continuous-Lighting/dp/B001NDYTKA/ref=pd_sim_p_4 Anyone care to give their opinion? Is it worth it or is there a better alternative?

MinsoPhoto

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

03/16/2010 01:12:32 PM · #4

Originally posted by DCrest01:

I have a set of those and they are cheap but for me they work ok. I am thinking about just going with a couple more speedlites though but that is for another thread.

These were taken with the cowboy studio set up as well as a reflector (white) and a speedlite. I used the silver umbrella in the front right of the model, the shoot through umbrella was opposite and behind for hair and the speedlite was directly behind to try and seperate the background. I also had the refelctor setup to the model left.

As you can see I am just starting to learn about studio lighting so I may not be the best for advice but I thought you may like seeing a couple shots taken with the cowboy strobes.

Camera setings were ISO 100, Shutter Speed 1/250 and the aperture varried from 11-18ish, can't remember exactly. Canon 1000D and I believe I used the canon 50mm f1.8 but it may have been my 28-135mm canon. The only thing I wish I could do is adjust the power of the strobes but I just either move the strobes/umbrellas or adjust aperture. Any other questions send them my way. If interested I could take a shot of the whole setup (in a very cramped space).

ETA: Sorry I do not have the continous light setup, I have the cowboy studio strobe set found here. Sorry for not seeing that earlier.

Message edited by author 2010-03-16 13:26:17.

Mick

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/16/2010 01:20:21 PM · #5

Continuous lighting doesn't put out enough light for photography. If you have enough wattage to get a decent shutter speed, then you also have enough heat to bake a cake on your kitchen table. Do you remember the Suzy Homemaker Easy Bake Oven and how they worked? Yes, a light bulb made all the heat. Halogen work lights easily put out enough heat to start a fire in anything flammable that comes in contact with, or within a few feet of, the light.

You will get better results and be much happier with a strobe lighting setup. Even a single camera mounted (hotshoe) flash unit puts out tons more light than a continuous lamp, and you can pick them up on eBay for like $10.

Of course, studio flash units are the best choice. They're more expensive than hotshoe flash units, but well worth the money. I suggest starting with a single light setup like The Beginner Bee kit from AlienBees. For about $300 you get everything you need for small studio portrait photography. You can get excellent results with a single AB-400 light and reflectors. Add more lights and other goodies later on.

DCrest01

Nikon D800

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/16/2010 01:26:55 PM · #6

So, do Alien Bees work like the speed lights?

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/16/2010 01:50:09 PM · #7

I second the Alienbees route. Otherwise, the cheapest viable option would be fluorescent lights or a couple of external flashes and reflectors.

Message edited by author 2010-03-16 13:50:40.

Citadel

Nikon D7500

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/16/2010 01:56:04 PM · #8

I'm a big advocate of using flashes instead of the big monolights. They're cheaper, more portable and good enough for most intents and purposes (at least for what most of us do here). The drawbacks? Monoheads (alien bees for example) have more output meaning they can light a bigger area or from further distance. The recycle time for flashes* is a bit slower too. But for bang for your buck? You can't beat em.

Check out strobist.blogspot.com especially the lighting 101 section. //strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

*edited for clarity

Message edited by author 2010-03-16 15:39:13.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR

03/16/2010 02:08:11 PM · #9

Well, I theoretically have a Quantum strobe unit. The reason I say theoretically was because it stopped working - or the radio transmitter did - at my brother's wedding. When I pressed the test button on the unit itself, it flashed. Anyway, I brought it in to the local camera shop, but my charger went missing when we moved. So, I have to get a new one. Then, just yesterday, the camera shop asked me where the radio transmitter was. Now, I am absolutely 100% sure I brought the transmitter in with the whole unit because that is the part I thought had stopped working. But, they swear they don't have it. So, now I'm trolling eBay looking for a used one because I don't want to pay almost $200 for a new one. But, if I can't find a used one, I'll have to pay for the new one because that stupid unit would cost close to $1000 to replace.

It's Quantum radio slave 4i transmitter frequency D - if anyone knows anyone who has one they'd like to get rid of.

Anyway, the only reason I don't buy a regular hotshoe flash is because I'm not sure about slaving it. Would I still be able to use my Sigma which is on my camera? When I use my Quantum, I couldn't use the Sigma because the radio transmitter was on my camera. If I had also wanted to slave my Sigma to use at the same time, I would have had to buy another Quantum receiver.

And you're right about lights and heat, I briefly used a 500watt halogen light, and it caught the sheet we used as a diffuser on fire.

DCrest01

Nikon D800

03/16/2010 02:08:20 PM · #10

Thanks for the help. I'm going to take some time going through that website when I get home.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

03/16/2010 03:28:07 PM · #11

That strobist site does look cool.

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

03/16/2010 03:44:06 PM · #12

This workshop might be really useful if it is anywhere near where you live. It pays for itself easily enough, as you get to use various lighting setups and modifiers, both studio lights and speedlights, and can save you a bundle later on "bad purchases" of equipment you really don't like or need.

I've taken the workshop, and found it invaluable. It is not sponsored by a particular brand of camera or lighting, and Don brings his cheapest Canon camera to teach with, to demonstrate that it is not about the gear, but what you do with it. After taking the workshop, just one of the things I learned allowed me to purchase a single umbrella, lightstand, and reflector for use in taking the best portrait of my parents ever taken by anyone. I was able to teach the setup and technique to my brother in a few minutes. All of this was completely out of the question just a few days earlier, before I took this workshop.

The strobist threads and websites and books are all useful, to be sure. But hands-on instruction from a knowledgeable and excellent teacher is hard to beat, and worth a bit of effort to obtain.

e10icus

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

Olympus 14-42mm f.3.5-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Zoom

03/16/2010 03:47:04 PM · #13

Originally posted by ragamuffingirl:

That strobist site does look cool.

You're doomed!

;-P