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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> I Want To Make Studio Portraits
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 04/02/2010 10:36:12 AM · #1
I want to try my hand at making portraits in an indoor studio set up. I have two (more or less) willing models in my teenage sons. Realizing I have a lot to learn, I don't want to make a huge investment in gear that I don't know how to use. I don't have the money for that anyway.

So I figure I have two options:
1. Purchase one of those out-of-the-box studio lighting kits from the likes of Adorama. They usually have one or two lights, stands, umbrellas and optional accessories (barndoor, snoot, etc.). For example. These cost upwards of $200.
2. Start with one light and the bare minimum of accessories needed to experiment. Gradually add more advanced equipment later (more lights, reflectors, backgrounds, etc.).

Any thoughts? If the latter, what are the best lights for the beginner to work with? I'm also not opposed to unconventional approaches; I read somewhere that one can do a lot with lights from Home Depot...
 04/02/2010 10:50:34 AM · #2
The kits from Adorama or B&H are pretty reasonably priced and would be a good starting point, I think. For a backdrop, go to Home Depot and buy a canvas dropcloth. Can be dyed, painted, used as is. Or use a home bedsheet and just stay far enough from it to deal with the wrinkles. Have you flashes? Can you use those for your lights? The shop lights from Home Depot are another option - cheaper than flashes, for sure! They do get warm and the color isn't flattering (very yellow) but that can probably be dealt with in post. Also, I don't know if Timfy's portfolio is still there (haven't looked) but he made a nifty ring light with normal light bulbs - he had pictures of it in his portfolio at one time. And I'm sure he'd be willing to share the info if you PM'd him.

A simple reflector is a great investment as well - more than one, even. In fact, if you have a window that gets good light, a window and a reflector is all you need to start.

I'd love to start trying my hand at portraiture, but I have no one to shoot. :-)
 04/02/2010 11:06:34 AM · #3
I have some bargain basement gear and I think I'm managing ok with it. I recently did some portraits of my coworkers for use in company newletters and such. Though not up to what I've seen others do here, I think they turned out well, in an Olan-Mills kind of way. I was going to post these for some feedback anyway, so this might be as good an opportunity as any.


Also did these shots of my granddaughter that I am very pleased with:


Equipment I used:
-Canon 430EX flash, on-camera, powered down to minimum, and pointed to the left with a snoot, used just to trigger the off camera flashes.
-2 Vivitar 2800 flashes. I have a small armload of these now, costing me anywhere from free to $19.
-2 Wein peanut slaves to trigger the Vivitars (about $17-20 apiece)
-2 well used lightstands ($20 for the pair at a local used camera shop)
-2 42" umbrellas About $20 each from Adorama
-2 umbrella/flash brackets. About $16 each at Adorama
-Tie dyed background ($20 at a local camera show/swap meet)
-2 taller used lightstands used as background supports ($20 for the pair at the camera show/swap meet)

Not including the 430ex, which I already had, that comes out to around $200 worth of gear, though it was not all purchased at once. I guess that is your #2 option. I kind of like doing it that way, as I learn what works and what does not, and the cost it spread out. I've tried some wireless triggers, but the Cactus V4's I bought seem unreliable with the Canon gear.

Message edited by author 2010-04-02 11:16:22.
 04/02/2010 11:14:17 AM · #4
If that was my budget I'd take a look at this Ebay kit

The stands are very stable and you're probably not going to find a better deal on 300w strobes with these extras. I also believe you'll find that two 300 watters will serve you better than three 100w. Not so sure about that trigger system with it but at this price you couldn't complain too much. I bought this kit last week for a backup and it's a strong deal for around $350 shipped.

Message edited by author 2010-04-02 11:16:15.
 04/02/2010 11:20:17 AM · #5
I'm going to make a recommendation based on my experiences, but hopefully some other photographers will add their voices so there is no risk of me steering you wrong.

I think what you learn to light with may be very different than what you choose to use once you have more experience. After going through this myself I honestly believe that a simple set of hot lights, like these, may be the best way to start. I doubt that you would use these to shoot for a client because they are missing some key features you would want from 'pro' light, but they do have feature that aid in learning. Constant light makes it easy to understand the affect of feathering a light and you will learn a lot faster if you can see the result as you experiment. I can recommend a DIY approach to the same basic light as well, but first I'm curious what other will say about this recommendation.
 04/02/2010 11:23:58 AM · #6
Originally posted by Nusbaum:
Constant light makes it easy to understand the affect of feathering a light and you will learn a lot faster if you can see the result as you experiment.

I agree. One of the issues I have had with my cheap stobes setup is that I don't have the experience to know what the result of my lighting will be. I have to do some trial and error each time. Each effort has less trial and error, however.
 04/02/2010 11:29:39 AM · #7
Originally posted by Nusbaum:
I think what you learn to light with may be very different than what you choose to use once you have more experience.

I completely agree with this, but my advice would actually be to stay away from the hot lights. For example, if you use continuous light while learning, you may become reliant on it and will never get a sense of how to position your lights during setup. Continuous lights tend to be hot for your subjects. And, most decent strobes have modelling lamps that will at least give you a rough sketch of your light setup.

What you buy may also depend on what kind of portrait you want to shoot. One light and a couple of accessories might be good if you want to shoot dramatically, or if you prefer a fine art style, or if you have a secondary source like a window. Very successful portraits can be taken with only one light, but in my opinion only after a certain amount of experience has been gained.
 04/02/2010 11:39:46 AM · #8
Yeah, hot lights are, well......hot. Nusbaum is absolutely right about your "learning lights" probably being different than what you eventually permanently shoot with; however, a days worth of practice with a single strobe/softbox combo, a simple knowledge that aperture controls the flash while shutter speed controls the ambient light, and a willing model you can easily get a feel for the light and produce some decent looking portraits without all the heat. Plus the strobes will be something you can use down the road even if you decide to upgrade.
 04/02/2010 11:57:23 AM · #9
As I said, I can do nothing but offer an opinion based on my own experience. I've got a nice little strobist set-up and a three light alien bee setup with some interesting modifiers. A couple of weeks ago I had to throw together some hot lights to do a quick video. After the video was done I played around with the hot light for some portraits. I learned more in a day of playing with the hot lights then I ever have using the alien bees. I wouldn't shoot a client with the hot lights, but I certainly recommend them for learning.
 04/02/2010 12:09:15 PM · #10
Of course, and I don't disagree. I just couldn't justify (for myself) spending almost as much for a set of hot lights as I would for a decent strobe kit for practice. Maybe set up some home depot work lamps and shoot through cheesecloth? (until the cheesecloth catches fire) :D
04/02/2010 12:50:02 PM · #11
Originally posted by bvy:
For example. These cost upwards of $200.


I am interested in this setup but confused by this satement in the review:

The Budget light unit screws into any standard household light socket

What screws into a socket? I thought it was supposed to be a flash setup?
 04/02/2010 01:14:47 PM · #12
I would avoid home depot halogens. I've tried that, but found two things:

1) Although they are really bright for your eyes, they are not bright at all in the scheme of camera lighting.
2) The color temperature is so warm that you get degradation of the image. The red channel will almost always have areas that are blown out which diminishes the detail overall. The blue channel will have color values always in the lower half which adds noise to the image.

Do you think you've already mastered the bounce flash and a few reflectors? If not, that's a place you can start assuming you already have a flash. It isn't as sophisticated as umbrellas and multiple lights, but it's somewhere to start and you can get good results.



This was done with nothing but natural light, a foamcore background, a round reflector and an off camera flash.



Message edited by author 2010-04-02 13:16:31.
 04/02/2010 01:40:03 PM · #13
Originally posted by Phil:
Of course, and I don't disagree. I just couldn't justify (for myself) spending almost as much for a set of hot lights as I would for a decent strobe kit for practice. Maybe set up some home depot work lamps and shoot through cheesecloth? (until the cheesecloth catches fire) :D

Tried the home depot lights and cheese cloth... didn't learn much and the whole fire thing is a bit of an issue. What I ended up using for the video was the same stand, umbrella adapter and umbrella that I use for my strobist setup, but then I fitted a 250W halogen work light in place of the strobe. 250W isn't a lot of light, but if you are learning and have a DSLR you can crank up the ISO a bit. Light stands and umbrellas should be a sound investment regardless of the lighting choice.
 04/02/2010 02:58:19 PM · #14
I have gone a few different routes. I have tried continuous lighting in the form of the halogens....too warm. So I purchased a 600W continuous CFL kit with light stands and umbrellas......works OK but not so well if you need to shoot quick with kids. I wish I had found this web site first : //www.strobist.blogspot.com/ it has been the biggest help ever! Midway down on the right hand side of the page is a drop down menu that says "lighting 101".....go through those tutorials. There are also links to the type of low budget kits he recommends. I would have saved a lot of money and headache had I come here first.
Right now I use my D300 to control two SB600's ( i shot with just one until about two weeks ago) with various light modifiers and reflectors. I find I can do almost anything with this setup. I think I will add one more flash sometime in the next year.
Yo_Spiff has the right idea with the low/no cost flashes and triggers.

For a background I use two 4-8 foot extending painters poles with plunger heads screwed onto the ends, a piece of dowel that I had, and I watch for king/queen flat sheets to go on sale for a few bucks. My whole background kit was about $40, most of it from homedepot.

Message edited by author 2010-04-02 15:01:54.
 04/03/2010 08:39:25 PM · #15
Okay, this is good information. Thanks to everyone for posting their ideas.

But now I'm even more confused. Do I start with a strobe or continuous light?

Still reading through the replies...
04/03/2010 08:51:47 PM · #16
strobe.

Continuous sucks in my opinion and experience. It can come down to personal choice but I don't particularly relish them because of the heat they put out, the hum, and the way they make people's pupils constrict because of the light shining on them.
 04/03/2010 11:25:14 PM · #17
Originally posted by bvy:
But now I'm even more confused. Do I start with a strobe or continuous light?

Strobes are dirt cheap if you go the Ebay/pawn shop/bargain bin route like I did.
 04/03/2010 11:56:28 PM · #18
Originally posted by bvy:
Okay, this is good information. Thanks to everyone for posting their ideas.

But now I'm even more confused. Do I start with a strobe or continuous light?

Still reading through the replies...


Pay close attention to the post by DrAchoo. If I was in your budget I'd only get me a good speedlight and a reflector, nothing else.
 04/04/2010 12:16:58 AM · #19
IMO, you get the best equipment you can afford (multiple strobe> single strobe> remote speedlights > CFL light kit > hot lights > window and reflector, etc.) and go from there. You can get good results with any of them if you work within their limits, but the more sophisticated setups will give you more flexibility and encouragement. Going cheap will only delay the inevitable when you outgrow it.

Three Alienbees and reflector:


Two Alienbees and reflector:


Home Depot hot light and reflector:


Window light:
04/04/2010 12:51:15 AM · #20
best accesory I had was a sheet of 6x4 ft 1 1/2ich styro foam great for reflector of full length portaits, Pity you dont live here I could let you have a couple of monolites with stands ,softbox and reflector for next to nothing 500w/s
sitting gathering dust at the moment

Message edited by author 2010-04-04 00:52:32.
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