Lighting Find / suggestions? (pics)

08/21/2004 08:05:08 PM · #1

So I've noticed that the lighting in my house is just ghastly... And when you can put a lamp right over your composition and it still is too dark to take a decent handheld shot, you know you have problems. So I scour'd the house because my parents claimed to have this super awesome light somewhere, turns out they were right. A 650watt beast. Here are some pics :-) All shots are ISO 800, 1/40 shutter, F7.1. I was noticing it doesn't fill very evenly, what are some ways that I could get a nice balanced fill of light on the subjects? Or should I just go buy a light, and if so what kind, and how much?

The light

Shot with onboard flash

With the light and no flash.

Thanks for any advice in advance :-)

VisiBlanco

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/21/2004 08:10:57 PM · #2

Depends on what you wanna do, you can throw a sheet in front of the light to act as a diffuser or you can build a tent/softbox for taking photos of smaller objects. You could also pick up another light, I know walmart has 500watt halogens for like $15.

08/21/2004 08:15:20 PM · #3

Is that what is commonly used? Just regular halogens with diffusers? Explain what a softbox is, I don't really understand that. Thanks.

VisiBlanco

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/21/2004 08:21:41 PM · #4

Originally posted by kyebosh:

Is that what is commonly used? Just regular halogens with diffusers? Explain what a softbox is, I don't really understand that. Thanks.

Using standard halogens is pretty common, a very good and cheap way of doing it. It's nice to have a constant output light so you can place your subject and see how the shadows will work. The more "professional" way to go would be to buy some studio strobes (w/ modeling lights).

If you search online, there are a number of sites that explain how to build a tent and softboxes using normal hardware store items, usually for less than $15. Here's one i found w/ google.

08/21/2004 08:25:33 PM · #5

lol ok I get it now, sorry i'm slow. Too bad I don't have room for something that big in my dorm :-/ Thanks again.

VisiBlanco

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

08/21/2004 08:27:43 PM · #6

Originally posted by kyebosh:

lol ok I get it now, sorry i'm slow. Too bad I don't have room for something that big in my dorm :-/ Thanks again.

Haha, I feel your pain, I went from the parent's basement..

to a room in the fraternity house..

I got some fairly cheapo studio strobes for about $500 for the two plus umbrellas and stands; nice thing about em is that they compact quite nicely and slide right under my bed.

Message edited by author 2004-08-21 20:30:48.

mrorange002

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

08/21/2004 08:28:34 PM · #7

Or you can bounce it off the ceiling!
Just point it at the ceiling or a white bounce card and presto!
even light anywhere!

08/21/2004 08:31:19 PM · #8

Originally posted by ericlimon:

Or you can bounce it off the ceiling!
Just point it at the ceiling or a white bounce card and presto!
even light anywhere!

So like a Posterboard would work, Maybe I could try that. Now I gotta figure out how to build a mount for it :-)

mrorange002