Need Help Setting Up A Small Studio At Work

[68lbs]

Ok, am hoping someone can offer me some advice regarding studio lighting. I am looking to set up a small studio at work in a room measuring approx 10' x 12'. It will be used primarily for taking photographs of clothing on manequins and we'll be looking at taking just front shot, back shot, and maybe the odd detail.

My plan is to strip and whitewash (matt emulsion) one narrow end of the room and block up a small window with some self adhesive vinyl. I'm then wanting to get the shots taken so that they have a consistent plain background and require as little pp work as possible - this process needs to operate like a conveyor belt with thousands of garment styles to shoot and upload. So basically dress manequin, shoot, undress manequin, repeat. We don't want to have a setup where we're faffing about all the time moving lights or owt.

In order to achieve this I am thinking manequin as far in front of the white wall as space allows. Studio flash either side to blow out the background. Then hopefully a single studio flash to light the manequin. Expose for the garment, and with a bit of luck we'll have lovely clear shots with plain white backgrounds each time?

Does this sound correct?

We're working with a local college on this and they've recommended some kit...

Portaflash or Interfit

...is this where we should be looking?

Presumably we'll need some way of controlling the flashes, so is the best way to do this with some sort of wireless setup? Recommendations?

With regards to the camera, it would most likely be either a Canon 450D or I might sell works my 400D.

I won't be taking the shots myself, but it is my department so am in charge of setting this all up etc and I like to know as much about everything as possible. I appreciate we're going to be on a massive learning curve with this, so my main concerns at this stage are that we invest in the right equipment to do the job well. I can't afford to be spending the money, then find that we need to go begging for more money. But at the same time, there is not a limitless budget and this needs to be cost effective. So comments like "you can get away with xxx, but could improve things adding an extra flash at a later date to cover xxx, and it will work with everything you already have" would be great.

Ok... that's it... I open the floor to you guys for comments, suggestions, and some much needed advice. Thanks

 

[fletch5]

any ideas on your total budget?

three heads should work and a large reflector. large softbox on main head and barn doors on the two rear lights. large reflector placed opposite the main light and low down to provide fill. some wireless triggers to set it all off and you should be good to go, how many people are going to be in the room moving around as the trip factor etc might be a concern and lead you into ceiling mounting the lights.

as to what actual kit required, a budget would really help

 

[68lbs]

I don't really have a budget. It's a case of if the project is cost effective we will spend what is required, but don't want to spend more than is necessary. We don't want to go completely cheap with it all as useage is going to be heavy. But at the same time, we don't need huge flexibility or mega high end stuff as we are really going to be just using it as described above.

How long does this sort of equipment tend to last, and are there any 'ongoing' costs that we'd need to factor in? Do bulbs blow?

If I said £500 excluding the camera, would that be reasonable? I am thinking the wireless bit won't be cheap?

The room will just have one or two people max working in it at a time. However, health and safety is an important issue and we will have to be VERY careful of wires and possible dangers. We will be providing experience for students.

 

[fletch5]

i would guess two people would be fine, i was thinking more of ten people or more wandering round with outfits. £500 puts you in the budget territory, i hear the lencarta kit are quite good, but never used myself, i know gary edwards has been testing the kit and recomends them. www.lencarta.com i have seen some three head kits form them and add a set of cactus triggers and you shouldnt be far off £500.

i wouldnt bother with the portaflash, bit too cheap and flimsy for my liking, and i wouldnt guess how long it would last.

as for ongoing costs, the flash tubes should last a long time(not easily changable if at all on some cheaper heads) and modelling bulbs dont burn out too often, since you will probably not be altering the lights much i doubt they will be needed to be fair.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Your space is simply too small for what you propose in its present form - it's just about doable but you need to make it as easy as possible so you'll need to change a couple of things.

1. Paint the whole room, including the ceiling, matt black. This will stop light from bouncing around and will allow you much more control over your lighting.
2. Don't even think about lighting the background, you haven't got enough room. Use a Hi-Lite background instead, not really my favourite bit of kit but ideal for your purpose. That will save you at least 6 feet and will produce consistent results.
3. Use a 'standard' setup that will work with just about any item of clothing, this speeds the job up and de-skills the operation. You may need to experiment but you'll almost certainly find that a medium softbox above and 2 1 side and a shoot through umbrella immediately behind the camera for fill will do the trick.

Unfortunately your college recommendations are way off. Portaflash is very much entry level and is inadequate, and if you read a few forum posts you'll find that Interfit won't hack it either for repeated use. Get either Bowens or Lencarta (there is very little difference between them except for price). Both systems use the same accessories and both are expandable, both can be safely used all day every day.

As for your question re replacements, softboxes and umbrellas yellow over time and need to be replaced. Modelling lamps typically last for a couple of thousand hours and can be bought easily, flash tubes last for many years of normal use and so do flash heads.

As for power, get something like 300 Joules (W/s). You won't need that much but it's a very good idea to run at well under full load, so having reserves of power is sensible.

 

[jpwone]

Forget the Portaflash. Very basic, quite poor construction and non-standard fittings. I was given a 4 light Portaflash set up by another photographer and its fair to say it has been tested and works but other than that I think I have used it in earnest once (alongside the Interfits) when I needed a larger number of heads for a job.

The Interfit is a significant step up whilst still being budget. Properly adjustable output, modelling lights etc.

In the space you have the cactus triggers will work well. If the budget could be stretched a bit I would get the Elinchrom Skyports instead. Much better range and much more consistent in triggering. However, at the ranges you are working the Cactus triggers will do the job. I have both.

You could also consider a couple of second hand Nikon SB24/28 ala Strobist. In the size of room you have these will probably do the job very well.

Edit: Just read Garry's post and have to agree that if the budget can stretch to then get the Bowens or Lencarta (i have no personal experience of the lencarta but understand they are good). The Interfits are fine for occasional use and I have used them pretty heavily at times but understand from others that they are not suited to consistent reapeated heavy usage. Not a problem I have had but I might just be lucky.

 

[68lbs]

Many thanks for the initial input guys... lots for me to look into here. Will take a look at those links. Garry, it sounds like you understand exactly how I need this to work - 'standard' setup, de-skill the operation.

Lastolite Hilite - fantastic, they look great! The setup you mention Garry, i presume this would need more than 3 flashes as we'd be looking to light through the hilite bgd, and then use the 3 you mention on the actual 'subject'?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Many thanks for the initial input guys... lots for me to look into here. Will take a look at those links. Garry, it sounds like you understand exactly how I need this to work - 'standard' setup, de-skill the operation.

Lastolite Hilite - fantastic, they look great! The setup you mention Garry, i presume this would need more than 3 flashes as we'd be looking to light through the hilite bgd, and then use the 3 you mention on the actual 'subject'?

No, 2 for the front (key & fill) not 3. 2 for the background (they fit inside the Hi-Lite).

Just read my post (for the first time a medium softbox above and 2 1 side and a shoot through umbrella immediately behind the camera for fill will do the trick. i shouldn't have abbreviated to into 2 - it should read a medium softbox above and to 1 side and a shoot through umbrella immediately behind the camera for fill will do the trick. I light not two...

 

[68lbs]

Cheers for the clarification.

Not that it matters, but are you affliated in any way to Lencarta? I see they use your name in their ebay advertising. The Lencarta looks just the ticket tbh. 2 or 3 flash kits, all the accessories, remote transmitter/receivers all included. Seems a pretty good bargain on paper.

One last query for now... regarding the hilite bgd, is it this style that you mean? I can see both these, and like a standard 'sheet' on a frame. I am thinking at that price the one above has lighting 'built in'? If we use just the 'sheet' one and get lights to shine through, are there recommendations on what we should be getting?

JPWone -- many thanks for your input too. Your advice seems to echo Garry's, so it's not that i'm just have a chat with Garry here and ignoring your post

EDIT: Aha, just read the instructions for hilite bgd... so we'll need lighting for this too. Presumably 2 lencarta heads with no attachments. So really, a stand and hilite on a roll would be suitable?

 

[AliB]

Have a look at the lastolite website for videos on how to set it up. Really helpful.

I've got the interfit too and so far so good with mine. To be honest I've not had any problem at all with them and I've got three.

As for triggering, I use an optical trigger rather than a radio one and again it's been fine.

Where are you based in case any of us can give you a hand?

 

[68lbs]

Where are you based in case any of us can give you a hand?

I am in Middlesbrough.

 

[AliB]

Blast, too far for me, had you been closer I'd have happily given you a hand.

 

[fletch5]

i think garry just tested the kit, not actually linked to the company and no commision either.

hi lite on a roll??? i think they are pop up with a train only

 

[68lbs]

Blast, too far for me, had you been closer I'd have happily given you a hand.

Wow, you guys are too much sometimes The fact you considered it is enough, many thanks

 

[68lbs]

hi lite on a roll??? i think they are pop up with a train only

Sorry, my mistake... i read one site as having the 'material' available just on a roll.

 

[Janice]

My plan is to strip and whitewash (matt emulsion)

Good god,,, you plan to disrobe 2 of our distinguished TP members???

 

[68lbs]

Good god,,, you plan to disrobe 2 of our distinguished TP members???

Not only that, I'll be flashing too, and there will be students taking pictures!

 

[Janice]

Not only that, I'll be flashing too, and there will be students taking pictures!

Well I hope the students dont fall off the sofa onto the floor because they prefer a matt finish!!

 

[68lbs]

As for power, get something like 300 Joules (W/s).

Pricing this up based on the ElitePro 300 is going to make it quite a costly affair...

ElitePro 300 x 4 - £592.00
Hilite 6' x 7' - £249.00

+ brolly, softbox, wireless triggers...

Whereas Lencarta list a 200 Joule kit on ebay (when active) which includes all the accessories. This will work out at least £200 cheaper. Would this be suitable?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Cheers for the clarification.

Not that it matters, but are you affliated in any way to Lencarta? I see they use your name in their ebay advertising. The Lencarta looks just the ticket tbh. 2 or 3 flash kits, all the accessories, remote transmitter/receivers all included. Seems a pretty good bargain on paper.

I'm a commercial photographer, Blue Dimensions (who own Lencarta) are clients. Like all clients (except for the odd suicidal one) they pay me for my product testing & photography but I'm not on the payroll and unfortuntely I don't own the Company. Wish I did, their stuff seems to be selling like hot cakes.

 

[Garry Edwards]

Pricing this up based on the ElitePro 300 is going to make it quite a costly affair...

ElitePro 300 x 4 - £592.00
Hilite 6' x 7' - £249.00

+ brolly, softbox, wireless triggers...

Whereas Lencarta list a 200 Joule kit on ebay (when active) which includes all the accessories. This will work out at least £200 cheaper. Would this be suitable?

Yes, the Hi-Lite is overpriced but it's ideal for your purpose...
If your budget will stand it (and it should, you're going to save a fortune on professional photography and make poor photographers like me starve to death) you'd be better going for 4xElitePro 300 simply because, in the unlikely event of breakdown, you can interchange heads as required. But your most economical route would be to get 2x ElitePro 300 + softbox and stands from their website and their twin head kit from Ebay. The Twin Head kit will do fine in the Hi-Lite background. The ElitePro 300 has a wider range of adjustment, a far greater range of accessories available and better softboxes are available for it. Plus there's no danger of overheating, so these lights are much better for lighting the actual products.

 

[68lbs]

your most economical route would be to get 2x ElitePro 300 + softbox and stands from their website and their twin head kit from Ebay.

Garry, I'm very grateful for your help.

This sounds a good compromise to me, and what's more it seems to make sense. I shall budget accordingly.

you're going to save a fortune on professional photography and make poor photographers like me starve to death

Unfortunately, the sad fact is that if we don't do it in house, it's unlikely to get done at all. It just wouldn't be cost effective to get this ammount of clothing shot professionally.

 

[68lbs]

Right, I'm almost ready to move on this little project, but need a bit of further advice if possible...

We'd like to shoot some garments flat. I know enough to know that we wont be able to blow out the background as the light will just spill onto the garments, so can anyone offer any advice?

As before, we want to keep pp to a minimum and end up with a near as white background for every garment. And the garments themselves will range in colour from black to white, which I guess could prove a problem for white garments as they'll blend into the background?

Oh... have pm'd DD regarding this as am wondering if the bathroom pannel stuff he uses might be suitable?

 

[Garry Edwards]

Right, I'm almost ready to move on this little project, but need a bit of further advice if possible...

We'd like to shoot some garments flat. I know enough to know that we wont be able to blow out the background as the light will just spill onto the garments, so can anyone offer any advice?

As before, we want to keep pp to a minimum and end up with a near as white background for every garment. And the garments themselves will range in colour from black to white, which I guess could prove a problem for white garments as they'll blend into the background?

Oh... have pm'd DD regarding this as am wondering if the bathroom pannel stuff he uses might be suitable?

Shoot them on a large sheet of glass (OK clear acrylic, must keep the H&S people happy) suspended above a background. The obvious answer is for the background itself to be chroma (green or blue) which is then easily stripped out in PS.

Doing it this way allows the background to be lit separately and will stop colour spill from the background affecting the products.

White on white will still be a problem but it's easily overcome - simply surround your white objects with black light absorbing material placed only just out of shot. black card will do, or you can use the pro solution of blackwrap (AKA Cinefoil) which is like a thick matt black baking foil. The absorber will give a dark edge to the white objects and so will add edge definition.