Need help with flash + lighting...

chrisandsarah

chrisandsarah

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Chris
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Hello,

I am starting photography as a hobby. Was given a Sony A55 for Xmas and a couple of lenses ...

  • 30mm 1.4
  • 50mm 1.4
  • 18-55mm

Hoping to do a little portrait photography in my living room, but have no real idea of what I need to get a nice snap. I went to a photo shoot to have a few photos taken of myself and my girlfriend, so we could have a look at the gear etc.

The guy was using a Canon something or another with two remote flashes to light the background, a softbox / difuser light up front (with remote flash inside).

The background was a large roll of white paper.

Is that in your opinion a good set up for an amateur to take some nice portrait snaps with a white background.

Also what would be compatible with my Sony A55 :S I have about £200-£300 to spend....

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place, thank you in advance
 
Wow, lucky b****r, the two prime lenses are excellent and not what would normally be in a beginners lineup.

As for the lighting, with a max of £300 you are either going to be very limited as to what you can purchase in the studio flash head line or you will need to opt for either portable flash (strobe) head type units or some form of continuous lighting.

If I were you, I would concentrate on using your camera and lenses with available light and reflectors (both indoors and outdoors).

Up the ISO slightly to maybe 400 and use your fast primes at large apertures to give you a decent shutter speed coupled with a short depth of field (the amount that is perceived to be in focus either side of the actual point of focus). Use the 50mm f1.4 to at about f2 for head and shoulder shots, and the 30mm at the same for full length or couple type shots.

Light your subject with window light from the side and use a reflector to fill in the shadows. The distance the reflector is from the subject and the type of reflector (silver, white, gold) will determine the amount of fill and the hasjness of it.

Reflectors can be made cheaply from sheets of polystyrene or card and if you cover one side with pre-crinkled aluminium foil you will have a multi use one.

Try to keep you backgrounds uncluttered and at a reasonable distance from your subject and at theses large apertures they will normally be OOF anyway.

Another way to get a white backgroud is to sit your subject in front of a window and then either use a flashgun 'off camera (to give some modelling)' to fill in the shadows or use a reflector to acheive the same result.

Sorry idf I have rambled a bit, that'll be the Vodka ;)
 
chrisandsarah said:
Ok.. :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/edbray/5052551322/in/set-72157625095997562/

What would I need to take a photo like that, would it be possible with my setup?
Click to expand...

Lol, where did you find that.

No, not possible with what you currently have.

You would need a minimum of three flash lights/heads and a white background to do that. You would also need a softbox/umbrella to fit the main light, 3x stands and means of firing them all off at the same time.

You could pick up a couple of 2nd hand Lencarta Smartflash Heads for in the region of £175 but you would still need to buy stands, some means of firing them and another light with modifier for a keylight. Not sure you can do it for £300.
 
EdBray said:
You could pick up a couple of 2nd hand Lencarta Smartflash Heads for in the region of £175 but you would still need to buy stands, some means of firing them and another light with modifier for a keylight. Not sure you can do it for £300.
Click to expand...

I could recreate that shot pretty well using my set up. I use old Sunpak 3000 (about £10 each) manually adjustable flash units that have mains adaptors and a wireless trigger system set that was about £35 with 4 receivers. The receivers have the standard tripod fittings on the bottom but I also have some small adaptors that convert to normal stand fixings and will also take umbrellas.

All in it has cost me less than £100 and was all purchased on eBay, but admittedly I already had the tripods so didn't need to buy them, but they're like a couple of quid at a car boot sale.
 
A few questions...

First, why do you particularly want to re-create the white background? It's the one look that needs kit, and every other portrait photo seems to be of that form (don't want to talk it up to a style!). I'd say you'd be much better off sticking "portrait photography" into google, and looking at some sites. Look at the stuff that isn't white BG, and try to work out how many lights you need for that. Often it's less than two, frequently none...

Second, are all your portraits going to be indoors? If so then looking at studio lights is an ok, if expensive, idea. If, however, you ever want to do anything elsewhere you need portable flash units. The added advantage being, much cheaper!

Lastly I should just say; reflectors rock! If you buy three you can do an awesome amount for probably under £30, and you'll probably learn more about lighting doing it that way too.
 
RicherSea said:
A few questions...

First, why do you particularly want to re-create the white background? It's the one look that needs kit, and every other portrait photo seems to be of that form (don't want to talk it up to a style!).
Click to expand...

I'm not a fan of high-key lighting either but unfortunately it is usually very appealing to the customer, especially if they are female or you are taking family shots.
 
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