Next steps for lighting set up?

Dr_O

Dr_O

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Dr Ozone
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Hi there!

New to this forum- I like to absorb information and this place is great for it- though as always if you take on too much you sometimes end up in circles so looking for a bit of a steer please.

I like landscape photography but have made a decision to take a step into the portrait world this year. None of this is professional which would be apparent when I post images:D

However, as the extent of my indoor shots (which are rare anyway) have been flash free (ISO bump, fast-ish lens and some WB jiggery pokery) I treated myself to an SB900 somewhat unecessarily- but it arrived yesterday and I like it. Nice to have one bit of decent kit:)

So I have one light an am wondering on my next steps. The kind of shots I think I'd have an interest in are high key and low key lighting shots. Prob be from full length to head/shoulder shots. Most would prob be taken in my property but now and again I expect to go on location to a mates house for a favour/my own development

I have no background or lightstand or reflector.

I guess my query is, what's my best option- I use a d300 and 17-50 lens.

Do I :

a) muck about with existing facilities learning
b) buy one of the trusty konig light stands and take the flash off the camera.
c) buy light stand and soft box- was thinking one of the one's FITP sells but 60 or 80cm- bigger is better?
d) assuming flash trigger required- one of the RF602 seems best option? This would negate the pop up flash going
e) buy a background/ stands or just hang up some cloth. Carpets seem to complicate this in terms of needing a sturdy floor so that holes don't appear in the paper/vinyl- strips of plastic for the floor for portability perhaps
f) buy a 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.8 or additional (cheaper;) )flash?

I'm not sure how much I will get into this aspect of photography so not really wanting to add more 'junk' to the house in terms of full blown studio set up.

Prob too many questions here but any thoughts for a clueless, untrained landscaper? Thanks
 
If by 'high key' you mean a blitzed out white background, then you need extra lighting.
If by 'low key' you mean a black background, then you'll need a black background of some sort, avoid paper at all costs (too shiny) and get either black muslin (cheap) or genuine velvet (better but expensive).

If you don't want either white or black backgrounds then why bother getting a background at all?Natural surroundings can look much better, are simpler and create a sense of depth to the shot - which as a landscape photographer should appeal to you:)
 
If you've only just got your first flash then my first recommendation would be to play about with it and learn how to use it properly. You can certainly manage regular portraits and low key shots with a single flash easily enough but once you want to do something a bit different then you'll soon find yourself wanting to try new lighting techniques which may call for a second flash or lightstands and diffusers.

I'd stay start slowly and work your way up. Get too much kit too quickly and you'll get lost with it all.
 
Welcome to TP :) You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the basics to me.

SB900 is a fantastic gun and when you've learned how to use it, it will open up a whole new dimesion to your photography. You can use it in full auto mode very easily, but when you understand everything that it can do, you'll be amazed. And you can still control everything from the camera. Amazing technology. Check out The Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally - fanatsic photography, a great read, and he does it all (mostly) using Nikon hot-shoe guns in i-TTL auto mode.

I would start by using full auto i-TTL. No radio triggers necessary. Stick the SB900 on a stand with a softbox (big one for preference) and fire it via the master function of the on-board flash. It uses a pre-flash to send coded exposure information, which you want, but if you don't want the on-baord to contribute to the overall exposure you can disable that from firing its main flash and only the SB900 will fire. Use a reflector to fill in the shadow side.

That will get you started with guaranteed nice portrait lighting for next to nothing. I like Garry's idea of using domestic backgrounds for now. Add more lights and background effects as and when, but you can do a huge amount with just one nice big light and a reflector :thumbs:
 
Garry Edwards said:
If by 'high key' you mean a blitzed out white background, then you need extra lighting.
If by 'low key' you mean a black background, then you'll need a black background of some sort, avoid paper at all costs (too shiny) and get either black muslin (cheap) or genuine velvet (better but expensive).

If you don't want either white or black backgrounds then why bother getting a background at all?Natural surroundings can look much better, are simpler and create a sense of depth to the shot - which as a landscape photographer should appeal to you:)
Click to expand...

Thanks- your descriptions of high and low key are what I meant:)

I probably am more interested in more atmospheric/ darker portraits so may get some cloth but am interested in the natural element. Not something I had considered for indoors. Is bokeh needed for these shots or is everything to be in focus or 'it depends on the effect wanted'?
Would a faster lens be required for this- or faster than f2.8?
 
-Rob- said:
If you've only just got your first flash then my first recommendation would be to play about with it and learn how to use it properly. You can certainly manage regular portraits and low key shots with a single flash easily enough but once you want to do something a bit different then you'll soon find yourself wanting to try new lighting techniques which may call for a second flash or lightstands and diffusers.

I'd stay start slowly and work your way up. Get too much kit too quickly and you'll get lost with it all.
Click to expand...

Thanks- I think I'll be starting slowly- a pretty weighty manual with the SB900:eek:

It is all too easy to add to your kit without fully mastering what you have so perhaps hide the credit card for a bit and spend a couple of months practicing and see where that take me
 
HoppyUK said:
Welcome to TP :) You seem to have a pretty good grasp of the basics to me.

SB900 is a fantastic gun and when you've learned how to use it, it will open up a whole new dimesion to your photography. You can use it in full auto mode very easily, but when you understand everything that it can do, you'll be amazed. And you can still control everything from the camera. Amazing technology. Check out The Hot Shoe Diaries by Joe McNally - fanatsic photography, a great read, and he does it all (mostly) using Nikon hot-shoe guns in i-TTL auto mode.

I would start by using full auto i-TTL. No radio triggers necessary. Stick the SB900 on a stand with a softbox (big one for preference) and fire it via the master function of the on-board flash. It uses a pre-flash to send coded exposure information, which you want, but if you don't want the on-baord to contribute to the overall exposure you can disable that from firing its main flash and only the SB900 will fire. Use a reflector to fill in the shadow side.

That will get you started with guaranteed nice portrait lighting for next to nothing. I like Garry's idea of using domestic backgrounds for now. Add more lights and background effects as and when, but you can do a huge amount with just one nice big light and a reflector :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the welcome:)

It does seem a great bit of kit- I was even impressed with the case and extras- although for the price they probably should be a given!

Will check out Joe McNally- certainly seems dedicated to the cause!

You've got me reaching for my hidden card!:D Maybe a large softbox and a reflector (gold/silver, white, white/silver?) would be the way forward but perhaps I'll spend some time learning basics and then get a softbox.

Decisions, decisions :lol:
 
I prefer white/silver reflectors, about 1m is fine. The ones FITP sells are good, but only silver/gold I think (gold :gag: ).

You can do a bit of shallow DoF/bokeh stuff with your lens at f/2.8. Set at 50mm and used close, like 4ft or so, depth of field is only about 2.5in. Maybe a bit close, but quite workable and you'll soon see where you're going.
 
HoppyUK said:
I prefer white/silver reflectors, about 1m is fine. The ones FITP sells are good, but only silver/gold I think (gold :gag: ).

You can do a bit of shallow DoF/bokeh stuff with your lens at f/2.8. Set at 50mm and used close, like 4ft or so, depth of field is only about 2.5in. Maybe a bit close, but quite workable and you'll soon see where you're going.
Click to expand...

Cheers, I think I'll spend some time playing.

Some good pointers from all. Thanks :)
 
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