Please Help Me!!!!!

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Amzy84

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Amy-Claire
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For about 5 months I have been searching the net for suggestions on portrait lighting.

Im going slightly crazy!

I have posted on other forums and maybe I was being stupid or just a newbie but I got a very hard time!

So please dont shout at me! lol!

I read a few posts and someone has a lighting guide which I read and soaked up like a sponge!

My question is...... I want to do portrait photography, going to peoples homes, you know kids pets etc.

I have been doing photography for 9 years since school and have my city and guilds so while I dont claim to be a master photographer I think im doing ok! lol!

Its only been in the past few years that I have started doing portrait photography and nothing im thinking of doing it on a more professional level.

Im struggling with lights ***! (finally she gets to the question!)

I have a rough idea of the set up I need just not what brands are good and things!?

Also I would like the most basic set up I can get and build on it but still get really good pics!

Does anyone have any ideas!?

I have seen the lighting kits on ebay and im temped by the price but are they a good idea or not?

I have between £150 and £200 to spend.

What do you think my options might be?

Oh I have a Nikon D40 at the moment.
 
Hi Amzy84, and welcome to TP :wave: - I'm sure nobody will shout at you here! ;)

You can do lots of things with one light, and if you can chuck in a reflector too, the possibilites open up. Lots of great advice is available from the lighting gurus on here - Garry Edwards is one person who can help for sure. ;)

With two lights the possibilities increase, but ideally, three would see you right in most situations. (Two on the backdrop, one key light for the subject etc...) Again, a search on this forum will certainly help you more than I can tonight. ;)

I'm sure the nice bods on here will soon recommend options within your budget - I use Bowens and Multi Blitz lights, but these are not really necessary for what you want to do, or available for your budget afaik.

Best of luck and whatever, experiment, change settings, play and have fun - it all slots together eventually. :)

Edit: If you're looking at specific ebay lights, check again on here before you buy for good advice. I am not an expert, but many others on here are! lol
 
Thanks irw1

Im having a look around just now!

I wish I had found this forum 5 months ago! I might actually be somewhere by now lol!

Its a wealth of knowledge!

Gary Edwards I have seen lots of his posts about lights so far! Very helpful!
 
Garry's your man when it comes to this sort of stuff :thumbs:

Have a look at the For Sale section too, there's a set of lights for sale at the moment....
 
Not used them myself, but a few months ago a magazine (may have been Digital SLR Photography) said they were good value for money, but look for an Interfit ex150 mkII 2 head kit... Its less than £200 from karlu photographic.

As i said not used it myself, but doubt you will get better (Bowen/Elinchrom) within your budget without buying used.

Garry Edwards may be able to help as I think he works for Lencarta but again, your budget is fairly limited.

I would advise against buying some unknown brand from ebay.
 
i dont know how far your research has got you, but the cheaper lights tend to have different colours at different power levels. the more expensive brands/lights have better colour consistency.

keep in mind the cost and availability of accessories, elinchrom as an example have expensive modifiers( softboxes etc) and as far as i am aware they have a unique fitment as well. most named brands tend to use the bowens fitment, but double check before you order.

ebay lights sometimes come with a spurious fitment you cant match, so you wont be able to expand.

if you could stretch your budget, or find someone else after a single light, you could buy a kit where you get a stand and modifier for the same price as one light(or near as dammit).

i would probably be looking at up to 400w power for the spaces you will be working in, and prob more towards 200w in truth. i have a set of d lite 4s and pretty much run them on there minimum power or there abouts. be aware as the max power increases so does the minimum

hope that helps
 
Amzy84 said:
Thanks irw1

Im having a look around just now!

I wish I had found this forum 5 months ago! I might actually be somewhere by now lol!

Its a wealth of knowledge!

Gary Edwards I have seen lots of his posts about lights so far! Very helpful!
Click to expand...

No worries at all. ;) As I mentioned, some of the properly experienced lighting guys here will give you very good advice I'm sure. :thumbs:
 
You've already had a lot of helpful answers and I don't really have a lot to add.
To summarise, go for a known brand (not a cheap generic no-name with a sticky label on it, claiming to be be something else). The cheap ones tend to offer poor value for money and poor colour and power consistency - it's especially important for beginners to have tools that work well.
Go for a brand that takes either Bowens S-fit or Elinchrom accessories. There's nothing to choose between them, but Elinchrom fit accessories are much more expensive.
Get something that has fan cooling and a bright modelling lamp.
Increase your budget a bit if you can, or settle for one light and a reflector for now - you can always add another light or 2 later.
See whether the short articles on my website help
And remember that lighting is about controlling the light and using to bring out the best in your subject - so always experiment, never light according to formulae, lighting diagrams or the advice in camera magazines
 
I'm also just getting into this too Amyzy84 and so these answers help me as well :)
 
Just to let you all know that I got some lights on loan from someone on the forums here!
Im not naming names but im so very greatful!

Thanks so much!!!
 
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