Setting up a home studio

J

jen123

Suspended / Banned
Messages
1
Edit My Images
No
Hi, I want to set up a studio at home to take pictures of my baby after recently going to a studio and getting some lovely pictures taken, but being expected to pay £40 for each 5"x7" pic. I have been looking on e-bay at equipment, and can get a cheap white backdrop. I will be using a spare room that is about 14ft by 10ft with good natural light. I can use my dad's camera, its a cannon (not sure of the model but it has an add on flash and cost a few hundred pounds last year). I have seen various flashes on e-bay, all different watts. I was just wondering what i need to get the lighting right, I was thinking of getting 2 soft umbrellas with 45watt flashes, but i dont know if this is enough, also I it says they are slave flashes, but I dont see how I will make them flash. Please help! Thanks

The flash i am looking at is: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/45w-Studio-Sl...oryZ3860QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 
Hi Jen, to get studio flashes (as opposed to camera mounted flashes) to fire you need to use either an infrared or radio trigger if you want to do it wirelessly or use a sync cable that plugs into the camera and one flash head, that will fire both of them as they are slaves.The wireless ones fit onto the hotshoe on the camera and fires the studio flashes at the right time. Getting the timing right is called sychronisation (sync for short) The canons usually have a sync speed of up to 1/200 sec. (You need to check the model to get that right) You set the shutter speed to the sync speed of the camera and then you need to set the aperture to give you the correct exposure. That is where a light meter comes in handy but if you don't have one it's down to good old trial and error and using the histogram on the camera. You also need to set the colour temperature on the camera to flash (5200k) ISO should be Ok at 100.

To get the background properly white you need to do one of two things. Either overexpose the background by pointing studio lights at it. (You need some space to do that, typically 8ft between model and background) Or you need to be able to replace the background using photshop which is not as easy as it sounds especially where hair is concerned.

That's why pro studios charge as they do, it's not as easy to accomplish in a small space though you can still get some good pics.

Good luck.
 
Hi Jen, I have just set up a new studio and have just purchased a complete studio setup from the company at the url below. I know this may be more than you wanted to pay £230 but I found that the kit was very good and all packs away in a portable bag which you can take anywhere providing of course they have electric Ha Ha! At least the items is from a UK based company and not from Hong Kong. Hope this is of some help as I say I was well pleased when it arrived. Good Luck with your project.

Bob

The URL for the company: http://www.stableimaging.co.uk/
 
bob44 said:
Hi Jen, I have just set up a new studio and have just purchased a complete studio setup from the company at the url below. I know this may be more than you wanted to pay £230 but I found that the kit was very good and all packs away in a portable bag which you can take anywhere providing of course they have electric Ha Ha! At least the items is from a UK based company and not from Hong Kong. Hope this is of some help as I say I was well pleased when it arrived. Good Luck with your project.

Bob

The URL for the company: http://www.stableimaging.co.uk/
Click to expand...

How are you getting on with this equipment Bob?
 
Hi Shane,
Sorry for the delay in getting back been away relaxing. Thanks for the enquiry.

The studio lights are fine and I am getting some very satisfying results.
Cant show the results at present due to privacy issues but the subjects are very satisfied. I find the power levels enough for my setup and triggering is reliable. The equipment as supplied gives plenty of scope for variuos lighting arrangements and configurations. All in all Shane I have no complaints at this time. Hope thats of help. Regards Bob:thumbs:
 
You had me all jealous at this point jen123...

"14ft by 10ft with good natural light."

By all means get a background to avoid clutter, but please explore all uses of what you already have before spending money on equipment you have no idea what you may need or what to do with it - not being nasty there btw

I think it was pxl8 who made around £1,000 last year from one baby shoot with the kid on a bench near his window - no flash required, just well positioned and a fill-in reflector I think he used. You want more light? Move nearer the window, you want softer light? Hang a fine net curtain or even very thin paper up. You want more contrast, use black sides/background to eliminate stray light

Try it, you'll learn more, can see exactly what you're about to photograph better, and it costs a lot less

:)

DD
 
Im wondering about this too, Dave. As I am in a conservatory which has windows all down one long side.

Im just wondering if there is too much light and therefore no modelling on the face. Wouldnt I need something extra to give a bit of shape etc.

I was thinking window light is good if the rest of the room is darker. ???
 
Hi Janice, as far as I can figure you need direction to the light to get good modelling. If you have windows on one side you already have that direction. You can diffuse the light using net or muslin and if you try lowering your shutter speed you may be able to make the most of the light.

Well worth giving it a bash.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top