Tattoo Photography Lighting

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skinads

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Hi Guys,

I hope that you are all well? I have a Canon EOS 500D with a 18-55mm Lens. I am looking at some studio lighting so that I can starting going to peoples homes and also tattoo studios to photograph tattoos.

I have seen a kit Bowens Esprit Gemini 500WS 2 Head Standard Kit with Bowens Pulsar Radio Trigger Single Unit.

Is this a good kit or will be over powered for what I need it for?

Thanks in advance.

Doug
 
Welcome to TP!

If you intend on shooting full length body shots or full upper torso shots then a twin head kit like that isn't way OTT.

I'd not knock a slightly lower output kit though if budget is an issue. If it's not then a decent 500ws kit is a good thing to have.

Maybe look at Lencarta too ;)
 
Hi Doug, and welcome. :)

The Bowens will do the job for sure, but you probably won't need them.

A couple of Speedlites should be ample and probably easier to use. Grab a light stand and an umbrella from the 'Bay and you're almost good to go.

If you do a search on here for 'off camera flash' you'll find a wealth of helpful (and some not so) information about radio triggers, etc.

The newer Cactus V4s are supposed to be decent for the money (don't get the V2s they can be shockers).

EDIT: good point Tomas, I automatically thought small tattoos. If you're looking at full body, then flashguns can still do the job, but you have to get a bit cleverer with your set-ups and modifiers to make it work.
 
New victims of my humour are always welcome to the forum:)

500J is probably more than you need and may cause its own problems, as well as costing you money that is better kept where it belongs - in your back pocket.

See this article on how to choose studio lighting. You'll see that I cautiously suggest 300 J as being ideal for most situations, including yours.

Take a look at the Lencarta starter kit and add a medium or large beauty dish with honeycomb - ideal for drawing attention to tattoos etc. The second light would be fitted with an umbrella and normally used above/behind the camera for fill.
 
Thanks Garry, I was a little worried that the kit I was looking at was a little "over kill" but I always worry about being under powered.

I have just look at the equipement you have recommend. £634.89 all in compare to £749 so I thank you.

You have given me a list of what I need and also uses so for that I thank you.

I am going take Gary's advice and see how I go. Garry if it does not work I am going to hunt you down lol!!

Will post some pictures when I have some.
 
Another element to consider is if your going to be taking the photo's directly after a session or a few weeks later when the skin has healed up.

Directly after a session, the tattoo is going to be very shiny with all the vaseline or whatever product used during the seesion or the post sterilisation fluids, the only time you'll be shooting a healed (dry) tattoo is if the client returns to the parlour or if your covering an article for a magazine on ink that's already been inked.

I have two very good friends that run a very successful tattoo studio, I've even worked there for a short while, most of their shots are taken directly after a session, some of the clients they may never see again after the job has been done, so a diffused flash from a larger light source is very beneficial.

Personally, I'd think big and have larger output and larger diffusion to suit all conditions, 300 to 500ws set ups are dandio ;)

With regards to going the strobist route, if your not planning on shooting much outdoors then a studio head(s) will most likely save you money long term.
 
Tomas Whitehouse said:
Another element to consider is if your going to be taking the photo's directly after a session or a few weeks later when the skin has healed up.

Directly after a session the tattoo is going to be very shiny with all the vaseline or whatever product used during the session or the post sterilisation fluids, the only time you'll be shooting a healed (dry) tattoo is if the client returns to the parlour or if your covering an article for a magazine on ink that's already been inked.

Personally, I'd think big and have larger output and larger diffusion to suit all conditions, 300 to 500ws set ups are dandio ;)

With regards to going the strobist route, if your not planning on shooting much outdoors then a studio head(s) will most likely save you money long term.
Click to expand...

So do you think that the lencarta will not do the job?
 
skinads said:
So do you think that the lencarta will not do the job?
Click to expand...

Course it will mate, Lencarta are much friendlier on the wallet too :naughty: All I'm bringing to attention is the need for a large diffusers in case of shooting a fresh piece of ink :thumbs:
 
Tomas Whitehouse said:
Course it will mate, Lencarta are much friendlier on the wallet too :naughty:
Click to expand...

I have also added a 60x90cm Folding Pro Softbox to the shopping basket

Cool, thanks. I guess that I will be reading alot of this forum and get pic taking and then one day I might know what I doing!

Thanks guys
 
I did a tat book a few years ago - I was commissioned to set up the studio for EXPO, the show that Ian of Reading, Lal Hardy and John used to run. They also ran the tattoo magazine, I can't remember its name now! Not Ink & Iron, nor Skin Deep - it was for the trade more than for the subjects. Done a fair bit of tattoo work in my time. Still do a little now for the specialist titles.

Anyway, I would say get as much power as you can afford. Full back pieces can be done flat to the camera, but as soon as you want/need a bit of depth of focus, for adding some perspective to your shots, you need more power to iluminate the stopped down view.

I would also suggest that the best shots are taken after the work has healed. It can be done immediately, but with weals and raised areas from the swelling it never looks as good as a month afterwards when the ink is still fresh but the wounds have healed. Immediately after finishing there are often red areas from the previous visit.

I never worried about the vaseline, and using baby oil helps bring out the colours - it creates its own problems with glare off the shiney surface. With modelling lamps you can see to avoid this, with small flash guns you won't until afterwards. Small hot spots of glare can kill a tattoo shot dead, it takes all the colour out.
 
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