 Kristi Seanor |
basic lighting HELP I despartely need y'alls help on a basic lighting set up for portraits. I don't have a big budget but after doing a little research on lighting, I am not positive as to what I need to take portraits. Can anyone help me by explaining the different strobes out there. Thanks in advance.
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Doug Elliott |
Kristi, There are basically three types of flashes. One set is the mono-lights. Photogenics, Alien n Bees, and Elinchrom, units need only a power cord. They have their own built in slave. You only need to be connected to one unit or have it remotely trigger with something like Pocket Wizard. The second set of lights is those that are tied to a power pack via a cord. Some of the top units is Speedotron, Novatron, and Bronocolor. The third type is those that are battery 8operated. Lumedyne and Norman, Quantum makes great units. The difference is that you can control each individual mono light, and you can control the light intensity. One light needs to be tied to your camera, or you can use a set of Pocket Wizards. They all have a good variety of light modifiers. The Power Pack units are controlled by the power pack switches and if the heads have switches they also control the lights. A an example is a Novatron power pack set at it’s maximum of say 500 w/s, and the fill light is set at -1 stop below the main light. Main light is f/11 the output of the fill light is f/8. The last group is those units are battery operated. The great advantage to these units is they are available to go on location. I am talking out to the park where you have no A/C power. Both the Mono lights and the power pack can go on location. The Mono lights are the second best on location lights. Since these units can be placed almost any place and you only need a power cord to get them to fire. The power packs are the toughest to take on location because each flash head must be connected to the power pack via a cord. Now, that I have totally over loaded you with information on the different strobes that is available. I will try to answer your question about lighting for portrait photographer. The standard set up for portraits is a three light set up. One for the Main Light second is a Fill Light, and the third light is a Background Light or you can mount it on a boom and use it as a Hair Light. You will need light modifier like soft box, snoots, and barn doors. You can always start small and add as your business grows. Here are some books that will be useful in learning portrait light and posing. I was in one of the classes that Don Blair taught. I would like to suggest you read this work. Body Parts: Don Blair’s Guide to Lighting and Posing, by Don Blair, and Skip Cohen. And, Portrait Photography: The Art of Seeing Light, by Don Blair and Peter Skinner. In addition, please read, Posing and Lighting Techniques for Studio Portrait Photography by J. J. Allan, Corrective Lighting and Posing Techniques for Portrait Photographers by Jeff Smith and The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio by Edward R. Lilley I hope this information is helpful.
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Kristi Seanor |
Doug, thank you so much for the wonderful info... Yes, I am overwhelmed but all the details you gave me will be very helpful. I will check into those books as well. Thanks again
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