 Robyn Gwilt |
Extra Studio lights I've made the move and bought 2x 400w lights, which I had great fun with this weekend! I happened to have in my 'studio' 2 x designer lights, which were incredibly powerful, and I used them as 'fill' lights on the back drop for hi- key. My question is.... with limited funds available, is it acceptable to schlepp 2 industrial type spot lights around, (the kind workers use, when workin on the telephone cables etc at night). My feeling is that I can get 2 x 500w spots ( I guess I could change the globes to 250w, or 150w, or 300w if needed), but I could in the meantime use them as hair, ceiling, backdrop lights? Does anyone else do this? PS If anyone would like to give me some feedback on my first shoot (with first time models/friends!) I'd really appreciate it. www.betterphoto.com/?RobynB, as well as some in my website. (Its taken forever to upload today, is it me or BP??) Tks
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Linda Buchanan |
Robyn, I don't know anything about the lights you are talking about using, but I think your pictures came out great! Would you mind sharing how you did the reflection for "Germaine"? That is great. I love high key, I think you nailed it. I light my white backdrop with two strobes 400w at about 1/2 power.
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Robyn Gwilt |
Thanks Linda - its the Flood Filter from Flaming Pear. Did you email me a few weeks ago about the Orton effect? If so, please mail me again, I lost the addy!!
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Mark Feldstein |
Howdy Robyn. I'm not sure about your terminology in that you're referring to 400 watt lights (which I take to be incandescent [tungsten] or quartz halogen), as opposed to watt second and strobes. If you're working with all of one light source type, say incandescent, you should be fine. If you're mixing strobe with incandescent light sources, that could be a problem in the sense of color shifting unless one light source, say strobe at daylight temperature, is of sufficient power to overcome the effect of the cooler temp tungsten lights. You can also get around this by putting a gel on your strobes to warm them up to the same color temp as your incandescent. OR you can shoot in black and white and then it's not a problem. [But you knew that :>)] One other thing you can do is build or have someone else build a dimmer box that has a couple of adjustable switches to decrease the electricity going to your lights. Just like a wall dimmer switch in a house. But they have to be the right wattage ratings based on the light bulbs you're using. Easy to figure out at any hardware store. So to answer your original question, if they're all the same light type, sure. Shlep them but maybe not use them. If not, try to match them somehow with gels and then shlep them.
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Robyn Gwilt |
Thanks Mark, um... I think they're tungsten (sorry, I get confused between tungsten, halogen, incandescent...), so does that mean they're the same as the studio lights, which are....? They're just damn big spot lights, which you might use on a building site for e.g. If it is feasable, then I do have someone who could put a dimmer on, which is something I hadn't thought of, so thanks for that one! Re shooting black/white - yeah right, of COURSE I knew that LOL The guy at the hardware said that a lot of photographers buy the lights, so maybe it means they're useable? Thanks
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Bernard |
Robyn' I'm still learninig but, if industrial lights are used, I'm sure they would produce an extreme amount of heat, so turn up the air conditioning? there goes your savings.
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Mark Feldstein |
Howdy Robyn. If they're not strobes, all you need to be concerned about is competing light sources as I mentioned, based on color temperature of the tubes or bulbs, depending on which you have. Quartz halogen work lights, available in most hardware stores, use different temp long tube-like lamps. Standard photo flood lamps burn incandescent at about 3400 degrees kelvin. I suppose digitally, you can set your white balance according to the combined light sources, if they're all hot lights. With film, you might need a bit of filtration. I do hope that helps. ;>)
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Robyn Gwilt |
Errr thank Mark, they are those longish tube-like thingees, I think probably halogen. I'll see if I can get them to 'try out'. As far as setting the white balance, I would then just use auto? Taking it.... light!
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Robyn Gwilt |
A quick update Mark, the lights are halogen. I bought one today (about USD20 ea!), so have yet to test it, and will definitely give you some feedback. I spoke to my photo-guy, who said yes, many photographers use them (obviously they're either on or off, so need to beware of cooking the model!) But he reckoned if they're shone on the white backdrop, the flash will cancel out any colour changes (?) I'll experiment and see. Thanks for you advice. I'm also going to see if my man (who's an electrician) can fit some sort of dimmer for me!
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