 Leslie Browne |
Best Starting Tools for Home Studio I use a Canon Rebel XT with the Canon 420EX speedlite. I would love to hear from pros. What basic equipment do you recommend as "have to haves" for portraits, especially indoors for beginners. I don't have all the lighting, backdrops, etc. I would be greatly appreciative of any tips and advice on what I absolutely should invest in at this point. Thank you!
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BetterPhoto Member |
Hi Leslie, Lighting is as important to the success of a photo as composition and subject. There are many ways to learn lighting, including my courses here as well as some Web sites and plenty of books available. There is also a thread here that offers a bunch of tips. When I first learned lighting I purchased 3 strobes and a couple of umbrellas to get started as I quickly learned that is how it is done. But if you have plenty of window light, you can use that as available light and reflectors to fill in shadows. But strobes are clearly the way to go, because when photographing people, the strobes will freeze the movement that comes with photographing adults and infants. Have fun! Charlie
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Barbara Helgason |
Hi Leslie, your question sounds like it could have been written by myself! I too have the Rebel XT with the same speedlite and am dreaming of having a studio in my home one day! Seriously, word for word you've described me perfectly. Anyways, have the space in my basement (no daylight) and am trying to figure out slowly what I can't do without to start out with. I'm thinking one strobe with my speedlite and one umbrella. But I don't know yet. I just found this website by Canon http://photoworkshop.com/canon/ which is amazing, all about the Rebel XT and and also talks about flash photography using the xt using more than one flash. Check it out and let me know what you end up deciding. Barbara J.
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Leslie Browne |
Hi Barbara, Glad to hear I am not the only one wondering what to do! Thanks for the website. I will check it out. My photos are still turning out pretty nice between my flash and natural light. I am continuing to practice and working on my confidence. I bought the Cannon Digital Rebel, Digital Field Guide book which includes helpful tips and info on the Rebel XT and have found it extremely helpful. You may want to check that out too! I am trying to earn money with the equipment I have to save up for my studio lighting. Do you have any photos online or a website? I'd love to see your work. My website is almost finished. Just troubleshooting some FrontPage probelms! But I am having fun setting up shop. Good luck! Leslie
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Barbara Helgason |
Hi Leslie, how are you making out with your pictures? I don't see any in your gallery yet. I've just uploaded the first one that I've made in my little homemade makeshift studio into my gallery. It's called "seventeen". I don't have a website but I do have a gallery here at BP. Check out by clicking on Barbara's gallery under my name. I'd love to see some of your work!
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Leslie Browne |
Hi Barbara I just put my gallery up. I feel like my photos are not nearly as good as everyone else's which is why I waited to put them up. I love your photos! They look terrific. As for my lighting, I think I am going to buy one main light (just need to figure out which one now). I bought a black king size sheet at Walmart like so many have suggested on this site. I need to get a background frame or I may just try taping on the wall. I just feel like that looks so unprofessional. Good luck!
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BetterPhoto Member |
Leslie I am not sure if you heard this from anyone else, so I'll throw it in. If you are shooting in a garage you can buy those large hooks that screw into the ceiling for hanging a bikes. If you put two of them 9.5' apart, you can but a 10' wood dowel from the lumber yard, then clamp your background to the pole and hang it in the hooks by using a small step stool to reach them. It works well and is cheap. All the best! Charlie
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Leslie Browne |
Thanks Charlie. I hadn't heard that one. I am considering using my garage but would like to start indoors in my den. Since I want to go on locations, I am thinking of buy a DynaTran Support System since they are fairly inexpensive. Thanks so much for your advice. I greatly appreciate it! I am just anxious to be truly up and running. Since I have you, I have another question for you..... If I were to buy my lighting in piecemeal, which light would you recommend I start with. Or is it a complete waste of time to use one main light along with my bouncing my speedlite 420. Sorry if I sound way off base, but I obviously haven't taken any lighting classes yet.
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Debby A. Tabb |
Good Morning Leslie, I would like to envite you to join us on the thread"Studio Photography" Parts 1,2,3,and 4 I am sure a lot of the info and wonderful people there would love to help you . There have been a lot of discussions on lighting, makeshift background holders, props,and backgrounds. They really have a lot of fun-from the studio ops. to business practice. hope you'll join it . and Charlie I know you teach a class, but we'd LOVE to have you , a few helpful hints has stired the imagination- and I do hope it trickels your way and you at some point see it in your class filled completely with turned on novices to lighting. wishing you the very best- ps: I do think your great to spend your time on the threads helping.
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Leslie Browne |
Thanks Debby. I'd love to join in but can't seem to find the thread. Would you send a link if possible?
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Debby A. Tabb |
theTHREAD: http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/QnAdetail.php?threadID=19665
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Steve Somloi |
Sounds like a common problem. I am going through the same issues. After researching, I decided to go with the multiple flash route since I didn't need to buy a meter with Canon's flashes. Regarding the support, I don't have a location for a permanent studio so wall mounting wasn't feasible. Also, I wanted something portable. I just built a frame out of 1" PVC pipe. It is just under 8' high (to fit in standard sized rooms), by about 9' wide and cost me about $15. Basically a big rectangle with 2 triangles off the back to function as stands.
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