If you have always wanted to do studio photography, but didn’t know where to start. I’ve put together a short list of things to consider.
Photography is the art of capturing both the moment and the light. And if you are in the environment there the light is scarce, you have two options: setup a trusty tripod and do a long exposure, or bring the light with you. And sometimes you do both.
If your subject is not sitting still, the option of just doing a long exposure on a tripod goes out of the window. A perfect example is a child crawling around the living room. You can try to bump your ISO sky high, but that doesn’t always work. So now you’ve decided to bring in more light, what do you need?
Well you will basically need three things:
- Light Source – something to provide light. Light sources can be continues(lamp), flash, or a strobe.
- Light Modifier – something to shape the light, make the light bigger or smaller.
- Light Stand – something to hold you light source (lamp/flash/strobe) and light modifier(umbrella).
First, let’s consider a light source. There are 3 types of generally used light sources:
- Continuous – Best example of the continuous light source is a light bulb. Continuous light sources generally considered to be hot lights, because, you’ve guest it, they generate a lot of heat which you, your equipment, and, of course, your subject have to endure. This is one of the big drawbacks of the continuous lights. Florescent light bulbs can solve the problem partially, but they are not as nearly as powerful as some of 500W tungsten light bulbs. yet another drawback of continuous lights(especially fluorescent) is ability to stop action, simply because they are not powerful enough to provide sufficient amount of light for fast shutter speeds. However the great benefit of continuous lights is an ability to see the light exactly as your camera will. What you see is what you get.
- Portable Flash – In my humble opinion, portable flash is the best way to enter the arena of studio photography. A good portable flash will be light, maneuverable, adjustable, and sometimes very inexpensive. The most important requirement for the flash is the ability to manually control it, this is not a common feature. The second most important requirement is the ability to remotely trigger the flash, also not a very common feature. Best portable flashes (like those offered by Nikon and Canon) will even feature wireless operation, which is extremely nice to have, especially if your flash is stuck 8 feet into the air. Flashes unlike continuous light will not provide an instant preview. You will need to take a picture to properly ascertain the effect. But the flashes are great at stopping action. If you want to freeze a ballet dancer jumping through the air, this is a light source of choice. But the most important benefit of the flash is an ability to take it with you wherever you go. No over source listed here can fit into your pocket, but a flash can.
- Studio Strobe – this is my first choice for large sets or a dark wedding hall. Studio strobes generally let you do pretty much everything you can do with a portable flash, but pack significantly more power. They also have flexibility of being powered by a wall outlet, or a barely portable battery pack. The main reason to choose Studio Strobes over the portable flashes is power. Strobes generally can output significantly more light, sometimes enough to light a part of the stadium. Does everyone needs a strobe? No. Joe McNally uses portable flashes. He sometimes uses as many as 50 of them for a single shot.
Recommended Setups
I’m going to present to you three different setups: super cheap, moderate, and dream.
Super Cheap (less than $150) : Impact Air-Cushioned Heavy Duty Light Stand – Black, 9.5′, a cheap flash like Vivitar 285HV Flash or similar, and Impact Convertible Umbrella – White Satin with Removable Black Backing – 32″, and an umbrella adapter.
Moderate – Recommended (~$270): Impact Air-Cushioned Heavy Duty Light Stand – Black, 9.5′, Nikon SB-600 or similar, and Impact Convertible Umbrella – White Satin with Removable Black Backing – 32″, and Manfrotto umbrella adapter.
Dream (~$650): Nikon SB-900 or similar, avenger heavy duty light stand, Westcott 60″ umbrella and Manfrotto umbrella adapter.