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Studio Lighting
I was wondering if anyone can give me some tips on which types/brands lights are the best for lighting. I am trying more and more to get my business off the ground more and will be doing shoots in homes, and was wondering what lighting is best, it will be portraits, kids, pets, family, babies, maternity, etc... , umbrellas or softboxes? How many? Thanks for any help! Oct 05 07 04:22 pm Link Oct 05 07 04:27 pm Link Unfortunately this is an impossible question to answer because what you need depends on not only what your going to do with them but what your style is and how much money you have. You can succeed and do well with everything from free sunlight to expensive german brands and everywhere in between. But if you search on here you should find information on almost any brand you can imagine Britek Interfit Alien Bees Hensel Norman Broncolor eh lots more I'm brain dead Oct 05 07 04:27 pm Link Picturesque Portraits wrote: If you are doing a lot of in-house/on-set shooting (or planning on it), consider some Quantum flash units. They have some pretty impressive numbers and technology behind them and they are quite powerful yet portable. Oct 05 07 04:28 pm Link Picturesque Portraits wrote: Best? Broncolor! Best price to performance ratio? Well that gets tricky. Oct 05 07 04:32 pm Link As for how many? thats a tough question, I have used 1 light and upwards of 20 lights on any given shoot. I always like to have more than I need so I am not limited, but have found that having less makes you think about creative ways to use what you have and can produce great results. I would not want less than 1 main, 1 fill, 2 rims, 1 hairlight and 1 accent light. But like I said I have worked with one light to great success. Stephen Eastwood http://www.StephenEastwood.com Oct 05 07 04:35 pm Link There is a small private company that sells Interfit as a pakage deal with 2-300w,and stands softbow, umbrella, cords and all for $699.00, would this be a good deal? I see tons of things on ebay that sell studio lighting kits but am very leary of them as far as quality, what do you think?? Thanks for all the feedback!!! Oct 05 07 04:40 pm Link Well you can get the same kit for $534 now at BH photo. I can say that is the system I've started with, it works for me, would I live to have a higher end system, yup, but I am a part time photographer and until I can get my life ordered well enough to devote 100% of me to photography I am getting by with what I can afford. They have served me well, they are not perfect, they have some quirks but they are powerful enough for what you said your planning to do, they use a pretty standard mount for the softboxes so you can get new modifiers for them and they are adjustable enough to allow for some creativity. I've abused mine for the past 2 years almost and only the angle adjustment levers have failed (and those really are a weakness of the unit). Oct 05 07 05:07 pm Link Oct 05 07 05:24 pm Link Nothing against alienbees or britek, or interfit, but o=when one asks whats the best they should not be mentioned, they should come up for a whats the best priced, or maybe even whats the best value or bang for the buck, all of which is debatable, but again they at least fit the category. Others to look at for good quality, Dynalite, bowens, balcar, norman, and at a very small size and low, low price vivitars 285hv within their limitations, Quantum systems again within limitations. Visitek, calumet, comet are also decent. Stephen Eastwood http://www.StephenEastwood.com Oct 05 07 05:31 pm Link StephenEastwood wrote: I totally understand your point and even though I have interfit as I said originally without more detail (namely his budget and purpose) saying what is best for him is impossible. Oct 05 07 05:48 pm Link Hensels without a debut! Performance & duriable. Oct 05 07 05:53 pm Link Gary Roberts wrote: Like I said I have nothing against any particular brand, just pointing out when someone asks for best even best in a limited area that should be pointed out, I would say they may be best in their pricepoint, but thats all. So when price is not mentioned it should be assumed that it is not a huge option, and even if it were it does not negate the fact that there are lights that are best and may be out of reach financially. It may be wise to buy only one and save for more rather than buy three and wish you had not in a year or a few months. Oct 05 07 06:01 pm Link 285hv for the win! Oct 05 07 06:07 pm Link |
