How many studio lights do I need to start out?

[photolando]

It's all just opinions folks. You can create great results with just one light and reflector or just using a reflector for fill. A lot shoot that way (reflector fill) almost exclusively.

Here's a pretty good portrait photographer that also seems to think so.

http://www.timkellyportraits.com/pro...0101%201.4.pdf

Another guy who rarely uses a fill light if at all.

House of Photography | Senior Pictures | Specializing in Senior Portrait 's in Grand Rapids MI | Fine Portraiture Training | Weddings | Wedding photography | Wedding Photographers

Again, both ways are great but to say one is better or easier. Mere opinions.

[patterfr]

Hey arnold perlo
Where'd you go?
Started to dabble yet?

[Rain Lily]

Originally Posted by patterfr

Kg
Of course i am taking this in the fun way it is meant.
And i agree a fill light is often necessary to produce a nice polished portrait. And if it works for you and your students, great.
But eliminate the reflector. I'm not even getting to that yet.
The results of the position of the main light can more easily be seen wihout the effects of the fill. The shadows will be more obvious and therefore easier to learn from. Learning all the classic lighting patterns and trying anything out you want can be done first and then adding the fill and seeing how that then effects he shadows and ratio is easier. Subtlety is not for the beginner.
So thats the way to go in my opinion and probably most others who have tried to learn lighting would agree......all this other stuff is just ....stuff.
I'm gonna really try to make this my last post here.

You should listen to Fran. He knows what he's talking about, due to many trials with a beginner. He's been trying to teach me about studio lighting for years now

[kgphoto]

Originally Posted by Benji

Nope, while I do own two of those little screw in lights (the Morris Bare Bulb Slaves) the units I am speaking of are the PG 3001ML units from www.photographerswarehouse.com. They have modeling lights and recycle very quickly (I think in about 1/2 second at the lowest power of 25 watt seconds.) I've never overshot them.

Benji

Then I misunderstood and we are in full agreement.

[Rain Lily]

Originally Posted by patterfr

Benji
Go tell a beginner to get 5 lights and start using them.
That'll drive you right off this board when you see what crappy results they get and everyone says how great the photo is......
Hahahhahaaha

HAHAHA - for sure!

And just for the record, I like baloney.

[kgphoto]

Originally Posted by Rain Lily

You should listen to Fran. He knows what he's talking about, due to many trials with a beginner. He's been trying to teach me about studio lighting for years now

Obviously he doens't know what he is doing if it is taking you years to learn it. Get a fill light.

[Rain Lily]

Originally Posted by photolando

It's all just opinions folks. You can create great results with just one light and reflector or just using a reflector for fill. A lot shoot that way (reflector fill) almost exclusively.

Here's a pretty good portrait photographer that also seems to think so.

http://www.timkellyportraits.com/pro...0101%201.4.pdf

Another guy who rarely uses a fill light if at all.

House of Photography | Senior Pictures | Specializing in Senior Portrait 's in Grand Rapids MI | Fine Portraiture Training | Weddings | Wedding photography | Wedding Photographers

Again, both ways are great but to say one is better or easier. Mere opinions.

Karma to ya for those fabulous links.

[Rain Lily]

Originally Posted by kgphoto

Obviously he doens't know what he is doing if it is taking you years to learn it. Get a fill light.

hahaha, I should have seen that one coming!

It's no fault of the instructor, though. I have a very difficult time putting all this together in my head. I took a beginner's photography class years ago when I was 21 and quit after 2 nights and all they had covered was the components of exposure

[kgphoto]

You really can't let that last word thing go can you? LOL

And, again only to be perfectly clear, what to get first is two lights and two umbrellas. No reflectors.

I only got to work with Monte a few times as we are on different coasts. Never had the bisque with him. I bet it was delicious. Never met Yousef or Ansel, but did spend some time with Weston. If you ever have a chance to actually see a Weston print in your hands do it. None of the coffee table books or calendars do it justice. The prints are amazing.

And I agree. Just cause Monte did it, or I do it isn't a reason to do it. You should just look at the facts and use your own brain and taste and agree with me because it is obviously correct.

Originally Posted by patterfr

Kg
I absolutely agree with everything you say about a fill light and i use it whenever i can......because i have it. But again, this is about what to get first.......and im saying one light forget the reflector.......

Back when i worked with Monte and were having this same exact discussion over some crab bisque he told me that one day i'd run into people who swore that you had to have a fill light from the very beginning. He said to avoid them.......

And then Yusef, who joined us later, said that he thinks that we can go either way with it. Ansel, who was sitting at the other table, butted in, with "when are you jackasses gonna realize you should only use available light....."


Seriously though, what is it with you guys who love to drop Monte's name.
Like that somehow validates what you are saying.....can we please stop with all the Monte name dropping......sheesh. If i never see another Monte reference again it'll be fine by me.....

Hahhahaahahhaa.

[Steven G Webb]

God gave me two feet and only the ability to walk one step at a time. I do not understand the logic in the bicycle / unicycle analogy as I can ride a bicycle or a motorcycle but not a unicycle. If two wheels are doubly difficult to master a single wheel would seem simple. In actuality, a unicycle is more difficult to master and my thinking is that if one learned the unicycle first he'd have the necessary balance to add two wheels. Try going from a tricycle to a bicycle and see if dealing with three wheels is more difficult than two. Let me not belabor the discussion.

I suppose whether it is more practical to teach beginning with one light or with 5 is dependent upon the teacher's ability to cover multiple concepts and a student's ability to apply them. Frankly, I find building a foundation first, then adding to it the rest of the structure a valid method. "This is one light, it illuminates and it cast shadows. How best can we position, modify and adjust its intensity to produce the best possible results?" Upon further consideration, we actually start with, "This is darkness, what is needed to make a photograph?"

Steve