Questions regarding lighting

[Hurricanedan]

I have just finished reading some of Benji's wonderful tutorials and had some questions regarding lighting - particularly for portraiture, not necessarily how to use them, but how to make them work.

Hair Light: Is this a continuous light or does it flash? Also, has anyone made a makeshift snoot for this?

Kicker: Continuous or flash? I currently have a 250/500 watt work light would this work, maybe off of a reflector?

Background Light: Again, continuous or flash? Any recommendations on this light?

Softbox/Main Light: I understand that a softbox fits around a light source but what is the recommended light source? I currently have a dual head work light that goes from 250 - 1000 watts with a tinker toy gobo. Any recommendations for moving from something home made to something a little more professional looking?

Fill Lighting: I currently have a hot shoe SB-600 on my Nikon D40. Would a better solution be to purchase a single AB400/AB800 or a cheaper monolight light the Savage FT-150. The second part of this question is how would the other unit fire? Would I have to by a sync cord that matches the D40 or would the SB-600 be able to remotely fire any other flash?

Thanks and sorry for the long post and ton of questions,

Dan

[usnrs]

best of luck with your questions. i can tell you that the ab800 is powerful - it's night and day from using an on camera flash. and as for tripping it, i got the wireless set up from alien bee's and it's worked flawlessly for me.

[cyclohexane]

Would I have to by a sync cord that matches the D40 or would the SB-600 be able to remotely fire any other flash?

The simplest PC sync cords are generic products, but the D40 doesn't have a sync port. You'd have to purchase the AS-15 terminal adapter to use PC sync cords with the D40, which fits into the hotshoe of your D40, available from B&H for $18.95: Nikon AS-15 Sync Terminal Adapter (Hot Shoe to PC)

[Nikonfreak]

There are lots of lighting options or solutions available.

The SB 800 or SB 600 flash units on the camera are flash units that you have options for allowing the camera to do some of the thinking for you in various modes.

Generally speaking, studio lighting, whether continuous (hot lights) or strobes / monolights, etc. are generally flashes that are used manually. Power settings are metered for depending on the effect you want and the ratios you are looking for and you set the camera, on manual, accordingly.

It's a bad idea to mix types of flash because the light temperature (color) generally won't match; however, some lights have optical strobes built in and will fire when they "see" a preflash or flash.

Hot lights (continuous) have the advantage that you can see up front what you are getting in the way of lighting and can deal with it; however, they can and do get very hot and can really get people "cooking" in the room. You need good ventilation to work with hot lights like the Photoflex starlite kits. You still want to meter it....

Strobes like the Alien Bees are somewhat more flexible in that they operate at cooler temps and are not always on, but you need a meter to set the power correctly and meter a scene. This is the way of things.

Both can use various modifiers so no big difference there except you have to watch what you put on a hot light because it can catch on fire (ask me about a makeshift scrim sometime .... burn baby burn...and quite frankly, why I ended up ordering the Alien Bees I use now )

As Michael said, you have to get a hot shoe sync port so that you can trigger the strobes if you go the route of strobes. The AS-15 is fine.

Julio

[deluco]

I recommend using a studio strobe for the main (AB 800 for example). If you are short on money, you can use the on-camera strobe (manual) for fill, and you can also use camera strobes for background and hair lights.

Alien Bee's has some very inexpensive radio slaves... $40.00 each for transmitter or receiver. They work great.

[Lee4145]

I am nobody to be giving lighting advice but, since it's free, I'll give a little. First let me say that I've seen some amazing results from the shop-light set up. Take a look http://www.photocamel.com/forum/glam...0-miss-cj.html

However, they are hard to control if you aren't very, very good and have a good grip on exposure. Suffice to say I never got good results and was never satisfied with them. lol

For me the easiest way to learn was to get good using what I had on hand and then buy the things I needed as I learned what was actually needed. Right now I have two AB400's and the removable camera-mount flash. Having matching lights makes it easier for me to adjust the ratios. I can shoot one into an umbrella for the main, one from behind for rim light, and if I want to I can use my removable camera flash for hair light or any other accent I want. And yes, I've made a little cereal box snoot for it. It works great. Check out Strobist

Along with some DIY reflectors and flags or gobos (to block light) you shouldn't need much else.

As far as backgrounds, again, you can use whatever you have. Personally I've gotten to where I kind of like naturally lit open rooms or window light and dragging the shutter to expose the room. Just search "dragging the shutter" iit should get you a good explanation.

You'll get plenty of advice in this thread I'm sure. Here's the amateur version!

[Hurricanedan]

Originally Posted by deluco

and you can also use camera strobes for background and hair lights.

I guess this could go to Lee4145 too. Is this to say that most background and hair lights are strobes? And if so, would another SB-400/600/800 work fine? I am just wanting to make sure I am understanding this correctly.

Cyclohexane and Nikonfreak - thank for pointing out the AS-15.

http://www.photocamel.com/forum/tuto...hting-how.html

Post number 7 shows a wide angle shot of Benji's set up. I guess where I am getting confused is that all of these lights are "on"...or am I misunderstanding and they are flashing as he is taking the photo?

Sorry to sound like a dumba$$ but I am really having a hard time wrapping my head around this.

Thanks again,

Dan

[Latinbob]

All of those lights should be strobes. They have a regular bulb that is used for modeling, and that's on most of the time to give you an idea of ratios. They turn off when the strobe flashes. I've used AB-400s and Nikon Speedlights in combination with good results. I'd avoid the hot lights, because they get wayyyyy to hot!

Bob

[Benji]

Originally Posted by Hurricanedan

Post number 7 shows a wide angle shot of Benji's set up. I guess where I am getting confused is that all of these lights are "on"...or am I misunderstanding and they are flashing as he is taking the photo?Dan

Dan,

Yes, all of the lights are flash units and all of them fired at exactly the same time. That is why they look "on" in the images even though there are not continous lights.

I suggest flash because (as already mentioned) they are cooler to operate and therefore safer. This is especially true in the summer when it is hot outside. The last thing some pretty high school senior girl wants on a hot summer day is to sit under some hot lights to have her senior portraits taken!

Benji

[Hurricanedan]

Originally Posted by Benji

Dan,

Yes, all of the lights are flash units and all of them fired at exactly the same time. That is why they look "on" in the images even though there are not continous lights.

I suggest flash because (as already mentioned) they are cooler to operate and therefore safer. This is especially true in the summer when it is hot outside. The last thing some pretty high school senior girl wants on a hot summer day is to sit under some hot lights to have her senior portrait taken!

Benji

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I know it may have come across to most as common sense but I was really lost on the concept. Now, are you using the same type of strobes for the main light (with the softbox) and the fill, possibly set at different f/stops?

Dan

[ezekiel]

I would recommend that you get one strobe. Learn to use it. Then move on to adding multiple light sources. A single light can create some great images.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by Hurricanedan

Now, are you using the same type of strobes for the main light (with the softbox) and the fill, possibly set at different f/stops?

Dan

Yes. They are the same type, both are monolights and both are the same brand. You can usually mix different types and brands without any problem.

I meter my fill light all alone. I make sure the ISO that the meter is set on matches the ISO set into the camera, then I place the dome of the meter under the chin of the subject and aim it directly at the fill light. I fire the fill light and note the reading. Then I meter the main light by holding the dome of the meter under the chin again, but this time it is aimed directly at the main light. If this reading is the same as my fill reading was, the light will be flat. So I turn the power of the main light only up to where it is two stops more than the fill light reading was. I then set that aperture into the camera (the camera is on manual.)

The background light meter reading should match the reading of the fill light. This light will cancel out any shadows from the main or fill lights, and it makes the background more interesting.

Benji

[Hurricanedan]

Benji,

Thanks for for clearing this up for me. It has been a great help.

Dan

[blundar]

It is always better to start off with just 1 light and a digital light meter. Then you can add more lights with more experience. I suggest to get 1 studio strobe (AB400) for the main light with an umbrella (60" is a good size), and one large foam board reflector (4foot x 6 foot) for the fill light. Smaller umbrellas and reflectors will not properly light a whole person standing with good quality soft light.

If you have a volunteer then they can aim and hold the reflector. If you don't have a volunteer you can prop it up against a chair to hold it up at the right angle. Most of my shots are with just 1 light and 1 reflector. You do not have to meter the reflector, just the main light. Silver reflectors are easier to aim. When you get better at it, you can upgrade to a collapsible reflector with a reflector support mounted on a light stand. Then as you get even better, you can keep adding additional lights and modifiers.

[richardpcrowe]

I believe that strobe is the way to go in portraiture because of the lack of intense heat generated and the ease of using modifiers. If you are not careful; you can burn up a snoot, softbox or umbrella while using continuous lighting.

In my opinion, although the strobes designed for camera use such as the 550ex and 580ex (and Nikon equivalents - I will be using the term 550ex/580ex generically and it is meant to include the Nikon versions also) can certainly be used for portraiture; you are selling yourself short if you are trying to learn portraiture without the use of strobes that have modeling lights.

I know that Canon's top end flashes have a psuedo-modeling light that is actually the flash firing multiple times in order to give a somewhat consistant light. Again IMO, this is not an adequate substitute for a "REAL" modeling light and the Canon units can be damaged if you use the modeling light effect for a lengthy period.

So again, IMO, I would advise anyone who wants to purchase a portrait lighting setup to forgo the thought of using the camera type units (such a 550ex and 580ex) and to purchase studio type units that incorporate "REAL" modeling lights.

You can start with one light with an umbrella. Actually, you can purchase a studio setup for less than purchasing 3 or four of the 550ex / 580ex style units. If you are short of money... try eBay for used lights (not the cheapie Chinese imports sold new) of a good name brand.

I have recently purchased a set of three German made Multiblitz studio strobes with barndoors, filter holder, glass filters, scrim and snoot - all in a fitted plastic suitcase for $200.00 USD plus a couple of bucks for postage. These are well made strobes that are in excellent shape and work great The only slight problem is that I needed to purchase a set of bushings to convert the 3/8 inch European style screws to 1/4 x 20 standard tripod mount screws in order to fit my light stands. The three bushings cost less than $5.00 including postage.

One cavaet... you need to do some research and know what you need (or want) and know the going prices for used lighting equipment. I have seen used equipment selling for inflated prices.

Since I am giving a lot of opinions; here is another one: you can learn portrait lighting better by working with manually controlled lights that are adjusted individually than by using lighting setups where the lights control themselves for ratios (again like the 550ex/580ex series).

Please do not fret about not having through the lens metering control with studio flash units. You can get your exposure locked down by first using the flash guide numbers and then doing a series of test shots using a human or a mannekin head. I have a flash meter but, I have learned my lights so well that I seldom need to revert to using it. I can get a correct exposure/lighting ratios without resorting to my flash meter. That is the advantage of having strobes with adequate and accurate modeling lights. (Many of the Chinese inports have modeling lights which are not accurate)

However, if you pine for a flash meter; there are several models on the market for which you don't have to sell your farm to purchase. I have a Sekonic L-718 flash meter that I have used successfully for years and years. It works great and I have seen them listed on eBay for around a hundred bucks. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the newest Sekonic models but it does what it is supposed to do - get you close to correct exposure. Like every meter, you need to interpret the results to get nail-head accuracy.

Finally, I mentioned a mannekin head (not the styrofoam wig holders but a real mannekin head). Unless you have a friend, relative or lover with utmost patience, you can avoid a lot of fuss if you use the mannekin head to:
1. learning lighting
2. play around with any new lighting setups
Believe me, my mannekin has a lot more patience than my wife.

[sunshyne]

I have the same setup Nikon D40 with all that you have...I purchased a inexpensive lighting package to get me started from Ebay...I know don't laugh. But I am havin the same problem I don't know how to work them. I would recomend a cheap setup first to see that you can play with them and if they get damaged your not out HUNDREDS of dollars. here's what I purchased: Square Perfect -- photography equipment, lighting solutions, flash sets, photo cubes and tents, muslin backgrounds, softbox kits and photography tutorials. - SP3500 Portrait Studio Set
hope that helps a little... Good luck let me know if you figure it out..I'm still workin on it. Have fun!

[MrV]

Where do I find benji's lighting tuts?

Thanks!

--MrV

[Benji]

Originally Posted by MrV

Where do I find benji's lighting tuts?

Thanks!

--MrV

MrV,

From the home page here at Photocamel click on "Tutorials." It is the third forum from the top.

Benji