Portrait Lighting Kit - Which One?
Black Diamond
can grow into if I need to down the road. I would be using it with a
Canon EOS 3. I would be using it in a studio environment as well as
outside. I don't know anything about the name brands. If you can
offer any insight as to quality, consistent power output, ect I would
appreciate it. I will be willing to pay $1-1.5K street price.
zeitgeist
usually when folks talk about 'kits' like this they mean those three
heads/stands/and umbrella packages. The problem is that manufacturers
haven't changed lighting concepts much since the sixties when umbrellas
were introduced and even that was updating the smaller parabolics of the
previous era.
It has been at least two weeks since I last posted this but...
Learn to light with ONE head and modifier (the largest you can make and
fit into your studio space, and reflector to get an excellent exposure
with detail not only in the shadows but the highlights. Failure to do
so before you start adding on other lights, especially fill lights can
cause years of confusion and dissatisfactory results, doom you to
mediocre images, like it did me for years and years and I could never
figure out why my images didn't look like the stuff in magazines.
Think about the natural lighting situations that are most wonderful to
shoot in, large view window light, twilight, overhangs etc. All very
large and diffuse light sources, usually encompasing an arc of 90' or
so, usually from an open sky. Yet when we go into a studio we use
lights that start from tiny little sources. I can go on for another
twenty pages, (again) but its all available at the z-prophoto mailing
list archives at egroups.com
You know the reason the dominate lighting system is based on small
sources was that in the old days it was all they had, hot lights that
were not practical for fire reasons to enclose in fabrics, and in fact
required spot lights to focus as much candle power on the subjects as
possible due to the slow films and lenses of the day. They didn't have
the fire resistant synthetics like today. But the parabolic flood and
later the umbrella has been the paradyme for studio lighting ever since.
but when photography was invented, (before lighting was invented) images
were taken in north light studios that were popular with portrait
artists, and on location tents with scrims and flags were set up...
JustaPawn
cause years of confusion and dissatisfactory results.>>
I don't agree. Using 3 lights is not that hard to grasp, although I would stay
away from umbrellas unless you want light going everywhere.
Go for a pack that allows you to vary the output to each head, or buy a bunch
of ND gels. Balance the lights with a meter or Polaroids. Think of lighting
planes of the person, foreground and background from various angles to build
depth and modeling, not square on. Let one light dominate, one accent, the
other support. (Like main, hair, background)
I started with a simple 3-light and stand set from B&H, added softboxes,
barndoors and grids which help alot over umbrellas. I rarely use umbrellas.
Purchased another, higher end set, compatable from the pro photo store and was
able to trade out the umbrellas and small reflectors for other stuff.
Now I have 3 packs, nine heads and sometimes use them all.
Still need the reflectors and cards though.
Only way to learn is to use the stuff, shoot pictures and improve. May want to
try renting some stuff first to see what brand you like, because once you
purchase one you're kinda locked into their system.
I'd say lighting has changed a lot since the 60s. I've rarely seen a pro,
commercial photographer use umbrellas; weddings and mill portraits, maybe.
Softboxes, grids and barndoors are the norm, because they offer more control.
Nothing wrong with natural light, but there's nothing wrong with artificial
either.
Lisa Horton
http://www.white-lightning.com Their monolights are well regarded and
reasonably priced. They offer a lot of information on their site which
will be useful to you as you look at lights. You can get a complete kit
from them or make up your own kit as well, both options should be in
your price range.
Lisa
Cliff Hawker
--
Cliff Hawker
Medina, Oh
Timmer <tbedgoo...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:8lg1s1$cjn$1...@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> I vote for the White Lightnings....with their modelling lights and
> remote control, one can do things not otherwise possible.
> I am not in any way affiliated with Paul Buff/White Lightning...just a
> satisfied customer.