Home Portrait Studio for beginners????

Harold Frydman

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Mar 24, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/24/97

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Hi all,

I need some information on putting together a in-home lighting studio
for portrait work. I'd like to spend under $1,500 total. All I own at
the moment is a Canon Elan IIe w/ a 28-105 3.5. From my studying I
gather I'll need a good exposure meter (what type? Model? etc.), a
tripod w/ head, and a lighting system.

My questions are mainly with type...flash or flood, umbrellas, boxes.

Thanks in advance,

Harold S. Frydman

Rick D. Conner

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Mar 31, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/31/97

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> I need some information on putting together a in-home lighting studio
> for portrait work. I'd like to spend under $1,500 total. All I own at
> the moment is a Canon Elan IIe w/ a 28-105 3.5. From my studying I
> gather I'll need a good exposure meter (what type? Model? etc.), a
> tripod w/ head, and a lighting system.

If you have any luck let me know, I'm in the same boat as you are from the
sounds of things.... I've got a Nikon N2000 w/ 28-70 3.5 and a 80-200 3.9,
tripod, remote release.
If you hear anything please share :) Thanks....

RIck

Robert Kerr

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Mar 31, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/31/97

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On 31 Mar 1997 16:44:21 GMT, "Rick D. Conner" <rco...@citynet.net >
wrote:

A relatively inexpensive way of doing it is get a off camera sync cord
they are available for the Elan II as I'm sure they are available for
the Nikon. A light stand, flash adapter and an umbrella and you have a
home studio. Using the off camera sync cord allows the ttl to still
function so you don't have to worry about getting another exposure
meter.

hope this helps
Bob Kerr
Borden Ontario Canada
mail to rk...@sympatico.ca
homepage www3.sympatico.ca/rkerr

Mary K

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Apr 1, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/1/97

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Using an off camera sync cord to preserve TTL is indeed the cheapest and
easiest way. The drawbacks are limited power and no modeling light.

If you want more power, you have to get A/C powered flash. The least
expensive, but still quite professional are the monolights "White
Lightning". See www.white-lightning.com. You'll need at least one such
light, and an umbrella or a softbox. Professional studio may use 4 lights
(main, fill, background, hair) or more.

With A/C powered flash, you need a flash meter. I think they range from
$200 to $500. Look at Minolta, Sekonic, Gossen, Pentax, etc.

Unless you want to use your wall as background, you also need to buy a
background made of paper (cheapest), muslin cloth, or velvet (real or
fake). This background needs to be quite large if you want to shoot whole
body from head to toe (maybe 10x16 feet) because it has to extend from the
ceiling to the floor and then under the chair towards the camera.

Other stuff: light stands, sync cords, posing chair, etc.

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Robert Kerr <rk...@sympatico.ca> wrote in article

Belaku

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Apr 13, 1997, 3:00:00 AM4/13/97

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I am considering the same. I have a Nikon N8000s, Nikkor 35-70, 70-210. I
also have an Olympus IS3 DLX with 35-180 lens. My problem is how you go
about setting up a home studio and especially lighting.

Any experts out there?? Help!