 Romen Vargas |
Cheap Lighting Ideas? Photography for me is only a hobby (which is already quite expensive) and I was wanting to find cheap/alternative lighting methods for portraits or still life. My main idea was to use just 1 or a few normal 100watt light bulbs and just buy Tungsten film and attach a cooling filter (cause I heard that pro Tungsten lights isn't as warm as light bulbs). If I did do that I could just use thin white material to soften the light. I have some reflectors which could also come in handy. My other idea was to just use flourescent lights and get an FL-D filter. I prefer the tungsten lights cause I think they are cheaper and I don't have an FL-D filter yet. I was just wanting to share my idea of cheap lighting and also to find out if its even feasible. Thanks in advanced.
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Matt Miller |
I can't really offer a cheap way. But I can tell you I tried the incadensent route. I wasn't to happy. Maybe try some cheap flashes connected to a light sensing slave.
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Judith A. Clark |
The light bulbs don't work, you just can't get enough 100 watt bulbs in the right places. The only really cheap way is alot of windows on a sunny day. The cheap flash with a slave is a good idea. Here is another, buy a bracket and a flash you can bounce, add a soft box to your flash(these are pretty inexpensive) I think I had less then $100 in flash, bracket, and softbox. It looks professional and gets pretty good results in a small area. The only way to get the briliant high lights and perfect lighting is a studio light set. If you ever want it to be more than a hobby you'll want to make that investment, but for now try a few inexpensive flash ideas.
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Kim Zabriskie |
buy a bracket and a flash you can bounce, add a soft box to your flash- Can you tell me exactly what these are and where I would find them? I have a Nikon N55 and I just started less than 1 week ago. I need REAL help. Thanks so much for any help you can give me
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Bill McFadden |
The info above may help... what is your approximate budget...(remember you can always start with a basic set up and expand in the following years.) I believe there are at least two options. the first more expensive one if to buy one complete light stand, flash, umbrella, slave unit and umbrella/flash mount. The cost is about $150.00 to $200.00. Add to this price, the cost of an on-camera flash with a modifier like an Omnibounce or on flash soft box (about $100.00) Total for an on-camera light with another light on a stand to provide flash fill = about $300.00. You could look for used Vivator 285, Vivator 283 or Sunpak 383 (my personal favorite) to save money. (The above amonts include the purchase of two used flashes.) Option two. Buy one or two Wein or Morris slave units (about $45.00 each) plus one used flash with light modifier for on-camera use. (about $100.00) Maybe include a small, inexpensive light stand or small tripod for an additional $20 to $60.00. Option two for 1 flash, 1 slave unit is about $150.00. adding the second slave unit and the stand would make it about $200.00. There are less expensive options, including SP slave units that I can address but have never used myself.
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Bill McFadden |
Romen V. One thing to consider that I did not think about when I started buying euiqpment is to tailor the "studio" system to fit what you can pack if yu wish to go, for example, on vacation or to a friend's house. I did not consider this limitation and wound up buying a amatuer light set. It worked around the house but gathered dust because I take the train usually and cannot bring more than two bags, including clothing. I read several books and discovered many professional photographers use Vivator 285 flashes or Sunpak 383 flashes for their on-location studio work. Bogen makes a light stand called the Bogen 3373 that is small and carries a flash, umbrella, slave unit with no problem. People have also used light tripods in lieu of the light stands. Morris and Wein both make small, self-contained flash units that add light where you need it, when you fire your on-camera flash. one Wein slave unit also lets you add color filters to the package. When I compared the cost of a Wein or Morris slave unit against the greater flexibility, power and usefulness of a used Vivitar 285 or Sunpak 383 flash., I choose to spend an extra $10.00 to get more versality.
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Beth |
Window-lighting can be beautiful and doesn't cost a penny. A reflector - any white cardboard or sheet - might be needed to open up shadows. The only problem is being constrained to daytime. Soft indirect lighting is best- north windows supposedly always give good lighting.
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Jason J. Hess |
Jumped into the discussion a little late, just discovered the web site. I am a hobbiest with a suggestion for cheap lighting. I use 2 halogen work lights. You can pick these up at any hardware/automotive store. They come on their own tripod stand and are adjustable in height, mine rise to approx 8 feet. I have fashioned an attachment that lets me mount bristol board (from any art shop) to the light heads. I find it works very well. I also use my flashgun, mounted on a tripod for side fill or backfilling the photo. This set up enables me to use my TTL meter with decent results. Unfortunately this system as well isn't very portable but you don't need a power unit to go with it....just a power bar and an extension cord. Just be sure to mount the bristol board far enough back from the lights so it doesn't catch fire. Can also use different colours of bristol board to create different effects. Hope this helps. Jason
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Paul Smith |
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Daniel Dybinski |
Personally I don't believe that a halogen work light will give you extremely good results.. It can be a starting point. But I believe that after some experimentation you will come to the same conlusion as I did a while back. I now use Vivitar 285 flashes on a slave system in combination with a Canon 420EX. I think that even one Vivitar flash and a reflector will give you better results than a halogen bulb. Though I do agree that a worklight is easier to visualize. At any rate. If you are ever intending to move to a finer wuality photo a flash with an umbrella will be of more use to you then worklamps... Other advantages are less heat.. especially if you are ever working with a live model, cheaper to operate.. 1000W worth of work light can get expensive.. you will pay more than the price of a flash in electricity and in the end... Simpy a much nicer photo... Get one flash first and experiment.. Bounce it!!! You'd be amazed what great images you can get using just that technique. If you can angle it right you will get a nice soft light off a white wall in combination with a glimmer in the eye and if you are creative enough with a mirror.. you can get a hairlight out of that one flash as well.. though I strongly suggest you get a second littel flash for that. To get a setup that you could do almost anything with. You are looking at about 200-300 dollars.. maybe less if you can find them used.. and don't forget a 20 dollar roll of backdrop paper.. a sheet will never look the same.. especially if you want a pure white background. My 2 cents. Good Luck! Just keep experimenting.
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