Studio set up-advice needed
 

Hi!
Up to now I have been concentrating on bird photography so I've been on the BF forum.
I would like to try other types and am thinking of setting up a 'studio' in a spare room.
I am hoping that some kind persons(s) will give me some advice.:)
I attach a sketch of the room-you will note it is only 3600mm x 3300. It has a patio door to 1 side.
My equipment is Canon 40D with 17-85. I also have a Canon 480 flashgun and a decent tripod.
I would really appreciate suggestions for basic accessories such as umbrellas, back drops, lighting etc.
I did post this on BF and Paul Goode was very helpful but I would like to mull over other options.
Based in Warrington-any suggestions of where to purchase items appreciated.
Many thanks

Hi David,

Two questions for starters.
1) What type of subject are you considering. If Portraiture then I suggest you look at Clives set up in this link
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=2387

2) Before talking brollys etc what type of lighting are you thinking of ? - a) something similar to Clives, b) studio flash, c) portable flash as in additional Canon flashguns.

Don

Good questions
I want to 'learn' studio work for portraits/families etc. although I'm not sure the room is long enough (3600mm)
So, I want some basic (for basic read cheap;)) equipment with the idea of progressing as I learn. I realise that flash on it's own is no good so I want to find out the minimum necessary for my needs.

I am now semi retired with income to match so the idea is to supplement with family/kids photos etc. As I have a room doing little it seems a good possibility although, as I say, not sure it's big enough.
I will have a look at that link-thanks

I'd say your room is big enough for single person portraits, or at a push, a couple. For families then, well if it's couple plus small child then ok. Big family groups? Probably not.

Clearing out the furniture (even on a temporary basis as needed) would help a lot. For lighting, Clive's setup is good but perhaps not the cheapest. There are some reasonable lighting kits available at relatively low prices from Warehouse Express but with the window/patio door arrangement you have you could produce some quite beautiful portraits using available light on the right day at the right time, especially if the patio door is North facing.

I don't know what sort of lighting lesleyr uses for some of her indoor portraits........

Duncan

Again, I appreciate the response.
Although natural lighting is theoretically possible I wouldn't be able to book the 'shoots' when I want to-it would be time & day to suit the client. Therefor lighting would be necessary.
I think 'cold' light would be better but having never used iether I'm open to suggestions.
My initial thought was flash with umbrellas but the link to Clive seems to indicate constant light (lightbox?) being preferred.

Lense question.
With the limitations of room length (and the tripod will take some of that up) what is maximum wide angle you think I can use for portraits/families etc.

Flash with umbrellas will work, but you'll be very limited if you're talking about flash units that you normally have attached to the camera (but used off camera with a brolly). A pair of studio type flash units will certainly do the job, but a lot of it is down to personal preference.

For lighting then tungsten is the way to go. Flash is quite a bit more expensive.
Worth having a browse through Warehouse Express Continuous lighting section once you have an idea of budget.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/cate...spx?cat03=3101

Afraid I cannot advise on this type of lighting as I am a flash user, but I am sure Clive will pick up on this thread.

Don

Are you intimating that flash is better ? I already have the Canon 480-will this(in your opinion) give better results than continuos lighting?

David,

Its all about the SIZE of the light source rather than if it is flash or continuous. A studio head just gives a larger area of light than a camera flashgun. Now you can fire a camera flash gun into a brolly to increase the area of the light but you will sacrifice a fair bit of the flash guns power due to the distance it needs to be from the reflective surface for its beam to adequately cover the reflective surface. A studio head with its bigger light can be so much closer to the brolly so less light is lost. Perhaps I need to do a couple of graphics but in the mean time have a look at this early thread on diffusion.
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=1852

Can it be done on the cheap - yes. Not the tidiest, but in this link I used 2 guns to increase the power and even the light spread ( first image ), a silver brolly, and a bit of horticultural fleece ( third image ). Check the shadow hardness ( fourth image ). To replicate that with studio units, it would have only required one light in place of the two camera flashguns.
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=1878

I will look at doing a new explanitory graphic tomorrow of studio light and brolly and camera flash and brolly.

Don

David

Not sure I can add much to help you. As Don has said I currently use a continuous lighting set up with two head - Don has pointed you at the thread where I describe my set up.

I previously used a set up based on battery powered flashes with a Metz CT4 as the main one. To get the diffused soft lighting I would either bounce out of a brolly or shoot through a white one. The problem with flashes designed to work on your camera is the slow recycle time so if going down the flash route I would say a couple of studio heads is essential.

If I was planning to to studio only work I would probably go down the flash route because the power output enables a greater range of f stops and the short flash duration ensures there is no blur due to the subject moving. With continuous lighting even though my units are rated at 500 watts each to get a decent shutter speed ~1/250 I need to use ISO 800 & f4.

I went down the continuous route for photographing babies and kids under the age of ~5 Here I could be taking 100-150 shots in the space of 20-30 minutes or less to produce images like this or this

The thought of firing that many flashes in that short space of time might give kids stars before their eyes

I just love this set Clive. EXCELLENT :cool::cool::cool:.

Also a good reason for continuous as a lighting choice. My preference for flash came out of product photograhy so no concerns about 'stars in the eyes'.

Don

Once again my thanks. There is a lot to get my head around-as I'm sure others have had to do.

"Perhaps I need to do a couple of graphics but in the mean time have a look at this early thread on diffusion".
Don, that would be appreciated so as to read it along with the other threads.

In order to start the learning process do you think a good idea would be to start with umbrella and use the Canon 480 off the camera?
(I will rig up a back ground from black velvet/white cloth/white pvc)
If so can you recommend;-
a) which umbrella
b) which extension (or what are they called) from camera to flash unit
c) other basics
The reason for asking this is because of buying from Warehouse express I need to make sure I'm asking for the right things.

David,

I have been on the phone while you posted this.
I now have some stuff to do but will come back when I am done.

Don

This will get the learning process going for general flash use, but really wouldn't be suitable for family/single portraits, guns like the 480 - or even much more powerful ones such as the Metz 58AF-1 (far better value than the Canon) - just don't have the ooomph for your application. A gun like this is a useful accessory to have for general purpose photography anyway, so it wouldn't be wasted, but for studio work, you'll need something more substantial.

Have a look at http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/
the lighting and studio section links are at the bottom of the left hand side. For a room of your size, a 36" brolly is quite big enough. Don't be tempted to buy the 46" 'because it's only a few quid more", I fell into this trap and found a 46" is way too big in the space of a small room.

Here's some useful items covering items a) and b) on your list:
http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/Lighti...rol/Umbrellas/

You will need a lighting stand, you can get away with a surplus tripod, but a dedicated light stand is cheaper, takes up less footprint in the room (very important in your case) and puts the light at the height you need it. I struggled by with a spare tripod for about 1 year until I sold that and bought a dedicated stand.

I do small table-top still life stuff, so only use bits of cloth/paper as backdrops, you'll need something more substantial but I'll leave it up to others to recommend those items as I have no direct experience.

Duncan

If you have not tried off camera flash then it may be beneficial to have a go at a bit of still life for lighting practice. You do need to consider that if you end up buying a lighting kit these come with stands and brollys.

I will see if a standard rain umbrella lined with crumpled then flattened kitchen foil will work as a starter as cost is would be pennies. Just need to come up with some sort of DIY holder.

Duncan has answered the brolly/stand bit but I am struggling to find info on the Canon 480 flash and also triggering options.
URGENT NEED OF INPUT FROM CANON USERS.

Don

Whoops
 

WHOOPS:(
Sorry guys-the flash is a 550 EX!!
As I said-this was bought 2nd hand and has never been used so not been out of the box.
I have no idea where the 480 came from or how it got into my head-is there a smilie that says "thick":confused:
I assume it's the same principle i.e. I'll need something "more sustantial"

I will start with the 36" umbrella (thanks for the pointer) as I'm sure it won't go to waste. I will try with the 550 flash-this should give me some indication of what I need.

Again-thanks for the advice-any more advice is more than welcome

Oopppsss.
Sorry David, just saw this thread.
Don't know at what stage of evolution you are in but seems your path is clear.

Few words about your flash 550EX. Though older cousin of professional flashes by two generations (Was made in 1998 followed by 580 that came out on 2004 and last, 580EX mkII 2007), is a monster flash and surly best value for the money.
One excellent choice.
It has a lot to offer once you get to know all the features. In fact a lot of billboards you have always seen and loved are made by this one. It has a lot of features and the newer versions though add more, take nothing off this ones fame and capabilities. The only problem is you definitely need more than one. Especially with their wireless E-TTL communication capabilities (Master and Slave switches are built in, you can have one set to master, attached to your camera body and have as many slaves as your need or may be as finance permits, then you can set each to one of the 4 channels so 4 adjacent photographers, or photoshooting setup in a room can coexist without affecting one another) you surely want to utilize their setup in group. Now with price of 550 at at least 1/2 (Or lesser) than 580, you can easily buy two (At least) or three to make your set up well.
If you need to see the differences between all 3 of them, check this
L I N K
but again you have all you need for studio or portable reliable professional quality flash, with the 550.

If you need of the camera flash, with all the auto functions preserved, then you need one of these Off-Camera Shoe Cord-2 or after market cords like this:
LINK
that with 40" length wire, should give you adequate flexibility in positioning.
If you don't like to have cord but like to pay more you can have a check on ST-E2. That is a transmitter attached to camera body, firing the 550s kept at slave mode. If you have may flashes, you can use one as master on camera but turn the firing to off, so it commands but doesn't contribute to the light on the subject from camera's angle.

Remember that Canon achieves the wirelessness by virtue of IR light not Radio frequency, possibly due to licensing problems and hassle they could otherwise face in various countries that they sell their products, if using Radio waves. So a line of sight in out door is needed. The reflective surface like walls in studio are more than enough to ensure communication between master and slave, even if line of direct sight is not available.

Possibilities are too many to tell here and you can read about them on the way as your needs demand.

Another good point about these series of pro Canon flashes, unlike Nikon's similar series that have restricted rotation to right and left, Canon's can be rotate about 90 degree on each side and more that 90 when tilted upwards. There was a very funny youtube clip in this regards, that I am not able to find it and should I get to it, will the link here to laugh.

You can use other flashes too. I believe the cheaper Sigma EF 500 DG has a very close compatibility to 5XX-Ex series of Canon flashes so may worth to have a look at that too.

Things gets a lot easier as you do the magic key thing: "Trial and Errors"

How serious do you intend to be?

I would not advise spending too much money on speedlites which are far from ideal for your usage, and will give you as many problems as they solve. They are also not that much cheaper than a budget studio head.

Either way you will not have ttl control so you will need a light meter too. I'd advise you to get a 2 head budget flash kit. Take a look on ebay, there are loads of kits available, but only buy from sellers with a good feedback rating.

Saw this one and thought of you Dav.
I afraid it doesn't end up fully free but at least it is a good start to principles.

- - - L I N K - - -

That is an excellent video. His take on the soft box is very enlightening (no pun intended)-particularly when he explains exactly how it works and why it needs to be close to the subject. Also why power is not so important-the exact opposite of some thinking.
Thank you