Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Portrait Equipment

Lighting Kit Setups

  • Beginners complete kit
    • Lighting types
      1. 1 main light: Flashpoint Cool Light 4
      2. a1 fill light: Flashpoint Cool Light 1 (can be used reflecting into a white card)
      3. 1 hair light (a small light with a snoot or grid)
      4. 1 background light (any small fixture light will do)
    • Lighting (other):
      • 1 silver reflector umbrella: Creative Light 33" Silver Umbrella, (compare prices)
      • 4 light stands: Westcott 750 Photo Basics 7.5-Foot Light Stand, (compare prices)
      • Seamless paper background
    • Miscellaneous:
      • Extension cords (hardware store)
      • Gaffers tape
      • Extra bulbs (depends on fixture)
      • Cloth work gloves if you are using hot tungsten lights (hardware store)
      • An assortment of colored gels and diffusion material
      • Clothespins for holding the gels

Photo Video Backdrop Stand Kit

  • Ravelli ABSL Photo Video Backdrop Stand Kit 13' Tall x 15' Wide with Dual Air Cushion Stands and Bag (link)
  • StudioPRO 3200 Watt Double 24"x36" Softbox Continuous Portrait & Video Lighting Kit - Film, Photography & Studio Essentials Includes Light Stand & 45W Daylight Bulbs (link)
    • Main/Key light and fill light

Notes

  • Backdrops
    • Thin muslin white/black/green backgrounds...alternative (?)
    • How to clean/press/steam (?)
      • I use a small hand held fabric steamer (via)
  • Lighting
    • Types:
      1. Main light (key)
        • primary and strongest light
        • Provides shape and form
        • Can use umbrella or softbox
      2. Fill light
        • "fill in" shadow areas created by other lights
        • provide an even, non-directional light
        • adds  little character or shadows of its own
        • nearly always weaker than the main light
        • can use a shoot-through umbrella
        • Alternatively: foamcore, at 45-degree angle, to the subject
      3. Kicker light (rim, edge)
        • accent the edges of the subject
        • placed just out of view and, behind and slightly to the right or left of the subject
      4. Hair light
        • enhance hair texture
        • provide separation from the background
        • Should have a snoot or grid (note: maybe a filter frame?)
      5. Background light
        • Illuminates the background
        • even or graduated, color neutral or colored with the addition of gels
        • separate the subject from the background
    • Notes
      • Closer light to subject: softer; farther away: harder
      • LumoPro LP180
  • Softbox
    • Emulate the soft, directional lighting produced by window light
    • Directional
    • Light modifiers
    • Somewhat more expensive
    • Slightly more complicated
    • Basic knowledge of balancing main light versus fill light, so it won't produce contrasting lighting
    • Octobox
    • combines the benefits of both reflective and shoot through umbrellas
    • Vendors
      • http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/759870-REG/Lastolite_LL_LS2462JM_Joe_McNally_Ezybox_Hotshoe.html/BI/2388/KBID/3211
  • Umbrella
    • Cheap
    • Broad and soft source of lighting that could, for the sake of simplicity, be considered to emulate outdoor lighting
    • Indirect, bounced light
    • Easier for beginners
    • Lighting is much broader, softer with less modeling on the subject’s face and there’s more light spilling onto on background
    • Light is bounced, so the quantity is less, which requires lower f-stop and higher ISO
    • Reflective 
      • Light is reasonably well controlled and doesn’t bounce around everywhere
      • Can’t produce very soft light, as the design forces the flash head to be between the subject and the umbrella, which means that it can’t be placed close to the subject
    • Shoot-through
      • only about 60% of the light actually passes through
      • the rest bounces back and, in a small studio, will bounce off of the ceiling, walls, etc.
      • creates pretty uncontrolled lighting and if the light also bounces towards your camera lens it can cause flare
      • Combination: removable reflective cover
  • Vendors
    • Smith Victor
    • Adorama
    • Lowel
    • Photoflex
    • Lastolite (hotbox)
    • Manfrotto (stands)

Chris Schmauch, Good Eye Photography

  • Camera
    • Nikon D800
    • Nikon D3
    • Nikon D70 (backup)
  • Lens
    • 28-70/2.8
    • 17-35/2.8
    • 70-200/2.8
    • 85/1.4
    • 60/2.8
    • 50/1.4
  • Lights
    • Studio strobes
    • Foursquare softbox (containing the four Nikon SB-800 speedlites)
    • Nikon SB-600 speedlite
    • Profoto B1 mono light
    • 30″ softbox
  • Other
    • PocketWizard Flex TT5, to trigger/sync speedlites
    • Lightroom

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