New to Stuido Lighting: Question and suggestions.

[TN_photography]

Hello guys, I am looking to start a home studio and was wondering what parts and items i need and maybe have just a mono-light studio. I am fairly new to photography and looking to have a studio to take some pictures of newborns and infants. Would someone mind to have a list of items i can use. thanks for your time. I will be looking forward to upgrading my studio as well sometime in the future for better use. I do not have a money tree so try to keep the suggestions attainable.

[danchez]

These are quite popular and reasonably priced.

AlienBees: Illuminating the Galaxy with Professional Photographic Lighting Equipment

[Tom]

There have been about a dozen topics on this subject in the last few months. I'd browse back through the lighting forum and read through those threads.

Good luck!

[Dobick]

what kind of budget do you have for this initially?

[engstrom]

Thomas makes a good suggestion. One thing I might add - don't be tempted by the cheap studio light on eBay. While they can provide an inexpensive road to get started their inconsistency in both power and color can lead to frustration and you'll spend time trying to figure out if you're doing something wrong when it's not your fault.

If you go with Alien Bee or the Elinchrom kit I went with you'll have a good system that can be expanded and will serve you well on your journey to studio enLIGHTenment.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

Tom spend a couple days reading here then re-bunp this topic with a couple specific questions. Since you are starting from ground zero you can start as simple as using some halogan lamps and some sort of dispersion filter which won't break your budget, to going to battery powered flash units with wireless triggers inside of softboxes, to the monolights with triggers, to a used system that has a large power unit and lights hooked to it by cables.

So the budget can go from under $100 to several thousand and your still just creating light. Now the halogans will produce heat (which the newborns might like) and you will have to learn how to custom white balance your shoots but they are the cheapest starting point.

[janikphoto]

You need very little. Most of us have tons of gear out of convenience. However, I've spent the last year seeing just how little I needed. Now most of my gear sits unused and I shoot some nice stuff with one strobe head (sometimes two) and a large softbox on a single c-stand (or a compact manfroto stand when I'm on location)... Rarely so I pull out several lights anymore.

[TN_photography]

Thank you for the suggestion and ideas. will let u guys know what i decide to do and buy.

[KobraCarry]

Originally Posted by engstrom

Thomas makes a good suggestion. One thing I might add - don't be tempted by the cheap studio light on eBay. While they can provide an inexpensive road to get started their inconsistency in both power and color can lead to frustration and you'll spend time trying to figure out if you're doing something wrong when it's not your fault.

If you go with Alien Bee or the Elinchrom kit I went with you'll have a good system that can be expanded and will serve you well on your journey to studio enLIGHTenment.

My local San Antonio Camera Exchange has a similar kit with 3 strobes, softboxes, stands, floormat and dvd, I think made by Westcott for $700. They tell me it's a great beginner setup. I might be getting it in a few months. Anyone here use Westcott?

[Tom]

Kinda hard to say without knowing anything about it other than that it is made by Wescott.

It doesn't surprise me at all that a retailer says that the kit he has in stock is a great kit.

I've got no skin in the game, but the Elinchrom Dlite4 is a tremendously great kit.

[Dobick]

Originally Posted by KobraCarry

... They tell me it's a great beginner setup. I might be getting it in a few months. ...

I am not sure what "Great Beginner setup" would mean

Easy to use?

Easy to Afford?

I understand what attributes a beginner camera might have, but when talking about lights -- not sure what attributes would be "good" for a beginner that are not "good" for everyone.

my point is -- that is code for something -- and most likely it means that they are cheap and you will outgrow them if you ever find yourself actually shooting with them on a regular basis.

[KobraCarry]

I guess afford plus supposed ease of use, and that fact that you get everything you need to get shooting in one package.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by Dobick

I am not sure what "Great Beginner setup" would mean

Easy to use?

Easy to Afford?

I understand what attributes a beginner camera might have, but when talking about lights -- not sure what attributes would be "good" for a beginner that are not "good" for everyone.

my point is -- that is code for something -- and most likely it means that they are cheap and you will outgrow them if you ever find yourself actually shooting with them on a regular basis.

Easy to buy from my store!

[ldelacruz]

Mike,
I would trust the advice here over the advice from a camera store. The AB's, Elinchroma and Photogenics would all be good lights for the price. I didn't buy a kit because I got a better deal piecing it out.