photo studio equip
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- traut
ive been renting / borrowing / using other people spaces. but really want to buy my own anyone out there started up there own photo studio ?
what would you consider the best essentials for
lighting + backdrop options ?
im planning to order through b&h
- sikma0
this is your third photo equipment thread in two days.
you must love buying equipment as much as i do.
- traut0
i got my year end bonus from my real job and my freelance for photography this past year was really good so i think i should invest some of my extra $ back into it. but until now ive been using my 20d or my friends 5d for shoots and also friends lighting / backdrops / etc or renting time at studios etc i have a studio that i paint and shoot in sometimes but want to have lighting etc always there and ready to go.
i just dont know what i should buy when im renting the space they have 100 different lights etc and my friend has 3 different sets i dont know which would be the most versatile set to buy and be able to add to later.
- bigtrick0
lighting - alien bees (www.alienbees.com) are excellent, cheap, have great accessories, and have great resale value if you ever need to upgrade.
backdrop - i am partial to seamless paper, myself. you can get 9-foot rolls at b&h but it will be a sight cheaper if you can find them locally.
my two cents - buy a little at a time. using one light and an umbrella to start will allow you to realize more clearly what you want a second light for and what accessories you'd like. that way you don't waste your money on things at the start (like me - i foolishly bought a two-light kit from a crappy manufacturer and now have to find a way to get rid of them).
...say, want to buy a pair of cheap monolights??? :P
- AndyRoss0
I would think building a 2-foot radius cove between a section of wall and the floor would be the most important thing. The longer the section, the better. This allows you to photograph models full-length against a seamless background. If you have a long section of cove, you can photograph a small group of people.
You also want a variety of wooden boxes and panels which can be stacked to make various size tables and stands for photographing still-lifes and small objects.
And many large white panels which can be moved around to reflect light. Large stretchers holding canvas painted white can be good for this--and these can also double as backgrounds on small sets.
Having a mitre saw in the corner, for whipping things together spur-of-the-moment, is great too.
High ceilings, and lots of electrical outlets are a big, big help, too.
- AndyRoss0
Seamless paper is a big drag. It's a frustrating waste of time if you're shooting with a model--it's very fragile. And moving it and setting it up is a lot of fucking about that's better left to amateurs.
Most serious pros use a cove (sometimes called a "cyc," or cyclorama) between floor and wall to eliminate the need for the seamless.
- sikma0
this is just my opinion.
don't buy the 1Ds unless your going to be making lots of large prints (20x24 plus). spend that money on quality lighting equipment first.
i really like dyna-light and profoto. i don't like speedatron. every studio seems to have one or two broken ones in the corner. alien bee are okay and bloody cheap. but they are know to have shorter lifespans.
a strobe is nothing more than a controlled explosion and over time they wear and break down. some quicker than others
- inhaler970
hensel lights rule. but cost a buck.
Alien bees is what I have, and they are a great product. Light weight, totally affordable. They look cheap (cause they are) and crazy, but it gets the job done. Dynalights rule too.
- Coffeemaker0
^
- Mal0
these guys rule.
http://www.kmcamera.com/
- TomBac0
If u do product photo u need 6500 K of light. Flash.
Tripod. Repro table. Lastolite accessory (Europe).For starters 8 mil above DSLR camera.
Chairs. Bench. Blend surface for adding light. Translucent Blend surface. And don't forget scissors and duck tape always welcom in photo studio. You can even consifder RF remote triggers.- gaffer then it is. Al do i don't know what it is. What kind of tape it is it?TomBac
- http://www.kk.org/co…vaxorcist
- vaxorcist0
-gaffer tape, not duct tape
-pocket wizards or skyports or cybersyncs
-metro shelving unit on wheels, put your mac pro and monitor on it if you're shooting tethered.also... make the studio a place clients want to be at....
-MUA privacy area, make it warm, nice and welcoming
-couch for clients, coffee table with cool books
-moveable wall on wheels for fast set changes
- Coffeemaker0
this thread is old peeps.. good info nonetheless...
- ok_not_ok0
^ troo dat!