Can you recommend a lighting setup for a last-minute photography project?
June 11, 2010 8:33 AM Subscribe
Can you recommend a lighting setup for a last-minute photography project?
I've just learned that I need to take some portraits tomorrow and I need help deciding how to set up the lighting.
The requirements are pretty specific: two subjects (women), nearly full-body (shot roughly from knees to head), in front of a white background, evenly lit.
I'm fairly experienced and comfortable taking candid/documentary-style photos in natural light, but I have not worked much with artificial lighting. I will be using a DSLR with a 50mm (80mm equivalent) lens.
I think my best available option for taking the photos is in front of a large white wall indoors.
I'm hoping that I can rent the lights I need. I think I would prefer constant-source lights, as opposed to a flash system, but I welcome contrary suggestions.
What's the best/easiest/most fool-proof setup you can recommend for a studio photography novice like me?
I am in Washington, DC.
I've just learned that I need to take some portraits tomorrow and I need help deciding how to set up the lighting.
The requirements are pretty specific: two subjects (women), nearly full-body (shot roughly from knees to head), in front of a white background, evenly lit.
I'm fairly experienced and comfortable taking candid/documentary-style photos in natural light, but I have not worked much with artificial lighting. I will be using a DSLR with a 50mm (80mm equivalent) lens.
I think my best available option for taking the photos is in front of a large white wall indoors.
I'm hoping that I can rent the lights I need. I think I would prefer constant-source lights, as opposed to a flash system, but I welcome contrary suggestions.
What's the best/easiest/most fool-proof setup you can recommend for a studio photography novice like me?
I am in Washington, DC.
If you're going to use flash David Hobby's wonderful site, Strobist, should be your first port of call. This page might be the best spot to start. He's certainly not the world's best photographer, but he might just be the best teacher.
posted by puffmoike at 9:06 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by puffmoike at 9:06 AM on June 11, 2010
I'd get a 48 inch wide, floor to ceiling diffuser, such as is sold in bulk rolls for film shoots. You can just hang the roll at ceiling height and scroll it down, without damaging it. Hang that as close as practical in from of the subjects. Using clip-lights and foto-flood bulbs (they are bright, daylight temperature, high wattage and heat, and only last a few hours,) as evenly as possible, light the diffuser. You might need extension cords to get to additional 15 amp circuits, if the bulbs are 500 watts, 9 would take 3 separate 15 amp circuits. Ideally, you'd cut one small hole in middle, to point the camera through. Advantages: flat, axial light will reduce flaws in the subject, requiring less fuss with makeup, "good-sides," and "bad-sides." Also you get a nice friendly reflection in the eyes. This pretty much always works for everyone. Setting individual keys, especially with two subjects, requires fussing with shadows of noses, and one subject on the other.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:13 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:13 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Also, I want to mention that old-school three point lighting (key, fill, and back,) looks really square by today's standard. Avoid that.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:17 AM on June 11, 2010
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:17 AM on June 11, 2010
Rereading your post if your background needs to be white, as distinct from just neutral (light grey), then you're almost certainly going to need a couple of light sources.
The typical approach would be to light the background entirely separately from the subjects, with one light on each side setup to be angled across each other at 45 degrees to the wall so that the background is evenly lit, and then use one or more lights to light the subject (all lights in softboxes or shoot-through umbrella if you want soft, even light).
Of course if your needs are not that specific the easiest thing might be just to find a wall outside that faces north if you're in the northern hemisphere, or south in the southern, upon which you can stick a big white sheet of paper. With your subjects in the shade you may need little or no additional light sources, and I imagine you will be much more in your comfort zone.
posted by puffmoike at 9:18 AM on June 11, 2010
The typical approach would be to light the background entirely separately from the subjects, with one light on each side setup to be angled across each other at 45 degrees to the wall so that the background is evenly lit, and then use one or more lights to light the subject (all lights in softboxes or shoot-through umbrella if you want soft, even light).
Of course if your needs are not that specific the easiest thing might be just to find a wall outside that faces north if you're in the northern hemisphere, or south in the southern, upon which you can stick a big white sheet of paper. With your subjects in the shade you may need little or no additional light sources, and I imagine you will be much more in your comfort zone.
posted by puffmoike at 9:18 AM on June 11, 2010
Or if you've got a small white room you may be able to approximate the sort of effect StickyCarpet is suggesting (broad, on axis lighting) simply by firing a rotatable camera-mounted flash back into a wall a couple of feet behind you.
This obviously is pretty ghetto, but may be suitable depending on just what your expectations are.
posted by puffmoike at 9:22 AM on June 11, 2010
This obviously is pretty ghetto, but may be suitable depending on just what your expectations are.
posted by puffmoike at 9:22 AM on June 11, 2010
Yes... I was going to agree with puffmoike. If you want a white background (that actually looks white, rather than gray), you probably should have separate lights for the background and the subject.
I use strobes, personally. I always light the background more than the subjects when I want a pure white background.
posted by MorningPerson at 10:13 AM on June 11, 2010
I use strobes, personally. I always light the background more than the subjects when I want a pure white background.
posted by MorningPerson at 10:13 AM on June 11, 2010
Standard instruction for my students: photons don't care how much you spend on them. So if you've got a couple hours you can probably rig something without rentals. (You don't need to look like a pro, right? Just shoot good pictures?)
For a blown white background you'll need background lighting, one on each side for even light. Do you have some halogen work lights? Those are good. Otherwise you may need to cadge together some other suff.
So: camera on tripod, get a lighting mannequin in place (a friend will do in a pinch) and figure out where the model will stand (and mark the floor) and where the camera must be (and mark the floor) for the framing you want. Now light up your wall, automatic exposure, white balance, then switch to manual and find the exposure that results in a just barely blown wall across the camera frame. If you shoot the subject now it should be mostly a silhouette.
Now you have a good background, so all you need to do is light the subject, which is both easier (you have flexibility) and harder (you'll need to be creative). For this, you should experiment with a mannequin and whatever lights you have to hand to find something pleasing. I would suggest a large warmish diffuse light source at the 1/8 angle, and a small, cooler source at the opposite 5/8 angle. It's a simple setup and gives good skin tone while showing a little contrast, and still not looking like something out of the 50s.
When you have more time, explore the excellent links provided above and you'll learn a whole lot!
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:59 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
For a blown white background you'll need background lighting, one on each side for even light. Do you have some halogen work lights? Those are good. Otherwise you may need to cadge together some other suff.
So: camera on tripod, get a lighting mannequin in place (a friend will do in a pinch) and figure out where the model will stand (and mark the floor) and where the camera must be (and mark the floor) for the framing you want. Now light up your wall, automatic exposure, white balance, then switch to manual and find the exposure that results in a just barely blown wall across the camera frame. If you shoot the subject now it should be mostly a silhouette.
Now you have a good background, so all you need to do is light the subject, which is both easier (you have flexibility) and harder (you'll need to be creative). For this, you should experiment with a mannequin and whatever lights you have to hand to find something pleasing. I would suggest a large warmish diffuse light source at the 1/8 angle, and a small, cooler source at the opposite 5/8 angle. It's a simple setup and gives good skin tone while showing a little contrast, and still not looking like something out of the 50s.
When you have more time, explore the excellent links provided above and you'll learn a whole lot!
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:59 AM on June 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Is this for a job? Hire an assistant who knows how to light with strobes and has a relationship with a local rental house. I get hired by natural light shooting pros all the time to help them on exactly these kinds of assignments.
You can find an experienced assistant through your local APA/ASMP chapters or by calling a large rental house and asking for a referral. Typical day rates are $200-300, more if they have a lot of experience.
posted by bradbane at 11:40 AM on June 11, 2010
You can find an experienced assistant through your local APA/ASMP chapters or by calling a large rental house and asking for a referral. Typical day rates are $200-300, more if they have a lot of experience.
posted by bradbane at 11:40 AM on June 11, 2010
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So, with a one light set up, the white background, and perhaps a reflector, you should be aces. But scan through some of the articles on studiolighting.net, they may be of more help, because IANAP.
posted by beelzbubba at 8:49 AM on June 11, 2010