basic studio setup

[Elmo]

Hi guys, I've been asked to take some photos of a friend's baby, so I was going to look into getting some basic kit together that I could use as a sort of portable studio setup. Just wondering what you would recommend kit wise, and how you would go about setting it up? i.e. lighting/back drops/reflectors etc.

A few folk have asked me to do this now, and i've always said that it's not really what I do, but the more I think about it, if I can get the basics together and give it a go, then I won't need to turn folk away.

any pointers would be great folks

[Saracen]

It somewhat depends on what you'll do.

For instance, a basic twin light set with a couple of softboxes is a good start. You may well be able to mock up a backdrop, or just buy a second hand background support and one (or a few different) cloths. That'll get you started.

But a third light adds a fair bit of creative options, as do ways of tweaking and/or toning the light., such as snoots. It depends on how creative you want to get. That very basic setup is certainly adequate for passport pics, for instance and in fact, is a lot more versatile than that, but it will limit the effects you can get.

If you want to get into a more artistic interpretation, you'll perhaps be better off looking at a triple light setup, and then going from there. THat at least means you can give a full basic frontal light setup, probably in a basic 2/3rds, 1/3rd setup, and still have a thrid light either for lighting the background of for hair backlighting, etc.

And, of course, think about whether you;re gearing up for portable kit to go to other people's houses, or even to outside locations, in which case, you may also be looking at some expensive battery power options.

Then comes the gear. There are some basic kits from brand names (Elinchrom, Bowens, etc), or the lower tier names, or you can buy via eBay from Hong Kong and, while taking a bit of a chance, save a lot of money.

You may also want to think about triggering systems. Do you want to be laying cables all over the place, or do you want to think about IR or radio triggers? The latter is probably more expensive but easier to set up. Though, if you're using your back bedroom, cables may work just fine for you.

Then there's a flash meter. It's certainly the quick and easy way to get lighting and exposure right, but with digital, a bit of experimentation and learning, and careful attention to the in-camera histograms means to you can get away without it.

Finally, for this quick overview, one mice option for a home studio is if the camera is tethered to the PC. That way, you get instantaneous downloads and can check the image out on a proper screen, not the tiny thing on the back of the camera ..... of your camera offers the option.

Oh, and finally, a dent sized room to operate in makes the world of difference, but ,like most of us, you get to use what you have available.

[Bobster]

gah, i hate it when people ask advise about studio setups and then studio lights, softboxes, more than one light and external battery packs are always brought up..

you can shoot a studio with 1 light - doesn't even have to be a studio light, you can use a single speedlight with a radio remote and a single 32" umbrella, use a wall as a large reflector, or get a large 5-in-1 reflector to add a touch of fill from the speedlight..

[Blastuk]

Go the strobist route, cheap flashes, portable umbrella and lightstand and ebay radio triggers. Add more flashes to suit.

Not sure why you would want to carry the backdrop with you if you're travelling.. if people want back drops, make them travel to you (provided you have a studio set up of course)