High key wash with one monolight

[Shane422]

I'm just getting started but I have gathered quite a bit of info and I know some of what I want to accomplish. I have a Nikon D50 and hope to become a strong amateur. I have a new baby and want to take the best portraits I can on a budget. I have had professional shots taken of her that I want to be able to reproduce. I think I can do most of what I want with a one monolight setup and a reflector panel as fill. But can I accomplish the high key shot where the white background is completely washed out without a seperate background light? I'm looking at the Alienbee B400 with a shoot through umbrella to start out with (~$340), but am tempted by the many multilight setups on ebay for similar prices.

I'll happily buy more lights once I prove to myself that i can really do this.

[Shay Stephens]

You get a free light every morning and afternoon. Try using the sun to backlight a sheet. Set your camera exposure to just blow the sheet out and stay within your flash sync speed, then set your bee/reflector to provide the forward light to illuminate the subject. The color temperature of the combo should be close enought to work with.


But can I accomplish the high key shot where the white background is completely washed out without a seperate background light? I'm looking at the Alienbee B400 with a shoot through umbrella to start out with (~$340), but am tempted by the many multilight setups on ebay for similar prices.

I'll happily buy more lights once I prove to myself that i can really do this.

[gefillmore]

I'm totally ignorant re lighting and have a question. This setup with the monolight and the sheet backlit by the sun: are you including a camera flash also?

thanks
george

[Shay Stephens]

are you including a camera flash also?

No, the camera flash is usually pretty useless if you are using extrenal lighting and be more trouble than it's worth. So in the example, just the sun and an external flash are used, and maybe a reflector.

[gefillmore]

Shay

thanks much-

george

[gefillmore]

one other question, please-

is there any particular brand(s) of monolite that you recommend, if any?-

george

[Shay Stephens]

Not really. Alien Bees work great (I have some) and battery operated flash units work great too (I have Sunpaks).

About the only thing I would recommend is to not buy the cheapest units on the market. And you usually don't need to buy the most expensive either.

Choose your light based on how and where you will be using it. If you will be shooting indoors in a small room, you don't need a lot of power. If you plan on shooting outside or in very large spaces, then you will need more power.

Don't be in a hurry to buy a whole setup. Start with a single light if you are new to lighting. Get used to using and modifying the one light to get various results. In no time you will get a really good feel for the areas that one light just can't help you with. You are then in a good situation to be able to decide for yourself what equipment you need, how much power you need, and figure out who makes what you need.

You can do an amazing amount of work with a single light, a stand, and an umbrella or softbox.

one other question, please-

is there any particular brand(s) of monolite that you recommend, if any?-

george

[gefillmore]

sounds like great advice-

thanks much!

george

[Art Scott]

I know some dealers that are giving up their JTL line to do service and other issuses and going with Fotodiox...... http://www.fotodiox.com/shop/index.php?cPath=29 ...... I have looked at the 300 and like the rotating pot control for the stepless light control....they also feel light weight.....do not take me wrong I still think Paul Buff of WhiteLightening and Alien Bee's makes good lights, but these I believe are worth the look.....the 300 was $219 locally.

[Shane422]

Thanks guys for the advice. I haven't ordered my monolight just yet. I'm watching a couple of eBay deals on Photogenic and White lightning units. But if they fall through, I think I'll start off with a B400 from Alienbees. The Fotodiox line looks nice, but I've just seen several Alienbees sell on ebay for nearly the price of a new one. So if I fail at this envdeavor, I won't loose too much.

But that said, what are characteristics do you look for in a good monolight. As a newbie, I was looking at things like: Higher wattage modeling lights, modeling lights that mimic the strength setting of the flash (i.e. WISIWAG), recycle time. The Fotodiox seem OK, but what seperates them from something like a Britek.