Lighting question

[Rene`]

I usually shoot outside and natural light. Someone has giving me a white background to use for portraits. Where do I begin with lighting?

Rene`
http://memoriesbyrene.com
:scratch

[Jeffro]

I usually shoot outside and natural light. Someone has giving me a white background to use for portraits. Where do I begin with lighting?

Rene`
http://memoriesbyrene.com
:scratch

At the book store. Do some research.

[Shay Stephens]

If you are talking about a hot white background, that is pretty intense equipment wise. You need enough light to even light the background, usually at least two, but four or more may be needed depending on how wide the background is.

Then you need to light the subject which takes more lights still.

For the sound of it, it doesn't seem like that is the direction you want or need to go. So you might consider using the background as a gray background instead, with maybe only a single light used to light the background or perhaps letting the subjects light spill do it all instead.

It really depends on the direction you want to go or need to go.

[Rene`]

Thank you Shay, for taking the time to share your expertise.

Rene`


If you are talking about a hot white background, that is pretty intense equipment wise. You need enough light to even light the background, usually at least two, but four or more may be needed depending on how wide the background is.

Then you need to light the subject which takes more lights still.

For the sound of it, it doesn't seem like that is the direction you want or need to go. So you might consider using the background as a gray background instead, with maybe only a single light used to light the background or perhaps letting the subjects light spill do it all instead.

It really depends on the direction you want to go or need to go.

[Art Scott]

Not only would you need lights as suggested by Shay..but to get to that proper exposure the first time out you would need an incident flashmeter (or combo flash / light meter) as the indient metering will make your portrait work much more simple in the end.......

Instead of starting with that background all spread out over the 9 - 15 feet it is wide and however long it is....try scrunching it up to about 3 - 5 feet wide and practicing with that on small in animate objects...that way you won't need so many lights and you could actually start with a couple of relector work lights or a couple of 500watt - 1000watt yard lights (they sell for around $10 at wally world) and have a friend, husband or even yourself make a light stand out of alum. conduit and you could have a switch put near you light also......been years since I have had a yard light studio...but the quartz halogen is almost white or you could set white balance off that white background.....

The real draw back to this set up is:
1- light stand is not adjustable for different heights...
2- they get real hot .... so a fan is necessary even in the winter time ...unless the studio is not heated..then the lights are your heat source also.....

Forgot to mention that you could easily build the light stand to have 2 lights per stand and you could even have both lights switched separately.....

This is about the lest expensive way to do a studio for lighting....you could make the lights with clamp brackets so they could be moved independently up and down the light stand......

Good luck

[Rene`]

Not only would you need lights as suggested by Shay..but to get to that proper exposure the first time out you would need an incident flashmeter (or combo flash / light meter) as the indient metering will make your portrait work much more simple in the end.......

Instead of starting with that background all spread out over the 9 - 15 feet it is wide and however long it is....try scrunching it up to about 3 - 5 feet wide and practicing with that on small in animate objects...that way you won't need so many lights and you could actually start with a couple of relector work lights or a couple of 500watt - 1000watt yard lights (they sell for around $10 at wally world) and have a friend, husband or even yourself make a light stand out of alum. conduit and you could have a switch put near you light also......been years since I have had a yard light studio...but the quartz halogen is almost white or you could set white balance off that white background.....

The real draw back to this set up is:
1- light stand is not adjustable for different heights...
2- they get real hot .... so a fan is necessary even in the winter time ...unless the studio is not heated..then the lights are your heat source also.....

Forgot to mention that you could easily build the light stand to have 2 lights per stand and you could even have both lights switched separately.....

This is about the lest expensive way to do a studio for lighting....you could make the lights with clamp brackets so they could be moved independently up and down the light stand......

Good luck




Now, this is the kind of response I was looking for. The kind that you just might not find in a book. Sometimes presonal experience is worth more than book sense. THANKS ART!!

Rene`
memoriesbyrene.com

[Art Scott]

Now, this is the kind of response I was looking for. The kind that you just might not find in a book. Sometimes presonal experience is worth more than book sense. THANKS ART!!

Rene`
memoriesbyrene.com

My pleasure....

You may want to vist www.petergowland.com .... I have read some of his books and he is explanations are real good....His site has many useful tips and tricks and his histroy of his photography business....it also has a lot of nudes, as his forte was glamour-calendar work of beautiful Cali girls....

Glad I could help a little....