I'm planning to set my own "studio" for model shooting with equipment below (everything from Alienbees).
- 4*B800 flash unit
- Wired remote control
- Backlight stand
- 3*13 foot heavy duty light stand
- Boom arm
- Giant softbox
- 32" silver/white rev. umbrella
- 32" translucent umbrella
- 32" brolly box
- LiteMod barndoors
Main light = B800 + 13' stand + giant softbox
Secondary light = B800 + 13' stand + 32" brolly box
Back light = B800 + backlight stand + umbrella
Hair light = B800 + 13' stand + boom arm + barndoors
And i have few questions...
- Did I forgot something?
- Are four B800s ok, or could some be B400 or B1600?
- Is giant softbox too small or could I use smaller to light a standing model?
- Should I use soft box instead of brolly box or umbrella with secondary light?
teemupii - You might want to spend the slight bit more and get the air cushioned stand. Especially for the boom arm one as it is a bit more stable with that attached too it. They're just overall a bit more robust.
I've seen a lot of recommendations to drop the stands and go with someone else. I don't think they're *that* bad, and with ordering all the lights you're probably getting a decent discount on the stands.
Thanks to everyone who has posted previously, I have learned quite a bit from reading through this thread.
Mine is nothing in comparison to many here, and is solely for product work. I shoot some relatively large products, so I went for a full 4x8 sheet as a tabletop. (found out it was actually 4' + 3/16" after building the frame, had to start over since it was too wide to fit the tracks )
http://www.peakdigitalpro.com/temp/20D/table3.jpg
It is a framed sheet of white acrylic on sawhorses in my garage. I have no dedicated room for a studio, so everything has to be folded or flattened to store away.
http://www.peakdigitalpro.com/temp/20D/tablebottom.jpg
In hopes of preventing shadows from the backlight, I used clear acrylic as horizontal supports. Unfortunately they still cast shadows, though less than an opaque material.
http://www.peakdigitalpro.com/temp/20D/pintailtest.jpg
One of my first test shots. Will need a lot more work on the lighting, and definitely will need to add another backlight slave to place behind the back of the table. Not enough light reaches the back, so it comes out gray and had to be manually removed in PS.
When not in use, the table folds down flat ( I can also shoot straight down on a full 4x8 table that way) and I built a hoist system that allows me to carry it up to the ceiling for storage. That part is not quite complete yet, will add photo of that when it is done.
garyroach wrote:
John:
How did you get the model to trigger the shutter when she bit down on the lemon? Just kidding. Great shot!
Thanks Gary.
A lot of trial and error and a lot of laughter. I had coated the lemons with a light coat of olive oil so that they would shine for a while in the sun. Several of the pieces set aside for her biting still had the olive oil on them and many times when she went to bite down that whole slice poped from her mouth or turned sideways. In other shots, we never got any squirt and just had the lemon juice dripping off her chin. Needless to say, after a while the lemon taste got a bit overpowering for the model. In the end, we combined two sets of squirts in the final image.
Sounds like the shoot was a lot of fun. I can just imagine the grins every time the lemon popped out. Thanks for posting the shot and the info regarding how it was done.
The house we just sold had a seperate guesthouse that was 600sq/ft. The new house does not have a seperate gh for me to use as my studio , so I sold ALL my gear. Not to worry, I've already replaced the camera and lenses, debating about lights.
I'm in the middle of moving in order for more schooling, so I don't have a current studio, but I figure I can share some on-location set up. This was a shoot I did as a gift to someone of their sequential art character, I interpreted it in my medium.
)
, so I sold ALL my gear. Not to worry, I've already replaced the camera and lenses, debating about lights.
.