(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best lighting controls & modifiers

Fun, thanks for hosting the scavenger hunt!

1. Something Blue: These journals are so beautiful, and I just thought I would start the scavenger hunt out with something simple and beautiful. Is that too corny of a reason to put them on here?
   
2. Summer: Summer reminds me that I will soon be in a place with sun constantly radiating down and burning my retinas. We're all gonna need some sunglasses.
   
3. Unusual Food-Related Item: Kawaii Squishies are super cute, smell like freshly baked bread (or cream soda), and are shaped like foods! I had a lot of wiggle room with this category, and while I have tons of things about food in my WLs, I just think these are great to pass out to stressed friends, as well.
   
4. Gift Someone Else: A Bidet for the Fiancé Kind of a silly one, but my fiancé loves bidets. I've always wanted to get him one, and so this is my ultimate "I love you" gift for him. I actually thought about getting it for him and calling it his engagement ring, in response to the one he just got me. Do you think it would make him laugh?
   
5. Book!: The book Lab Girl by Hope Jahren has gotten a lot of great press, and it seems very relevant to any woman in a demanding science-related field. I think it would be an interesting, and hopefully inspiring, read.
   
6. Less Than a 1$: Somehow this shampoo brush is only $.01? Is that real?
   
7. Related to Dogs: I haven't owned a dog since my family's golden retriever, Max. He was such a wonderful light in our house, and I think about him a lot. I know that GSD are really smart, so I figured I'd put something a smart-alecky GSD owner might have on here. ;)
   
8. Not Useful, But Awesome: I really love oracle cards. I find that they sort of get me past challenges that maybe I'm too stubborn to see for myself. I think they are a good psychological tool, but I also know most people would find them less than useful. Therefore, they are mostly just awesome, and I want them.
   
9. Great Movie: I get some flak for it, but my favorite movie of all time is Coraline. I think it is just so thought-provoking and the animation is beautiful. It really has a special place in my heart.
   
10. Zombies Attack!: Weirdly enough, I am in the process of creating an emergency plan and some bugout bags for my fiancé and I. It's more of a hobby than worry, but I always thought a couple of these matches would come in handy when the hammer drops.
    
11. Life Goals: This one might require a little explanation. So, I just quit my career as an archaeologist to become a creative writer, and my fiancé just quit his archaeology career to become an illustrator. Together we are writing some children's books, creating a comic book series, and hosting a podcast. It has come to our attention that these endeavors require social media presence (something neither of us are very good at). Through our bumbling around, we've found that our pictures are turning out less-than-great for social media, and the problem is lighting. I think this lightbox really neat for anyone who wants to make their pictures look professional on social media.
    
12. Add-Ons: Makeup Remover Cloths These are so useful, I thought about even adding them to the Zombie Apocalypse part of the Scavenger Hunt! I sometimes forget to take care of my skin. So I started leaving one of these by my nightstand just for those times when I'm too lazy (or drunk) to take my makeup off. They are lifesavers!
    
13. Fandom Related: Adventure Time, come on grab your friends.... No explanation needed really. AT is amazing, and I'm sad the series is ending, but we will always have the comics!
    
14. Ridiculously Priced: Okay, let's chat. This watch is over $200,000 and has 4 reveiws? 4 people bought this? Why?! If I was that rich, I'd hole up in my cool-ass movie theater and eat caviar all day. Who needs a watch for that?
    
15. Shark or Unicorn: This unicorn color-changing light is on my wishlist. I want it so badly, but have no idea where I would put it. The bathroom maybe? It has to be somewhere that won't get in the way of all my other unicorn stuff. I like when people just happily stop upon a unicorn in the apartment. When they're peeing is a good time, right?
    
16. Smells Great: These candles are the scents of a coffee shop and so I know everyone in my house would feel warm and welcome right when they walk in once they are lit. These are actually three of my favorite scents, so you can probably tell that I have a slight coffee-related addiction.
    
17. Toy: Dixit is an amazing game. Like...I don't know how to describe it. A bunch of cards with illustrations on them need to be described by the players, and then everyone votes on which description they like the best (blindly vote). It's just a wonderful game for inspiration, and you can make it as complicated or as simple as you'd like. I really enjoy playing it with both my friends and family.
    
18. Helpful for Writers: An Imaginative Workbook! I think one of the biggest things writers forget how to do is play! We spend so much time in our universe, trying to make it perfect, that sometimes we forget to just let go and have our imaginations run wild. I think workbooks like the one I just linked are perfect for when writer's block hits, or when we need a pick-me-up to remember why we started writing in the first place.
    
19. Current Obsession: My current obsession has become learning how to play the ukulele. I heard on a couple of podcasts that it really boosted some people's happiness, especially if they loved music, but didn't feel like they had the time to learn to play a new instrument. I have been borrowing my neighbor's, but since I am moving soon, I've decided to purchase one from Amazon. They have tons of ukuleles on there, weirdly.
    
20. Makes You Laugh: As a person who loves Wes Anderson films this coffee table book always makes me laugh.
    
    Edit: Finished! I love scavenger hunts; it always reminds me what a weirdo I am.

No problem. :)

Ok, so flash is pretty easy. My setup might be a bit outdated, but here is what I use currently:

• Flashes
  
• Transceivers
  
• Controller
  
  I have 3 of those flashes, they're really pretty great if you aren't too snobby about brands. I believe Yongnuo has flashes now with the transmitter built into them, but I have never used those and the only time I've seen them in action it didn't go super well. I'm sure they're fine, I just can't recommend them.
  
  So basically you put the controller on your camera. You put each flash you want to use off camera on the transceivers. The controller lets you adjust each flash's settings remotely and triggers them. It's awesome.
  
  If you generally don't know what you're doing with flash for the reception, it's generally best to bounce the light off the ceiling. Point the flashes roughly upward and fire away. At receptions with a defined dance floor you can get pretty great results by placing them in a couple of the corners. Your light might come back kinda yellow. If you don't want to worry about using gels on your flashes then just keep an eye out for it and adjust the white balance in Lightroom after the fact.
  
  Aside from flashes you will want some modifiers to place on them. When I was starting out the two that I used are these (these aren't the exact ones, but they're close):
  
  
• Flashbender
  
  
• Baby Softbox
  
  So there are probably better modifiers to use, but these are cheap and they work pretty well at diffusing/directing light. The softbox is great for portraits and I frequently would use the flash bender to direct light gently over a wide area, like when the toasts are going on or the bridal party is entering the room or the dance floor. When used correctly you should get pretty great lighting and avoid hard shadows.
  
  Anyways, how I shot those photos. You're generally right. I love shots like that (probably too much), and so I do them all the time. The general idea is the same for all of them, soft light in front and a bright light in the back. Using the specific equipment I listed above, my usual MO is to put a bare flash behind them, typically on the ground (using these)or on a stand as low as possible to the ground. Point it at the couple and slightly upward (photo 1 is the exception, it was pointed essentially straight up to make the gazebo light up like that).
  
  Set up a flash in front of them. In most of those photos I used the flashbender modifier on the flash pointing at the couple to direct but diffuse the light. It helps it look a bit more natural. Generally you want to position it in a way that the shadows aren't too distracting, so do it slightly off to the side to get more natural lighting. Obviously I messed up in a few of mine but it is what it is and most people don't even notice. We're always our own harshest critic.
  
  Next is the settings. This is honestly the toughest part in my opinion. You need to expose for the background you want and then use the flashes to achieve the lighting you want on the subjects. I don't know how to describe this, but the easiest way is with photo #6 on my website. I exposed the photo for the city behind the couple and got the look I wanted, THEN I added flashes and whatnot. General rule of thumb is the light behind the couple should be one step brighter than the light in front. That way you get the glowing backlight effect.
  
  Thanks for the compliments on the photos! I hope this helps. I'm sorry if I did a bad job of explaining things, just ask me to clarify anything you don't understand.
  
  EDIT: All this being said you don't NEED off camera flash. I've shot entire receptions using on-camera flash. The most important thing to remember is you just want to diffuse the light in some way. When you're using flash on camera you typically achieve this by bouncing it at the ceiling. Practice this at home, it usually works pretty well!
  

That's not too shabby actually. I've never worked with a kit using energy efficient bulbs, only higher wattage equipment, but I can't imagine for inside use, especially a normal apartment, being too unwieldy.

From working in the photo studios in the universities I've been in, I would suggest using soft boxes rather than bounce systems though. The bounce systems are going to have a bit more light pollution coming from the exposed bulbs themselves where the boxes will contain the light and only let out the glow from the white screens. A little easier to control and direct. But at the end of the day it really comes down to your budget and what you're comfortable fussing around with!

Here are two that are a bit pricier but give an idea of what I'm talking about.

Number One
and
Number Two

For my videos, and nearly all of my photo work, I use natural and found light. I've done studio work and taught myself how to work with flashes and off camera lights but I always come back to natural lighting. In the videos on my channel I've been using the window in our "dining area." I think it's about 5ftx6ft maybe. I'm probably over exaggerating it but it's a godsend and a was a nice surprise when we looked a the place but I'm getting off track. The reason I shoot with natural light, window light specifically, is I can more often get a hold of some solid chiaroscuro when aiming for lighting situations inspired by Dutch Still Life Painting from the 17th Century. I'm not falling in to full shadows but more taking inspiration.

That direction is really what's most important though. It's not necessarily about what I'm using to get a certain lighting scenario so much as having a clear idea of what kind of light and look I want, and then making it happen to the best of my abilities. The same can go for when you're looking at equipment to purchase, what's going to best suit the look you're wanting? Casey Neistat uses a lot of full frontal lighting to give that "fashion" look occasionally in his studio, a lot of makeup artists on Youtube seem to either be sitting right in front of a window or using a softbox behind their camera to get a bright, full coverage, lighting scenario with fairly natural color to aid their content.

So this reply turned into WAY more than I meant to. I hope I didn't ramble too far off track.

Absolutely! I'm gonna leave it here so anyone scrolling by can see it, but I'll also DM you and the other person who asked for it so you don't have to check back in the thread.

NEEWER 2-Pack 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light, LED Light for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,SONY, Samsung and Olympus Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07438JXM7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cIS2Ab7JHAYCT

(Despite some reviews claiming the battery life is poor or the output is low, I've had nothing but great experiences with these panels. With the batteries I use, I can do a surprising amount of shooting before the batteries die out. Not only that, I only have two batteries. So the fact that it is often enough for what I do is astonishing. Also, the output is just fine. In fact, bright enough at max output that it hurts your eyes without a softbox. With the softbox it is perfectly bright for most occasions. If you need brighter, look into the Neewer CN-216 or CN-304. Just be ready to warn people about their brightness.)

Neewer 5.9x6.7 inches/15x17 centimeters Camera Collapsible Diffuser Mini Softbox for CN-160, CN-126 and CN-216 LED Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OXCGA28/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CQS2AbBYSF5KE

(It has gone up a bit in price since I bought the two that I own, but it still offers excellent performance for the price. These are specifically made for the CN-160 panels. They diffuse light excellently, but at a minor cost. They are a bit of a pain in the ass to place onto the panel. At that price, though, you can't complain too much. You should be careful with them, as some have said that they don't take kindly to being handled roughly. My advise: take your time and do it carefully.)

Neewer 2 Pieces 2600mAh Li-ion Replacement Battery with Charger for Sony NPF550/570/530, Fit for Sony HandyCams, Neewer CN-160 CN-216 LED Light, Neewer 759 74K 760 Feelworld 759 74K 760 Field Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDC47YM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gVS2Ab3RDJ319

(Outside of another tiny price increase, there's not much to say about these. They do the job incredibly well for what I put them through. However, NP F550 type batteries aren't meant to last incredibly long shoots. If you do long shoots, invest in a few more batteries and consoder using the larger capacity NP F750 type batteries.)

Fovitec StudioPRO - 2x 7'6" Classic Light Stand Kit - [Classic][For Photo and Video][Includes Carrying Bag] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNZJLG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j0S2AbBBPVA2J

(These light stands have served me well. But, as with all cheaper gear, they won't withstand care that is too rough. They've handled plenty with me, but I recommend you try to take care of them. Other than that, they're just light stands.)

Bonus:

Neewer 12 x 12-Inches Pack of 8 Transparent Color Correction Lighting Gel Filter in 8 Different Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCIKB5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_f3S2Ab6ZCYTAD

(Some cheap color gels. Get the job done.)

Of course I must include: This is all cheaper starter gear. It is not meant to replace the more expensive light kits that are much more durable, do much more and produce much better results. But restriction breeds creativity. And a passionate, new content creator with a creative eye will make the best of what they have. If you are a starting filmmaker, videographer or photographer, by all means, use this setup. Once you're ready to move onto better, more costly equipment, though, don't hesitate.

Unanswered (again) question from a previous megathread

Author /u/arguellosergio - (Permalink)

Hi Reddit,

I'm looking into buying lighting equipment to be used in crafting both, studio style portraits, and outdoor portraits/fashion shoots, but need help deciding which way to go...

I have narrowed down my possible purchases to the following:

Option A

1. Neewer Vision5 Studio Strobe I selected this because it is powered by its own battery, making it perfect for outdoor stuff.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WWP2HX1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AAWX4OXQA15SW)
   
   
2. 28" Folding Beauty Dish As I'll be buying all this during an upcoming trip to the US, getting a regular BD wouldn't be convenient for me because of transportation back to my home country.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014EGV2XO/ref=o.x_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ASVCIQHJ3IEV7)
   
   
3. 55" Octabox with Grid
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G31O5UQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER)
   
   Option B
   
   
4. 32" Wescott Rapid Box Duo with Deflector Plate I chose this because it would be portable and it would allow me to mount two speedlights instead of one for more power. Also, Wescott is, I believe, a well regarded lighting company. By also getting the Deflector Plate, the octabox effectively becomes a Beauty Dish.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P5FBA54/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AHANP7RK1NKEU)
   
   I am inspired by Luke Fontana's, Emily Soto's, and Joey L's styles of lighting, so more of a one/two light scenario mainly, nothing terribly elaborate. My budget is between $400-$500.
   
   What do y'all think would be the best purchase? Feel free to offer alternatives to the options I posted, though I would love to hear your comments based on the gear I've tentatively selected.
   
   
   

Hi Reddit,

I'm looking into buying lighting equipment to be used in crafting both, studio style portraits, and outdoor portraits/fashion shoots, but need help deciding which way to go...

I have narrowed down my possible purchases to the following:

Option A

1. Neewer Vision5 Studio Strobe I selected this because it is powered by its own battery, making it perfect for outdoor stuff.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WWP2HX1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AAWX4OXQA15SW)
   
   
2. 28" Folding Beauty Dish As I'll be buying all this during an upcoming trip to the US, getting a regular BD wouldn't be convenient for me because of transportation back to my home country.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014EGV2XO/ref=o.x_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ASVCIQHJ3IEV7)
   
   
3. 55" Octabox with Grid
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G31O5UQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER)
   
   Option B
   
   
4. 32" Wescott Rapid Box Duo with Deflector Plate I chose this because it would be portable and it would allow me to mount two speedlights instead of one for more power. Also, Wescott is, I believe, a well regarded lighting company. By also getting the Deflector Plate, the octabox effectively becomes a Beauty Dish.
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P5FBA54/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AHANP7RK1NKEU)
   
   I am inspired by Luke Fontana's, Emily Soto's, and Joey L's styles of lighting, so more of a one/two light scenario mainly, nothing terribly elaborate. My budget is between $400-$500.
   
   What do y'all think would be the best purchase? Feel free to offer alternatives to the options I posted, though I would love to hear your comments based on the gear I've tentatively selected.
   
   
   

1. You don't even have to get a full-on camcorder. I mostly use the vid feature in our point-and-shoot (Canon SD1000 Elph) and get great results... And pretty much any cheap Canon or Fuji is going to be better than your phone.
   
   
2. I actually prefer to shoot during the day, but our bedroom is located in the back where we can keep the windows wide open. We do hotel shots this way too. I just like the natural lighting better. Night shots with only indoor lighting can be tricky, especially if you don't want everything either in shadows or yellow-tone. You could provide your own photo lamp for cheap...provided your gf doesn't mind the "studio" feel vs. you just filming your sex...lol.
   
   
3. I wouldn't worry too much about a backdrop unless you want to hide some clutter/family photos/whatever. My suggestion there is to just go to a fabric store and get something mostly plain, big enough for what you need, and....get creative how you hang it. I've used push pins in the ceiling, small clips to hold it up, etc...
   
   
4. Just be relaxed about it without too much "directing" unless/until she's comfortable with it.
   
   When you do get another camera (or video), use both and you can edit them together pretty easily. I like having the video camera set wide, and the hand held for the POV/closeups, etc.
   
   Get your gf involved. Ask what she wants to do. Let her hold the camera for different perspectives.
   
   AND HAVE FUN!

I'm trying to make a large LED grid (23x10 with 4inx4in squares), and I've been experimenting with what the cheapest way to do it is. I can make one of these for around 75 cents USD. The layers are:

1. Balsa square backplane: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MM185Q2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Reflective aluminum tape (helps increase the brightness a bit)
   
3. Single WS2812B RBG LED: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014QKWJDU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
4. Soldered on connectors: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EV70C78/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
5. 4x4 housing square made from gluing together 3 4x1s from home depot
   
6. Tracing paper square
   
7. Nylon Silk cloth square: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XSBDWXX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   It's pretty easy to construct (the hardest part is soldering on the connectors), but I have several complaints I'd love cheap alternatives to.
   
   

• The frame is thicker than I'd like. I think I can fix this by just sawing off some of the edges - going to play with this later.
  
• I don't know for sure the tape is helping compared to light colored wood.
  
• I'm slightly concerned about heat, but I'm testing that now.
  
• I'd love to find a cheap 3-pin connector so I don't have to solder all of these.
  
• **The main problem I'm having is sufficiently diffusing the light over the square.** The camera makes it look more pronounced than it is, but there's a definite circle in the middle where the LED is. I've tried facing it the other way (towards the reflective tape), but then you get the shadow of the LED ribbon, which looks worse. I've also tried more/different layers of diffusion material. Materials I've tried (in many combinations and at many distances) include:
  
  • Tissues
    
  • Regular paper
    
  • Card stock drawing paper
    
  • Paper towel
    
  • Toilet paper
    
  • Nylon diffusion fabric
    
  • Tracing paper
    
    The ones that work the best are the tracing and nylon, but it's still not great.
    
    Happy to talk about the project, and would love advice if anyone has done something similar!
    
    ​
    
    Edit: I just tried making the housing thicker (from 0.5in to 1.5in) and it made it a LOT better. I think I'm happy with it now as long as I can find a way to clean up the edges.

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY PEEPS! Where you at?!


Hello guys! I’m an industrial design student, and am looking for a lens to do product photography, as well as continuous lighting. My budget is about $650.
I currently have a canon t5i, with the stock lens, with a tripod, memory card, batteries and all that Jazz.

I initially was looking at a Tonika macro lens. But the fine people at B&H suggested a 50 mm prime lens.

I don’t know which direction to go in regards to lenses and everywhere online says one thing is better than the other, so it’s confusing.

Next, I wanted some lighting, so I looked on amazon, and lo and behold, there’s something Chinese that looks too good to be true.
But it has good reviews, and ultimately I’m a beginner, so I feel this might be good enough for me? If you know other lights in this price range let me know.

And if you can, please recommend anything else I might need for studio photography (those little grey cards that do a thing, or whatever else).

I’d super appreciate it! Thanks guys and gals :)

Hi all! I'm looking to make an entry into speedlight photography. On one of my threads a few months ago, the overwhelming consensus was to buy 3rd party flashes. There were a few recommendations given, but as it was some time ago, I'd like to know what is currently the best recommendations for 3rd party speedlights. I'm starting from scratch with regards to lighting equipment, so I'll need flashes, stands, transmitters/receivers etc. I'm looking to spend around £100, if possible.

Would this be a good deal? - https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEEWER-4-Color-Display-High-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B011BJXWOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048783&sr=8-1&keywords=Neewer%2BNW985&th=1

I also hear good things about Yongnuo. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

EDIT: and what about this, in terms of stands and umbrellas? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Speedlight-Umbrella-600EX-RT-Youngnuo/dp/B01ABFSAPU/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp

I am interested in learning to take better indoor portraits. I am willing to buy some gear, but cost is a factor as I do not know how I'll take to it, or how much I will use it.

The equipment I have available is:

• Nikon D750
  
• f/4 24-120 kit lens (so at least I can hit that 85mm - 105mm spot. I also have the 70-300 but I can't imagine it would be better.
  
• 2x Nikon SB-600 strobes, which can be commanded remotely by the camera body
  
• A couple of half-assed craft foam diffusers
  
  As far as I can tell right now the biggest problem I have is with the quality of light. The homemade diffusers that I have are a great improvement over naked flash, but they simply don't make big, soft light.
  
  It's my hope that I can find a couple of inexpensive softboxes and stands to improve my lighting, and hopefully someone may have recommendations there. I saw this on another thread, for example: http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Off-Camera-Umbrella-Umbrellas-Shoemount/dp/B008S1W19Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1384792982&sr=8-8&keywords=flash+umbrella
  
  I am willing to get a 3rd strobe which seems like it would be awfully useful for removing shadows from the backdrop, but I don't know if it is necessary.
  
  Bottom line... Decent camera, passable lens, 2 serviceable strobes... what else do I need to get to shoot a decent indoor portrait on a budget?
  

/u/lk427 - if you don't have a video capable smartphone - or if you prefer the large sensor, interchangeable lens camera 'look' to cellphone video, it is possible to get a small studio started within your camera budget (you will need to budget additional $ for sound). Here is what I recommend [Referral Links]:

Camera and Support

• [Used Canon EOS M with 22mm f2 low light lens and battery (no charger) - $239.77] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B008NENG1A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&condition=used&creative=390957&keywords=Canon%20EOS%20M&linkCode=ur2&qid=1458546982&sr=8-6&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  
• [Basic Vivitar 50" tripod - $12.90] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=381533415124&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg)
  
  Lighting
  
  
• [Neewer Studio Daylight Umbrella Light Kit - $47.99] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VWD2VUG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00VWD2VUG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  This setup will cost a total of $300.66 and will give you a camera that can produce images that look like this:
  
  
• [Canon EOS M I A Lazy Sunday] (http://vimeo.com/80326419)
  
  
• [KEEP RIDING # 2 / Best Bodin] (http://vimeo.com/76644441)
  
  
• [Canon EOS M Video: New York City] (http://vimeo.com/55604121)
  
  
• [Cats & Cameras in Taipei & Tai O] (http://vimeo.com/61150313)
  
  And with the free Magic Lantern RAW firmware modification, it can produce images that looks like this:
  
  Fashion: [Twenty Something Magazine :: Averi by Chad Cosper] (http://vimeo.com/72938179)
  
  Dance: [Air Flare DanyzoO by DanyzoO] (https://vimeo.com/74902807)
  
  Live music: [Angry Toddlers by Max Rottersman] (http://vimeo.com/75122636#t=38s)
  
  Travel: [Walk around Moscow river EOS M Magic Lantern RAW by Andrey Nikiforov] (https://vimeo.com/105755832)
  
  The EOS M is a great value for your money (especially used) and is probably the best large sensor, interchangeable lens option in your price range.
  
  Hope this is helpful and good luck with your new filmmaking career!

hey something I actually know something about. I too used to steam on twitch, and close to when I stopped streaming I got a green screen (went back to college). You're going to want SOFT consistent light on your green screen. Hard light can work but I would not recommend it. You'll also want light on yourself to help you stand out from the green screen, the name of the game here is contrast. I would recommend a three light set up, two focused on the green screen, it might seem like over kill, but trust me a well lit green screen will make everything look so much better and the set up so much smoother. depending on your budget I would recommend this https://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-H9004SB2-Photography-Continuous-Hairlight/dp/B00MBVOIJU/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444402&sr=1-6&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit

something a little more budget friendly https://www.amazon.com/Safstar-Photography-Softbox-Lighting-Equipment/dp/B01G76VBBW/ref=sr_1_45?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444542&sr=1-45&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit also you'll need a light for you https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-50cmx70cm-Softbox-Diffuser-fluorescent/dp/B00GLMI44K/ref=sr_1_25?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444634&sr=1-25&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit

also when you get everything and you're ready to set it all up this video helped me figure it all out. https://youtu.be/33HXwK8MIfI?t=2m20s

cheers!

Let me trow my two cents into the ring.

When you say HQ video I assume you mean 1080p. That can be had much cheaper and that at good quality. More than good enough for a studio setting and interview work.

This is a good perspective by Casey Neistat on gear you need:
https://youtu.be/nLSUrTxquyE

With that being said, what most people forget is that lighting, the audio, knowing how to setup and just a little prep that can make all the difference.

In all honesty you could just buy this:

• CANON VIXIA R500
  
  
• Photo Studio Lighting Kit-3
  
  
• Rode Videomic
  
  
• Zoom H2n
  
  
• RODE invisiLav
  
  Now you are at $790.96. Bottom of your budget. Now make improvements on your kit. Maybe get a whole different camera, get another light, or additional Zoom Audio recorders. The H1 is my backup to a H4.
  
  Buying a high end camera is no guarantee that you get good video if all other factors are not right!
  
  Most important are the people that will do the interview. Do yourself a favor and broswe some youtube videos like these:
  
  https://youtu.be/LWpwgDqSkQw
  
  https://youtu.be/E26xv-bZfUU
  
  
  Best of luck!

Do you have any examples of a "great portable light"?. Are you talking about a full time light? a strobe? a Flash?

At this point, not really being a portrait photographer, I'm leaning towards spending a little less for gear as long as its reliable. I don't need anything that's fancy. For a flash, I think I'm mostly looking for something that can give me manual control and Master/Slave options for later... Not sure what else I "need". (Do I need TTL? will I want it in the future? Manual mode is great when you can setup shots, but will I want TTL for outdoor fills?)

Reality is, I simply can't spend $150 on a light alone at this point.


What would be the big downsides to say something like a Yongnuo YN-560 II? for $70. How does it compare to say a LumoPro LP160 which is twice the price. Both of which do not have TTL (correct?).

Then adding a simple Stand/Umbrella setup for ~30-40/ea. I know the quality here will be less than "par", but as long as the locks hold tight and I can weigh it down with a bag, I should be good... (not being heavy enough is a concern though, as I plan on using it outdoors... but then again, I'd be caring them around so I don't want things to heavy). Looking at these... CowboyStudio Single Setup, ePhoto (two stand setup), Thoughts?

As for a wireless flash system to invest in, This I could see putting some money into as It would be expanded upon later down the road. But I don't expect to be getting some ridiculous system either. Some of the cheaper wireless flash triggers didn't lock onto the stand, which means the flash isn't secure either... That steered me away from those, so I'm still looking. I was looking at Yongnuo RF-603 until I noticed that.

My debate at the moment is, do I need TTL, or simply Manual control? I played with a friends Canon 550EX (II I think) last night, and ended up sticking to manual mode the entire time... Granted, that was in a controlled situation and I was able to play around with the flash settings. I could see where the TTL would be great for getting the right fill in an outdoor shot.

Ahhhh!!..... (haha)

Which lighting would look more natural, flash with a softbox pointed at the subject or a flash with a deflector attached "bouncing" at the subject?

---

I was thinking about getting a film camera and the N8008s seems like a good choice, but I don't have any Nikon lenses, can anyone recommend a good cheap 50mm that would work on it? It's ok if its manual.

---

In your opinion do you think a used GoPro Hero 2014 for like $60-$70 is worth it mainly for casual timelapses and some underwater footage?

Well I won't get much use out of them for about a week, but just so you're aware it costs 150 for just one of these lights brand new, so keep that in mind! Best lighting setup you can get for the money other than that is probably something like this

In theory those lights sound good, but in reality they're really not versatile at all. To change the colour balance you have to change all the bulbs as opposed to throwing on a filter or a gel, they're super bulky, they're light and flimsy so if you're dealing with wind they'll blow all over the place, and finally they take forever to set up.

Sorry if I seem like I'm insulting your intelligence, I'm just assuming you're some what of a beginner like me.

I scan all of my RGD drawings and primarily work in graphite. I use a canoscan 8600f but I believe they have updated the model to the 9000. It works pretty well. Sometimes the dark pencils (the ole' 9b) can get reflective, particularly when you mix media and they are drawn on a dark surface. The only way to avoid that is to make a whole elaborate setup. Black felt behind the art. Studio lighting. Then you can spread you light sources so wide they won't reflect as much.

By that point, if you aren't working to large, it's easier to just scan and use a white balance card. Just include that little guy into the scan and use the black, white, and grey eyedropper tools in the "levels" settings in Photoshop. Any reflections, you can edit out to make it match the real values of the drawing.

_Dead's suggestion with the shade is the best method for shooting on a larger scale and don't have the resources for a fancy pants setup. Cell phones won't have the best camera for shooting the art but you gotta use what you gotta use.

Just remember, even with a white balance card, the most important thing is making sure the lighting is EVEN. Try your best to make sure there are no hot-spots of light because that is the most difficult to adjust later.

I can go into more detail on fancy pants rigs if needed.

I'd suggest leaning more toward lights and skipping the green screen. Green screening takes quite a bit of work if you aren't used to it, and if the woodworking is his true hobby, he may find it distracts him from his projects. How would the green screen add to his videos?

A mid-low range LED panel like this http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-600-3200K-temperature-Camcorder/dp/B00E4LFP0G would look great and fit the budget, paired with a bit of diffusion like this: http://www.amazon.com/ALZO-Diffusion-Fabric-Un-Finished-Scissor-Cut/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451763150&sr=8-1&keywords=diffusion would look really awesome.

That camera isn't terribly spectacular (which is fine - if it works, it works) so I'd stay away from buying accessories like lenses specifically for it.

He's a lucky guy! Once he gets a chance to incorporate his birthday gifts, shoot us a link to his channel so we can give him some views.

I've used a wide variety in my gallery over the years. The short answer is that LEDs are probably the way to go. They generally have good color rendering, don't put out excessive UV, aren't expensive, turn on instantly, don't flicker (usually), and don't use a lot of power or generate a lot of heat.

I ideally like to have both track lighting and non-directional lighting like fluorescent tubes. Track lighting is better for some work, but non-directional lighting is better for other work and for photographing the show. In my gallery for non-directional lighting I have 2x2 foot dimmable LED panels that people usually think are skylights because they're installed in recessed ceiling wells.

My LED panels are daylight color temperature, and my track lighting is one step warmer than daylight.

edit: This is what I'm currently using for my cans: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011KD5V54/

Also, sometimes good to have some of this diffusion cloth on hand for tricky lighting situations: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XPUV1XM/

Best bang for your buck when it comes to portraits (based on what you currently own) is a lighting setup. 2 yongnuo 560exIV's and a transmitter should be around the 150-200$ mark. Some cheap umbrellas and stands can be found sub 75$ for a kit on amazon. Leaves you enough to either upgrade your body to something with faster AF and ISO for outdoors stuff (Maybe the latest and greatest rebel?) or get an 85mm F/1.8 lens which would be my go-to for portraits.

LINKS

Yongnuo Flash kit (Everything you need)

Complete umbrella setup

The difference in quality of photos by upgrading to an older FF or getting a new lens will be significantly less than by upgrading your lighting. Yongnuo also makes an extremely cheap flash with TTL so you can set it to auto when going around the house chasing moments. Toss a tiny softbox on it and slap it on the top of your camera and you'll be amazed at how nice the pics turn out.

I'm looking to buy some lights for photography. I do film work so I feel more at home with continuous lighting.

I was thinking between softboxes or shoot through umbrellas like these

https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Photography-Portrait-Umbrella-Lighting/dp/B00VWD2VUG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1492787413&sr=8-4&keywords=umbrella+photo

I found some on ebay as well, as Neewer but each stand had space for two bulbs on each mount. That seems like the better option but I'd like to confirm

Does this seem like the right choice? Quick set up seems better than hassling with cheap softboxes, just wanted to know what you guys recommend.

>am looking for a lens to do product photography

How big are the products?

> I initially was looking at a Tonika macro lens.

Are any of the products very small, like jewelry? Or do you want extreme close-up detail filling the whole shot (items bigger than your hand going off the edges of the frame)?

If not, you don't need a macro lens.

> But the fine people at B&H suggested a 50 mm prime lens.

If you don't need an extreme close-up, that's probably good.

> Next, I wanted some lighting, so I looked on amazon, and lo and behold, there’s something Chinese that looks too good to be true. But it has good reviews, and ultimately I’m a beginner, so I feel this might be good enough for me?

I'd hate to use it for portraits because of making subjects squint and contracting their pupils; also no output adjustment, and low output overall. But I guess it's okay for products since you could always just do a long exposure with a tripod if the output isn't enough.

> please recommend anything else I might need for studio photography (those little grey cards that do a thing, or whatever else)

Again, it depends on the products.

Unless you have sunlight mixing in through a window or something, you probably don't need a gray card. Or you only really have use for it once. That would serve as a calibration point to compensate for the color of the light you're using. But if the light is staying the same, you don't have to keep readjusting that.

Okay so here's the deal - f/2.8 will get you a full additional stop of light, which while significant, probably isn't enough to solve the problem on its own - and then you're working even harder to keep anything in focus.

While that lens would be a totally nice upgrade, for this particular use, I think it would be MUCH more cost effective for you to spend a few hundred dollars on some continuous lighting fixtures with softboxes (perhaps like this) and keep using the lens you've already got.

You don't need to get that specific setup, but it's a decently low cost way to get started, and for a couple hundred USD you get a pair of light fixtures with some ability to adjust power up/down to help with your exposure.

Good luck!

> 1. Will do, any tripods that you recommend?

This is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004XC3GZW

Very decent for the price.

> 1. "exposure compensation setting " Do Iphones have this setting? Or only digital cameras?

Any decent digital camera should have an exposure compensation. It might be called "EV"

> 1. Ok will do. Do you think I need more lumen for the lights?

Maybe. More light is usually better. You can get much brighter light bulbs: http://www.amazon.com/Eiko-81181-Spiral-Compact-Fluorescent/dp/B000IBQ68G

Or even, ee gads, these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBS73I which is what I use. I don't recommend them though. They are too big and almost too bright sometimes. I bought them because I needed something stupid bright for shooting videos.

> 1. Will I need a tripod for for the Studio that you recommended?

Probably should, especially with the bulbs it comes with. A lot of people don't like using tripods because it's easier to just hold the camera and shoot. But, the photo quality will always be higher w/ a tripod because the camera doesn't move or shake. Since the camera won't move and cause blur, you can use much longer exposure times which allows you to use a smaller aperture (more of the image is in focus) and lower ISO (less color noise in the image).

Also, if you have 1) the budget and 2) the space for it, you might look at a bit nicer lighting kit that has multiple bulbs inside a soft box. Something like this, http://www.amazon.com/Linco_store-Lighting-Background-Photography-Fluorescent/dp/B00IRXMH0S (not a recommendation). The more light you have, the less you need a tripod etc. But, most people get by with way less than that.

Ok how's 3 tiers?

First tier is very basic. Any kit like this should do the trick. You would most likely put one light on either side while your product is on a table, then have the 3rd light pointed at a wall behind the table.


A step up from that would be a basic set of speedlights like this paired with one of these or an umbrella (two if you're feeling ambitious one on each side, then snag another flash for a BG light) Flashes are better vs continuous lighting from the first link as they allow you more control and let you modify the light easier (with softboxes and other various things, this would allow you to get softer light, harsher light, more focused light, etc etc) You can also bounce them off a white ceiling at higher power which would act like a big softbox overhead.

Top tier for someone starting out would be a set of alien bees Paired with a couple of softboxes and a background light. They take up more space and I wouldn't recommend them if you're just getting your feet wet. (mine are set up all the time and I shoot stuff like this and this with them. )

This is what I have http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y31FHC/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They have a really strong light but its also soft, I've never used more then one at a time because it really brightens the room. One thing I have noticed though is that it gives a slight blue tint the videos I make with it. No idea why. But yeah, for only a tad over $50 pretty good!

> That's super daunting.

That sentence speaks to me on a spiritual level haha.

Thank you for the link to that video!

My biggest concern is the power supply, as I won't be plugging this into a wall. I need to make sure that it's either something I can power via batteries or some alternative power supply like a power bank. Maybe I can hook it up to my wheelchair battery with some power cables? It's 12 volt.

As far as diffusing the light, I'm not really worried about that and have no plans to do so but if I do end up changing my mind I'll just go cheap and get some of that diffusion fabric stuff.

Thank you so, so much for your input it is much appreciated! Seriously.

My dental work is finally done. Complete. Finished. I'm not going back for a while. Good riddance.

So, my church has been trying to get into streaming for the last year. Just a basic type of stream with a single camera pointing at a couch, with some live music and a reading of that week's sermon. The church board allocated $3000 to the project, their blessing, and then nothing happened for months.

A couple weeks ago, they tried their first stream. The camera "broke" so they streamed on a cellphone with a bitrate resembling pre-2000 internet videos. The next week was the same thing. Then, they got the camera "working" but the framerate was low, the image was stuttery and it was blurry like it was zoomed in and not in HD. The audio was also really echoy, and the lighting was just light coming from the pastor's office window.

I'm a media guy, and while my specialty is mostly in radio/audio tech, I've done work with streaming and video production in the past. Knowing that the budget would be tight, I came in with a list of recommendations to vastly improve the quality of the streams and to teach basic broadcasting procedures. What I walked into was a bit of a trainwreck.

The church administrator was tasked with acquiring the streaming equipment. After a false start with a video camera that couldn't stream video, he ended up getting a DSLR camera. The image quality is actually quite nice, but it has to be fully charged before the stream, whatever. He bought a USB 3.0 video link cable for the camera, which actually works brilliantly, but nobody involved knew that a USB 3.0 cable goes into a USB 3.0 slot. They were putting it into USB 2.0 slots and wondering why the video was absolutely terrible.

My church has an absolute wealth of microphones of all different styles for many different purposes. Instead of buying a cheap XLR interface or splurging on a USB soundboard, the admin bought a Blue Yeti. Aside from being useless as a room mic, it not only cost more, but the audio quality is vastly worse than even the cheapest stage mics we have on hand. I'm sure one of the pastors can find a use for this (I know that they record stuff for people), it has no place anywhere near someone's streaming setup. I have to lend/give my current XLR-interface from home to rectify this.

Speaking of audio, the office they chose to stream in has a reverb problem. I get that they don't want to spend a lot of money or convert the room into a studio (I mean, it is a pastor's office), but the echo is too distracting for the average person. If the audio sucks, nobody is going to want to watch this thing. I get to talk with the property team this Sunday to get some hooks installed along the walls to hang some old, heavy blankets from. They can hide them away when they're not filming, and it will make a massive difference to the echo issue. If we somehow don't have blankets on hand, that's probably the easiest donation to ever ask for.

When the blankets go up, I need the office window covered, because the natural lighting is absolutely terrible. It makes everyone look flat, kinda washed out, and casts shadows on people's faces. I'm gonna try to wrangle up the ~$150 required to get a basic 2-box lighting kit that can be stored when not streaming.

So, they decided to stream with OBS, which gets my approval, but there are issues. They're using a 4-year-old laptop, which surprisingly isn't the limiting factor here. Nobody knew what they were doing with settings, so they were streaming in 733p and outputting at an even worse resolution. They also couldn't figure out how to remove the camera overlay that showed up on the screen, so they had zoomed in to crop that out, and tried streaming like that. Despite using the USB mic, they were only taking in laptop microphone audio. They turned the program on, figured out how to get the camera to feed, and then hit stream. I have no other explanation.

Simply said, I am taking over this project. Everything I said here is fundamental to basic broadcasting, and is the cheapest professional-quality setup I can currently imagine that won't be total jank. I hope there's budget left, but I think the entire $3000 was spent on the streaming couch, camera, usb mic, the camera cable and other nonsense.

I've got a lot of work to do. I told people involved in the project that I'm experienced with streaming and broadcasting production and offered insight throughout, which was ignored. I can't believe how out of hand this whole thing got.

You have a unique closet with lots of great valuable pieces. It's worth it for you to invest in some equipment. Lightweight box and dress form would drastically improve your photos and presentation. You can purchase both for $100 on Amazon.

For your jewelry, I'd buy neutral color jewelry display stands. Personally black doesn't photo well.

I'll do some digging around and edit with links to what example of what I'm talking about. Keep in mind, after you finish selling your stuff (if Poshmark hasnt become habit forming) and if youre done with Poshmark you can always sell your equipment on Ebay. You have high-end unique items that will sell, and professional equipment will speed up the process.

edit:

Jewerly Supplies

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jewelry-Display-Storage-Mannequin-Necklace-Bracelet-Watch-Stand-Holder-16-Kinds/172994771570?hash=item28474aba72:m:muw3aBw2N5WY3Z8YFbBxLzw

Small box for photos -- jewelry and shoes etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Jewellery-Photography-Shooting-Backdrops/dp/B078ZT9L9F/ref=pd_sbs_421_4/130-8055746-7930327?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B078ZT9L9F&pd_rd_r=034f5813-72d6-11e9-a70e-fdfd69152f1b&pd_rd_w=K3SxU&pd_rd_wg=Yadx3&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=V72S5QS2V6DW9H5CW7P6&psc=1&refRID=V72S5QS2V6DW9H5CW7P6

Set of softbox lights

https://www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Continuous-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=lightbox+photography&qid=1557460179&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Dress form

https://www.amazon.com/Bonnlo-Female-Pinnable-Mannequin-Wooden/dp/B072VHFBSJ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=dress+form&qid=1557460275&s=photo&sr=8-2

This is the setup I got and it's been amazing for me. It includes everything you'll need for a standard setup + extras like different colored backdrops and extra lights.

The optimal setup for lighting (not trained in this just what my research told me Kappa) would be four lights. Two in front of you separated by about 6 feet aimed directly at you and one on each side of you aimed between where you sit and your green screen. The two in front are just your base lighting for you and the screen, the two at you sides are to keep the green screen from reflecting onto your clothes and to keep shadows off the screen.

Again not trained but from what I've read it's best to use softboxes for lighting. Personally using that kit I have the two softboxes in front of me and the two umbrella lights to my sides.

I'm not sure about material honestly.

Also if there's any photographers or trained professionals feel free to roast me because I'd also like to know in case I'm doing something terribly wrong.

A lot of Youtubers have simple lighting kits that work really well and increase the quality of the video drastically. Something like this would work well for just starting out and it's super affordable.

http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Umbrella-Continuous-Lighting-Photography/dp/B013JV3J1I/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1463778143&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=lighting+kit&psc=1

These are my lights.

> 15 x 45 Watt Compact Fluorescent Perfect Daylight Balance Light Bulb (equals 3000 watt)

I have a Canon ELPH 300 HS I can use, but believe it or not I specifically bought the iPhone 6 due to the rave reviews the camera got. It's also nice to have such a huge screen to see what I'm filming. I'd really like to use the iPhone 6 and am just hoping I have something set wrong.

In last week's 'ask anything' thread there was a discussion about studio lighting for film in which I mentioned picking up a cheap 5500k CFL continuous setup -- this one -- and there was a question of how well the florescents would play with film. I said I'd post some shots from my first test roll, so here are a couple of frames:

one, two

Thoughts/notes:

• Portra 160, no colour correction.
  
• Definitely quite a bit warmer than I expected.
  
• I don't find the cast disagreeable, although I am admittedly a bit colour blind sometimes.
  
• I didn't really follow the 1/60th rule that you're supposed to when shooting with florescents. I shot as fast as 1/250 on this roll and as far as I can tell there isn't any noticeable deviation in lighting quality across the shots. Possibly I am just a lucky guy?
  
• I have next to zero experience with artificial lighting, so I hope no one takes offense to the oddball setup I've got going on here. Two CFL clusters, one front-right-side at about eye level, and another in back (as you can see), pointed toward the subject/camera. No other light sources in the room - this was at night.
  
• She's not sad, she just good at pretending.
  
  Hopefully this is of interest to some!
  
  
  

I can see the album of the build but I don't see the white umbrellas over the lights? Unless you're referring to the normal lamp (not sure the right name for it) mantle/light cover?


Did you put mini light diffusers on it like these or something similar?


The end result is great!

The AmazonBasics flash is ~$30 and is just a rebranded Neewer model. It's full manual, but if you're shooting off camera with speedlights, with the A6000 that's the only game in town anyway. (If there's a TTL wireless transmitter/receiver out there for the Sony multi-interface shoe, I'm not sure).

For stands and umbrellas, when I started off Cowboy Studio stuff was inexpensive and relatively good quality to price. I'm not sure if it's still that way, but if you're looking to keep it cheap to start with, it's not a bad way to go. Same with their wireless transmitter, but Neewer has one for $16 on Amazon right now that comes with 2 receivers.

(The one thing to keep in mind is that the hotshoe on the black A6000 is painted/coated, so the transmitter may have issues grounding, but I haven't had one of these in hand for several years, and I'm having difficulty remembering if the transmitter required a ground spot in the first place, as it's just a simple "pop the flash" affair. You should be fine though.)

So for a starter kit to learn off camera stuff, I'd say go with 2 of the AmazonBasics Flashes

This umbrella/stand kit

And the above mentioned trigger set. That's around $130 and two lights should be plenty to get you started. Maybe even consider getting some softboxes while you're at it.

Since you're just getting started with it, I wouldn't dump too much money into it for now. Those two flashes with umbrellas/soft boxes will be plenty to just get the basics down, learn the different lighting styles, and decide if shooting with flash is where you want to go.

From there, shelling out for some PocketWizards, Profoto strobes, and all the high end kit is up to you!

I'm a woodworker who makes bowls and smaller pieces and such. I need to upgrade my lighting and background. (I have access to a pretty good camera/ use my iphone when in a pinch)

The way I see it, these are my 3 options:

1. This lightbox and lamp kit from amazon. I had made my own light box but wasnt happy with its performance.
   
   
2. These softboxes from amazon, plus a roll of background paper. The more expensive option and much more robust, but I can see this will give better lighting.
   
   
3. another possibility I haven't considered

I use cheap bright green cloth which hangs up on a cheap wooden curtain rod.
Its all about good lighting

These are cheap and work well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01G76VBBW/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?ie=UTF8&qid=1522709430&sr=8-19&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Studio+lights&dpPl=1&dpID=41Fi6QuFg1L&ref=plSrch

I also use a very bright light in the light socket in my room.

I bought a kit exactly like this as my first lighting kit:
https://www.amazon.com/Linco-Lincostore-Lighting-Photography-Fluorescent/dp/B00IRXMH0S/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1519524591&sr=8-25&keywords=softbox+light+kit

I've used it so many times it's paid for itself over and over. Getting a few softboxes will set you up for most lighting situations where characters are sitting around talking to each other interviews etc. They're not powerful enough to shoot in through windows to simulate daylight but, they are powerful enough to put behind a set of closed blinds to make it look like it's day light out there. Anyway if you're starting out, get something like that.

After practicing lighting for 5 years now I have this kit:
https://www.adorama.com/fgts4k.html

Which can do a lot more but is more expensive.

Yes! Our entire cost for the photo booth was around $200 -

$80 for a canon selphy photo printer (ebay)

$50 for the simple booth app

$10 for an iPad tripod

$10 for a photo cutter

$20 for extra printer paper (we had about 80 guests and still have some left over)

$25 for photo booth ['accessories']
(https://www.amazon.com/Graduation-Birthdays-Accessories-Christmas-GreenLF/dp/B074DZT2JM/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1519329542&sr=1-8&keywords=photo+booth+props)

We already had the box lights but you can find a set of two for around ~$50.

You can do it cheaper if you don't want to print photos... I really wanted to have doubles of every strip for our guestbook. We had guests tape their 'extra' strip into a paper scrapbook and write little notes. It's one of my favorite mementos.


You can also set up the app to email/text photos guests, in addition to sending copies to a dropbox or a tumblr and then you could share the link with guests.

It was really simple and so much cheaper than any professional service I researched.

Then you will want TTL.

https://www.amazon.com/Thinklite-TT685C-Camera-Cameras-Autoflash/dp/B013FM8X0S

That is your AA powered version from Godox.

https://www.amazon.com/Godox-V860II-C-Pioneering-Wireless-Speedlite/dp/B01E15Y44C

is the battery pack version. I personally prefer AA speedlights most of the time because I can always find AA batteries and carry extras. However the battery pack version does have a faster recharge, and is rated for 650 full power flashes, a respectable number but you won't get that many with TTL.

I would also recommend picking up a cheap on flash mini softbox for the times you can't bounce.

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Foldable-Softbox-Speedlights-Panasonic/dp/B003Y30334 fits in a pocket when not in use or https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Diffuser-Reflector-Kit-Positionable/dp/B01LZRBOME are both things I have used. I don't like the plastic omibounce caps, but you might like those as an option as well

As far as lighting, depending on your budget and if you plan to green screen, you can get anything from a regular lamp from walmart or you can get a cheap but good studio lighting kit. Up to you.

If you're gonna use a green screen you want at least two sources of light, one from each side to eliminate shadows. This is the same kit that I use and it has been a phenomenal setup.

If you don't need a green screen and either don't mind some shadows or can mount the light straight on, then you can get a single studio light as well.

Are the flash attachment reflectors useful?

Things like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rogue-FlashBender-Small-Positionable-Reflector/dp/B003UOIMBW/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1422190550&sr=8-6&keywords=flash+reflector

Are there any recommended ones?

I used a Nikon D7000, with a 35mm f1.8 Lens (about $199). For a background, I used a roll of white paper from Utrecht (about $20). Lighting was from two $169/pair soft boxes from Amazon.com positioned low and close on either side. I shot from a tripod angled directly above.

However if you have cool neighbors, you can get similar results shooting in a tablecloth outside on a cloudy day. Here are some examples shot outside:

• https://imgur.com/a/qAJ7o
  
  
  
  As a bonus, the soft boxes make awesome work bench lights.

I wish someone would have given me this list when I started. For about $360 the list below gives you everything you need. I highly recommend against recording on your phone. There is also a lot of great free software out there for recording video for both PC and Mac. I use XSplit personally, even if I'm not streaming. You could probably find the light set without the green screen for a little cheaper if you want, but I wouldn't go any cheaper on the microphones, soundboard or webcam. With all this you'll have a semi-professional setup at an affordable budget.


2x Microphones ($70) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XOXRTX6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


2x Microphone XLR Cables ($20) https://www.amazon.com/XLR-Microphone-Cable-Feet-Female/dp/B06XC6435F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503965340&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=xlr+male+to+female&psc=1


1 USB Mixer ($60) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503964969&sr=8-3&keywords=xenyx


Light Set ($150) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019GTCNXC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Webcam ($60) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

1. Are lights something I can skimp on? I don't have a studio and I shoot mostly outside, but I've been looking at flashes and umbrellas to practice with. Is this stuff okay, and can I take it outside? I use a Nikon D750, if that matters.
   
   
2. I don't understand how the aperture shape affects bokeh. I see bokeh made of hearts and stuff, but how?

I used to do professional lighting, and here is my best trick in a pinch:

• Buy one of these
  
• Put this bulb in it
  
• Tape some of this in front of it or mount the light directly in front of you but facing a white wall.
  
• ???
  
• Profit

I'll link below what I bought. It was on sale when I got it - about 10 bucks cheaper than it is now - but it is worth every penny. It doesn't look like natural light, but my photos look 10 times better. It was a huge game change for me.

​

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B015DYIQ94?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

Products!

-Electric Palette: "Jilted" and "Urban" in crease and lower lash line, "Fringe" on lid

-"Half Baked" from the Naked Palette in the inner corners

-Ardell Lashes: 120 Demi

-Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Auburn

-Loreal True Match in W1 Porcelain

-MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15

-NYX Blush in "Terra Cotta"

-The Balm's Mary-Lou Manizer

-MAC Creme Cup with NYX Butter Gloss in "Eclair" on top

*ALSO for anyone who's interested, the lighting I use is something like [this guy right here] (http://www.amazon.com/Studiohut-KIT2CS-Photography-Continuous-Lighting/dp/B000GX484U/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1405011183&sr=1-5&keywords=umbrella+light)

Not OP, but I bought these and they work perfectly for my setup. They're quality for the price they're at.

Depends on what you deem as inexpensive. I went with this for $50 recently:

http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Light-Lighting-Fluorescent-Umbrella/dp/B003Y31FHC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426098256&sr=8-1&keywords=Fancierstudio+Light+Kit

I have seen a huge improvement since I had terrible lighting in the room I was in... it also fixed all my green screen issues I was having. I don't think I will need to upgrade from this kit down the line which is also a perk (I still have tweaks I want to do).

However starting out a cheap lamp or two is probably the best bet actually.

I'm setting up a studio primarily for photography, but also will be shooting video occasionally. Going to also try doing some chromakey video.

I'm currently looking at softboxes and have my eye on this kit to get me started.

My question: I'd like to be able to use the same softboxes for speedlights and continuous lighting both. From the pictures of the softboxes, I can't think of an easy way to swap out the continuous light heads and use a speedlight instead. Any tricks?

In the box:

• Fenix PD32UE flashlight
  
• 
  Ray-Ban 3025 Aviator Polarized sunglasses
  
• 
  Zippo Slim circa 1960
  
• 
  Nite-Ize S-Biner with County Comm Titanium Widgy Pry Bar / Ti split rings
  
  
• Leatherman Skeletool CX
  
• Saddleback I.D. Wallet
  
• LGE Nexus 5
  
• Pilot Precise V7 RT pen
  
• Clairefontaine pocket notebook
  
• Klipsch Image S4i Rugged
  
• Spyderco Techno pocketknife
  
  The camera pictured is my beater/backup, a Nikon D7000 with a Nikon 35mm F/1.8G AF-S DX lens. These were all taken with the camera I use on assignment - a Nikon D800 with a Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G AF-S lens, an SB700 speedlight and a Rogue Small Flashbender.
  
  I leave the D800 at home when I'm not working, but I keep the D7000 in my car or on my person pretty much all the time. Everything else here goes almost everywhere with me.

My suggestion is three of the Cactus V5 radio transceivers, two Yongnuo YN560 flashes, and two light stand kits with umbrella mount and a shoot-through umbrella

It's an inexpensive, reliable, portable, and powerful setup that works with every camera with a hotshoe. The three drawbacks are that flash power can only be controlled on the flashes themselves, the flashes are manual-only, and Canon bodies don't trigger non-ETTL flashes or transmitters in liveview mode. If you're doing home-studio work, none of those will matter. It's just something to be aware of. And definitely read David "Strobist" Hobby's blog.

For cheap lighting, i remember using cheap softbox with a lightbulb in them. The light was bright enough and the softbox really helped.
Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Continuous-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=softbox&qid=1565688943&s=gateway&sr=8-9

I'm an avid window light shooter when I work with food as well, but of course now that the darker season has hit that isn't really an option in the evening time.

Alternatively, I use a cheap video LED and a small softbox. It's not ideal by any means, but it's a quick and mobile option in your price range and sits nicely on a light stand. Here's an example of it in use without the softbox on it, taken in a very dark restaurant corner. An assistant is holding it for me camera left.

If you're shooting in a small space, it will get the job done at the price point you're at.

You can get a kit with a stand, umbrella, and an adapter for your hotshot flash on Amazon for $36. Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002DE3RYM/ref=mp_s_a_4?qid=1320287178&sr=8-4

Honestly, when the "real deal" can be had for probably less than your monthly cable bill, it's not worth the trouble to try improvising.

Im buying my gf a soft box and a set of reflectors for indoor food photography.
will these work?
https://www.amazon.com/Photography-Continuous-Lighting-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681089&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=softbox+kit&psc=1


or


https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Photography-Lighting-Equipment-AGG814/dp/B00E4YS2XU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681089&sr=8-3&keywords=softbox+kit


and


https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multi-disc-Collapsible-Photo-Reflector/dp/B00D6NWN6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681493&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=light+reflector&psc=1

or does someone have better suggestions?

If you're solid about the $100 point, I'd recommend a YongNuo 560III for $60ish, Yongnuo YN603 wireless triggers for $30, and a CowboyStudio Speedlite Umbrella Kit for another $30.

All in all, $120. You could do sub-$100 with a Neewer TT560 flash, or a Neewer C180 monolight, which are decent, I use them all the time. Or if you can stretch I got plenty of recommendations. Cheap lighting is my thing.

I just picked up some lights on Amazon to complete the "infinity white" background look for shooting video. (probably overkill for what you need, but I think you could green screen it with these lights)

I believe they are soft box and come like this. There are different kits online and will probably run between 200-300.

http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1415764151&sr=8-4&keywords=video+lighting

Actually, I was looking more for the lighting end of things. I ended up going with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O0NMDYE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ABFSAPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As well as https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PIM3I6I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think this will be flexible enough for me. I've got a newborn and will be mainly using this setup for portrait photography as he grows up.

Now we're entering the realm of studio lighting!

1600w in CFLs is about 88,000 lumens :)

I was a streamer, i have also been in the TV broadcasting industry for 10 years now, when we want to soften a light we either turn it slightly away from our on-air talent, or we add diffuser paper... This is what I used on the lamp I had when I streamed... It's incredibly heat resistant.

ALZO Diffusion Fabric Nylon Silk White, 1 Yard Long 60 Inches Wide, Un-Finished Edges, Scissor-Cut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cN1sybHA3CYG1

> I am a hobby-ist and wondering about the cost to get a simple two strobe remote system for shooting at Roller Derby bouts.

Assuming you have nothing, and you want a typical two-flash strobist setup?

• CowboyStudio kit with 2 stands, 2 light brackets, 4 umbrellas and carrying case - $68
  
• 2xYongnuo YN560-III flash with built in RX receiver, $168 - I was lucky when I bought mine, and paid $99 for two flashes, so keeping an eye on this may pay off big time.
  
• Yongnuo RF603, $33. Note that this comes in different versions, depending on the camera you have, so you will need to find the right version - I merely linked to that as an example.
  
  
  
  

this is what I use

Facing me diagonally from both ends of my desk. Needed them to get the green screen working.here is how it looks with one of my favorite overlays... hahaha

Simple on camera lighting, most likely a small LED bank attached to the cameras hotshoe. Something like this

Edited to add: The softness can come from a piece of diffusion taped over the light, or they make softboxes for the light I linked.

Something like this. This is what I have

For me, cheap as in $50 USD lol. I'm thinking about this https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Umbrella-Lighting-Professional-Photography/dp/B003Y31FHC/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1497559675&sr=1-3&keywords=professional+lighting+for+video

Not sure how I would use the small one, though.

Guaranteed she doesn't have this, it's brand new:

Rogue FlashBenders

Of course, she would need to have an external flash unit with a bounce head to make it worthwhile.

What would you recommend for the ceiling light versus the desk lamps?

I've never used real light diffusers before.

EDIT: What do you think about cutting and fitting this over each desk lamp?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5s1wybG8V5D88

If you're ok swapping one white-label for another, neewer sells it for $79.99.

Well the point of a softbox is to make light less harsh -- to take your small point source of light and expand it for softer shadows. It's also to control the direction of incoming light so you can shape your subject in a controlled way. Sure you won't have room for a large device, but really anything could be better than a bare flash (depending on your intention).

Worst case, cover your colored walls with cheap white sheets or a white paper roll or whatever and treat it like a giant DIY light box.

Photography is all about overcoming limitations, or figuring out how to make it work just well enough to pull off a shot. Sometimes that's dealing with sub par gear; other times it's limited space or some other frustration.

Check out the Neewer kits on Amazon.

Here is one for $75.

https://www.amazon.com/Background-Backdrop-Portrait-Photography-Shooting/dp/B018S65N1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494058589&sr=8-1&keywords=neewer+background

Here is one for $165 that also includes lights.

https://www.amazon.com/Background-Umbrellas-Continuous-Lighting-Photography/dp/B019GTCNXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494058589&sr=8-2&keywords=neewer+background

Thank you. I shoot on the Sony a6400 with the kit lens.

I was using one these lights from Amazon.

yea I have that similar setup now but there is no way I can fit the light umbrellas. I bought this back in 2014 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y31FHC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thinking about a led light panel but so expensive!

Absolutely. You can get a cheap lighting kit with 2 x (stand+bulb+softbox) for 50-60$ on Amazon. The brand doesn't matter, whether it's Neewer, Amzdeal or insertchinesebrandname they are all the same repackaged.

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015DYIQ94/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1522702893&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Lighting+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=41JsWZ4FmCL&ref=plSrch

If you have not done lighting before, you should really practice first, and you should simply buy before renting. If you don't know how to use basic cheap equipment, you'll have even more problems trying to use higher end equipment.

I would buy instead of rent, it's about the same price and if you learn how to use it properly you'll get the same results. The reason pro equipment costs a lot is not because it makes your photos better, it's because it's more reliable, quick, etc. Lots of pros don't always use pro equipment.

Neewer TT560 - $40

Flash stand with umbrella - $33

43" reflector - $13

Total: 86

Stand the model in front of a white background, put the Flash and umbrella at a 45 degree angle from the subject, hold the reflector on the opposite site to use as a fill. Use photoshop to turn the background pure white.

If you want to go super budget, buy 3 canlights from home depot ($7 each), buy 3 150w equivalent dailight CFL bulbs ($13 each), and a piece of white foamcore board ($1) for a total of about $70 depending on the pricing close to you. Use one can light as a key, use the foamcore board as a fill, use a 2nd can light as a background light, and the third as a backlight for the subject. You will of course need something to clamp the lights on. If you are doing full body shots you can use a white shower curtain as a diffuser for the key canlight.

Here's a lighting tutorial that you can use to get some ideas too. This site has a lot of tutorials you can check out. Ignore the pro equipment, it can almost all be swapped with DIY or cheap equipment.

They are softboxes for lighting my green screen. I've started streaming to twitch in my spare time.

We use Neewer Photography Lighting kit. You can change the lamps to any color but they come with daylight balances LEDs!

Neewer 600W 5500K Photo Studio Day Light Umbrella Continuous Lighting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JV3J1I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6svRAbV12VWD1

https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Professional-Digital-Continuous-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_14?s=electronics&ie=UTF8

That is the exact kit

ALZO Diffusion Fabric Nylon Silk White, 1 Yard Long 60 Inches Wide, Un-Finished Edges, Scissor-Cut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1SHnybENCDW92

I bought something very similar to this. The lights, stand, and softbox are about the same.

http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2

CN-216 $64.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010FELA9K/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751532&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216

Soft box $8.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OXCGA28/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751532&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216&dpPl=1&dpID=41HFsj%2BBBzL&ref=plSrch

Filters $9.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZP45V8M/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751737&sr=8-1-fkmr2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216+filter

Stand $18.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K69A0QY/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751838&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216+stand

Total: $103

I don't care what anyone says, lighting is important. It's second only to sound as the two biggest and easiest to fix flaws that damn near every streamer has issues with.

The good news is that you don't need to go overboard with professional lights. You can get the Neewer lighting kits for under $50 and, if you watch for sales, you can get it as cheap as $35. It comes with three lights and two umbrella diffusers meant for three point lighting set-ups.

But you don't even need to go that far really. If you're streaming from a couch, you'll do better with a kit. But if you're streaming from your desk, you can get away with using a couple of cheap desk lamps with CFL bulbs in them, one acting as a key and the other acting as a back. You can use the monitor light as your fill. You can probably find lamps like that cheaper from Walmart or the Dollar Store, honestly, but the link is more to give you an idea.

Whatever you do, do not just use your room's overhead light. It can create issues with backlighting and some really harsh shadows across your face. Also, make sure to put shades or curtains over all your windows in order to block out sunlight. The light through a window can change a lot in as little as an hour just as the sun moves, let along changing weather conditions. It can cause you headaches trying to light yourself if you've got that sort of inconsistent light screwing things up every time you set up.

Hi all, i'm looking at trying to get a basic lighting setup. I don't want to spend a lot of money, as this is not my only hobby..

What is your opinion on a relatively inexpensive kit such as this?

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Background-Umbrellas-Continuous-Photography/dp/B019GTCNXC?th=1

No problem at all!

Here are some I found:

Basics ( 2 main stands and a mini one, umbrellas, bulbs, everything you need )
http://www.amazon.com/Cowboystudio-Photography-Portrait-Continuous-Umbrellas/dp/B003WLY24O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373804988&sr=8-1&keywords=studio+lighting

If you're needing soft boxes:
http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373805007&sr=8-3&keywords=studio+lighting