Lighting question

[codewarrior00007]

I got myself 8.5" clamp lights from Lowe's to to experiment. So had couple of questions from you experienced photographers out there:

1. Is there a particular brand name of bulb which give better lighting for family portrait shootings? Mind you this is for my own immediate and extended family portraits.

2. Don't have umbrellas either. Is there a workaround for that?

3. What's the recommended length of background portrait ? Type of fabric color etc? I was thinking using Photoshop Element 8 to add background but then it might not look very realistic.

Any other items I'm missing please feel free to suggest.

[archersdad]

1. Anything will work. You will likely need to shoot a grey-card or piece of white paper in order to set the proper white balance in post.

2. You can bounce them off a nearby wall but that may cut their out down too much. A piece of white foam-board would work for a bounce card if you can find somebody to hold it or rig up a clamp.

3. The longer, the better. I usually use 10 foot wide by 20 foot long but it really depends on the size of the group you are shooting. It is pretty difficult to make a digital background look good unless you have a great deal of practice.

[LeeR]

I, personally, don't think the lights you have are sufficient for the job you suggest. Good photographic lights can produce many times the light of the 150 watts this unit is rated for. Add to that the fact that the light will cast harsh shadows without some sort of diffuser and it doesn't bode well for a good shot.

You could bounce the light off the walls and ceiling and that will have an effect similar to a diffusor. Of course, that also means reducing light levels even further. As for the kind of bulbs to use, just make sure they are all the same kind; that is, all incandescent or all the same kind of flourescent. Most cameras have a white balance feature that will help you correct the colors. If not, Photoshop certainly has it. What you cannot correct is having different parts of the image lit by different kinds of light.

I think you would be much better off to find a suitable location outdoors; someplace with good indirect sunlight.

[codewarrior00007]

Thanks for replying.

I was thinking of adding a cloth over the lamps to soften the light, like a soft box. What do you think of that idea?

[Benji]

Originally Posted by codewarrior00007

I got myself 8.5" clamp lights from Lowe's to to experiment. So had couple of questions from you experienced photographers out there:

1. Is there a particular brand name of bulb which give better lighting for family portrait shootings? Mind you this is for my own immediate and extended family portraits.

2. Don't have umbrellas either. Is there a workaround for that?

3. What's the recommended length of background portrait ? Type of fabric color etc? I was thinking using Photoshop Element 8 to add background but then it might not look very realistic.

Any other items I'm missing please feel free to suggest.

Experience, 28 years. Clamp lights? Good for working in the garage on your bicycle. Impossible for what you want to do unless your family doesn't mind standing perfectly still for about 20 seconds, then be ready for them to be disappointed with the hard harsh shadows.

If you use umbrellas this will allow your family to stand still for an additional 10 seconds (they will have to hold perfectly still for 30 seconds now) but the shadows will probably be softer.

I use muslin backgrounds for family portraits like the one below I did at Christmas last year for this family.

My suggestion is to use flash ONLY. Ebay has lots of them cheap. Get a studio type with a modeling light so you can see what you are going to get BEFORE you make the capture. I've bought about 10 or 12 of them off ebay and haven't been burned yet (no pun intended!!!)

Benji

[codewarrior00007]

Originally Posted by Benji

Experience, 28 years. Clamp lights? ... I use muslin backgrounds for family portraits like the one below I did at Christmas last year for this family.

My suggestion is to use flash ONLY. Ebay has lots of them cheap. Get a studio type with a modeling light so you can see what you are going to get BEFORE you make the capture. I've bought about 10 or 12 of them off ebay and haven't been burned yet (no pun intended!!!)

Benji

Thanks for the tips. Can you post a link what I'm after? I've no idea. Clamp light might still come handy. Improvise is my middle name

[Benji]

I have about five of these lights Mono-Lite 400B By Bowens With Cover, Light and Strobe! - eBay (item 250610306454 end time May-05-10 16:24:46 PDT) that I bought in the 1980s and I am still using several them nearly every day.

Benji

[ffscj3562130]

If you want to use the clamp light, you will need more than one or two. Go to Learnmyshot.com. He uses clamp lights and gets good results. As others have said, you will need to adjust the white balance but from watching the tutorials on the web site it is possible to get good results from numerous clamp lights and white drafting paper as a diffusing agent.

[Benji]

Originally Posted by ffscj3562130

If you want to use the clamp light, you will need more than one or two. Go to Learnmyshot.com. He uses clamp lights and gets good results. As others have said, you will need to adjust the white balance but from watching the tutorials on the web site it is possible to get good results from numerous clamp lights and white drafting paper as a diffusing agent.

Sure this will work, just be sure to have several fire extinguishers handy because those hot light bulbs in close approximation to that drafting paper will ignite the paper in about 10seconds or so give or take, but think of the excitement and great expressions you will get. (Don't use a chemical extinguisher as it will fog the room, use a Co2.



Benji

[CiiVii]

Originally Posted by Benji

Sure this will work, just be sure to have several fire extinguishers handy because those hot light bulbs in close approximation to that drafting paper will ignite the paper in about 10seconds or so give or take, but think of the excitement and great expressions you will get. (Don't use a chemical extinguisher as it will fog the room, use a Co2.



Benji

LMAO! Good advice here

Also- Don't exposures made under a hot light need a shutter speed long enough to catch the full cycle of light coming from the bulb? I've heard that if the shutter speed is too fast, there will be variations in color casts from one photo to another.