Extra room to play

[MrMach1]

Good afternoon
After showing my wife some of the cool things we can do with the camera, she decided that we could use the extra room we have in the house for taking pictures only. I will be taking pictures for her fashion blog so I would like to ask what would be a good kit to start with. I have never used lights before so i have no idea what to look for or how I should set it up. The room is 10 x 12 one window. This is offically my new hobby
Thanks in advance.

[aglio]

Originally Posted by MrMach1

Good afternoon
After showing my wife some of the cool things we can do with the camera, she decided that we could use the extra room we have in the house for taking pictures only. I will be taking pictures for her fashion blog so I would like to ask what would be a good kit to start with. I have never used lights before so i have no idea what to look for or how I should set it up. The room is 10 x 12 one window. This is offically my new hobby
Thanks in advance.

Start here: Strobist
Most importantly: Strobist: Lighting 101

[Trevinla]

for fashion you are probably going to want to get a seamless set up as well - a couple of stands with a crossbar to hold the roll of paper or the muslin. white would be best (you can gel the lights to change the color if you want) or maybe black...

if you can't afford the strobes try starting with a 2 3 light kit of CFLs - you will be able to use all the gear when you upgrade to strobes.

check out the studio lighting sections of Adorams & B&H to see what you are looking at price wise - you may find a good deal on ebay too

[MrMach1]

Thanks that sounds great. That will make my better half really happy

[k9mom]

The room's size may be limiting...I have the same issue with my spare room which is only 10X11'...most of what I've read recommends a room of minimum size 15-18' to allow for 3-6' between your subject and the background and another 6' between the subject and the camera ... and then, of course, you need room to stand behind the camera. I've found with background supports, their bases (typically 30"-36" footprint) wind up costing a foot or two between the wall and the background, so with a small room, to save on space, try attaching the background directly to the wall (or as close as possible). Also, with such a small room, using 40-45" or larger umbrellas becomes near impossible, so it's best to go with a smaller umbrella and/or softbox . The smaller umbrellas, however, limit you to smaller subjects (e.g., pets or product photography) or waist- or bust-high portrait photography as I've read they do not provide enough light to adequately light a full body subject.

I'm still low on the learning curve, but have been doing a lot of reading/research on appropriate lighting for a small space. If my information is in error, I welcome any veterans out there chiming in with their advice...

Edited to add: You might also want to get blackout drapes or blinds for the room's window to prevent unwanted light from the window...

[MrMach1]

Originally Posted by k9mom

The room's size may be limiting...I have the same issue with my spare room which is only 10X11'...most of what I've read recommends a room of minimum size 15-18' to allow for 3-6' between your subject and the background and another 6' between the subject and the camera ... and then, of course, you need room to stand behind the camera. I've found with background supports, their bases (typically 30"-36" footprint) wind up costing a foot or two between the wall and the background, so with a small room, to save on space, try attaching the background directly to the wall (or as close as possible). Also, with such a small room, using 40-45" or larger umbrellas becomes near impossible, so it's best to go with a smaller umbrella and/or softbox . The smaller umbrellas, however, limit you to smaller subjects (e.g., pets or product photography) or waist- or bust-high portrait photography as I've read they do not provide enough light to adequately light a full body subject.

I'm still low on the learning curve, but have been doing a lot of reading/research on appropriate lighting for a small space. If my information is in error, I welcome any veterans out there chiming in with their advice...

Edited to add: You might also want to get blackout drapes or blinds for the room's window to prevent unwanted light from the window...

Thanks K
what you are saying makes alot of sense, i guess i will have to use the garage some how to have enough space.