Studio Equipment needed for Model Shoots

[Florida Guy]

I have been doing a lot of model shoots outdoors. I would like to move these shoots indoors without renting studio time. What studio equipment should I be purchasing.

Lights- Brand
stands
backgrounds
umbrellas
reflectors
remote triggers

Also are their any magazines that specialize in studio shooting?

Florida Guy

[Benji]

"Lights- Brand" I own Bowens and I like them but they are rather expensive. I've heard lots of good things about AlienBees. "Stands." I use Bogen and they are very sturdy. "Backgrounds." Most fashion photographers use seamless paper in the wide size. "Umbrellas." I use them at weddings only. I like softboxes personally. "Reflectors." I use a large silver one on occasion. "Remote triggers." I use Quantum Radio Slave and I love 'em.

Benji

[pahowes]

I found several Calumet Travelite 750's on eBay at a reasonable price (less than $250 each) and have had good luck with them. I'm lucky that I have a Calumet store not too far from my house, so I can go in a purchase the stands and accessories directly from them.

Travelites are made by Bowens, in England. They are extremely sturdy and quite heavy due to the amount of metal used in their construction. The strobes are not actively cooled by a fan, but honestly don't need to be, again thanks to the amount of metal.

I have found Calumet's air-cusioned stands to be very effective. Do not get standard light stands. Always get the air cushioned kind. The first time you collapse a stand too fast and shatter a $100 bulb you will realize that the extra $10 for the cushioned model would have been money well spent.

Seamless paper is the way to go if you can, but it's hard to clean if shoes or feet are the least bit dirty. I have seen the .25" thick shiny white tiles used on the floor on top of the paper. It makes a nice reflection under the model and is easy to clean.

Umbrellas are best used when portability is key. Softboxes provide a more uniform light with much less spill. If you can find octoboxes fairly cheap, go for them instead. Round catch-lights in your model's eyes look better than square.

Pocket Wizard radios are the de-facto standard in the field. There are others, but most of the lights, meters, and other equipment that you are likely to use have licensed PW technology. For example, Sekonic light meters can accept a very small (CF Card size) PW transmitter in the battery compartment that will permit you to trigger your strobes from anywhere. Many of the newer strobes, including Calumet, Bowens, and Profoto's "Air" models have PW receiver either built-in or available as a plug-in. PW is (much) more expensive than the competition, but you'll probably end up with them eventually.