Beginner Advice for a newb to portraits/lighting

[swanseamale47]

You can get really cheap radio flash triggers these days, I got a set with the transmitter and two receivers for about £15, a cheap softbox again just a few quid for a mate, he's getting good results in his garage using just one flash gun and that set up.

 

[AZ6]

A lot of people find flash intimidating

Different people learn in different ways - for me, the more I can simplify things the easier it is to understand them - and once I understand the basics, I can then build on that understanding to handle more complex problems.

Which is why it's best to simplify things as much as possible. So, using only available light is a good place to start, as is using just one light source.

It sounds like you spent your studio time going through different setups 'mechanically' - Lights in position X and Y for technique A, lights in V and W for Technique B, etc. rather than exploring the possibilities - Start with Key high to camera right, now lower the light, see how the image changes changes, now try adjusting the position of the light, etc.
If so, I'm not surprised you became bored.

Nope. It was about playing around with different set ups until you found one you liked. Using all the different types of diffuser, reflector, snoots, barn doors etc etc etc. I sussed all that quite quickly, and got bored with setting things up, when what I really wanted to do, was just take pictures. Quite frankly, a studio set up is one of the worst environments to take good portraits in, cos it's so contrived and set up, rather than just being natural. Don't get me wrong; some fantastic portraits have been achieved with studio type lighting set ups, but it's just one way of doing things. Personally, I much prefer the 'environmental portrait' type approach, where you have only what's around you to work with. I'm not a fan of the staged studio look. It's ok for a school photo, but can be really boring, as there's no context. But I appreciate there's a place for that type of image.

there's far more variations of images possible given an hour in a studio than an hour outside, because I can create the light for the image I envision, rather than having to work within the constraints of the light I've got.

Yes, I get that too. It can be a lot of fun playing around with different lighting. I'm just saying it's not the be all and end all of portrait photography.

 

[Faldrax]

Which is why it's best to simplify things as much as possible. So, using only available light is a good place to start, as is using just one light source.

Except in the majority of cases it's not, as there are lots of reflective surfaces creating varying amounts of fill, and your only control over the position of the light is your location, time and date.

It's 'simple' because you have no control, not because the lighting is simple.

 

[AZ6]

Sigh...