High Key Studio, HELP!

5

56Kris

Guest
Hello everyone :)

After recently graduating from my photography degree, I've acquired the funding to start up my own portrait studio with a similar style to Venture.

I'm totally competent with creating high key portraits, however I'm moving out of my comfort zone (college studio) and into my own so I need a little help.

In college I used 4 heads to achieve the Venture style, all Bowens Gemini 500w. Two with reflectors 1.5 stops higher on the background, main light with large softbox on the front and highlight with a smaller softbox from the side.

My studio is a little smaller than the college's (12ft wide, 25ft long, 8ft high) so I'm thinking I won't need as many lights and/or as much power?

Certainly I'll only need one light on the background, but could I get away with just one on the front and still achieve a high key look? If so what power level should I go for?

The Bowens 500/500/500 kit seems like a good choice, however it's a little pricey. I'd like to be able to get away with the 500/500 or even the 250/250 studio in a box kit. My building costs were more than expected so the budget is getting a little bit tight.

On the subject of which, are the Calumet Gemini heads any good? Would they be a suitable and ultimately cheaper replacement for the Bowens alternative?

Sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance :)

Kris.
 
Hi Kris i would definately go for the Bowens gemini 500/500 rather than the 250s if you need a bit less power you can turn the 500s down but if you need more than 250s can turn out your stuck. I use bowens 500s and you wont beat them for reliability and light consistancy and plenty light modifiers etc, as for the calumet i cant say .
If you get the 500/500 rather than the 500/500/500 you can always bounce light into shadows using large reflectors
Good luck for the future .
 
Yep, if you are going to get a lot of use out of them and rely on them professionally get Bowens.

Get yourself some good books on creative lighting too. I know you say you have just graduated but the fact that you are having to ask questions like power outputs and how many lights can you get away with would lead me to believe your knowledge of studio lighting could do with a little expansion. (I don't mean that to be derogatory in any way)

Good luck with it and shout here if you need help, we've got a few much better studio togs than me! :)
 
Is this really high key portraits or do you just mean portraits with white backgrounds, which is something entirely different?

High key portraits rely on large, soft light sources but need very little in the way of actual power. White backgrounds need very even lighting of the background, which means at least 2 heads on it, and needs more power.
 
:agree: (again - becoming something of a habit!)

And I agree with AliB too, asking these questions makes me wonder about what one does on a photo degree course when a studio was in use :thinking::thinking::thinking:

A nice aside of loads of power is that if you don't need it all, so turn down to 1/2 even 1/4 power, then recycle times go up quickly so 'Venture' style action shots will be easier

Good luck

(y)

DD
 
Thanks for all the help guys!

Bowens 500/500/500 kit it is then!

I must have came across as a bit of a n00b in my initial post; my main hazy area was simply shooting in a smaller studio, with a much smaller wealth of equipment than the college store held.

Have a peek at my Flickr and hopefully you won't deem me too incompetent with creative lighting :)

Slightly derailing the thread but I'm all set on a Nikon D300 for the studio, any suggestions for a decent fast(ish) portrait lens under £250?

Thanks again!
 
Sorry can't help at all with the Nikon gear but I'll wish you all the best with the studio venture. Loads of guys here with a wealth of experience and a couple of them have replied on your thread! :)

Good choice with the Bowens stuff, I paid a blooming fortune for their Beauty Dish to put on my Interfits and it's possibly the best bit of lighting kit I own. (It's also about the most expensive!)
 
I went with the Nikkor 50mm f1.4 as that seems to be generally the most recommended on most forums and review sites.

I also went for the Bowens ringlite converter that fits directly onto the flash head. Looks a little cumbersome but I'm hoping for good results.

Thanks for all the kind words guys, we open on tuesday so hopefully everything will go well!
 
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