Ok so im shooting at a hotel, andI havent used lighting before

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katierosemason

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katie
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If I were to want to create images like this, and i have only done environmental shots before, what would I have to take, and what settings would i have to use it on.
http://www.ruthrose.co.uk/blog/?p=688
Thats the link, and although i am not planning to just go and do it. I know nothing about lighting, I dont even know if you just put it up or you have to put it on a setting manually. Could someone talk me through literally the equipment id have to take to the hotel and how to link it to my camera etc, without comments such as find it out yourself.
Thank you.
 
You are wanting to run before you can walk IMO.
Learn photography!
 
On the Huh said:
You are wanting to run before you can walk IMO.
Learn photography!
Click to expand...

:plus1:

Have a look at the strobist website. Keep practising. Lots.

Lighting course is a good idea.

Couple of books - speed lighters handbook and light science magic

Hope that helps

S

ps a couple of famous quotes which I didn't believe until quite recently

1)you don't take a photograph, you make it
2)your first 10,000 photographs are your worst
 
There's a whole lot that goes into a professional shoot to include MUA's/VALS/Assistants etc.

But the basics of this could be done w/ 1 light and a reflector. If interested I'd suggest a flash that is compatible w/ your camera system if your camera can control off camera flashes (wireless triggers if not), a stand, a modifier (a large softbox was used), and a white panel reflector.

The flash has many uses and is almost essential IMO. The rest can be relatively inexpensive as a way to get a start with lighting. To really get serious with studio lighting it can get pretty expensive...
Try reading some of the basics at the Strobist website.
 
Katie, you are asking an almost unanswerable question, even just explaining about the options on studio lights, or strobes, light shaping tools like softboxes, and several options on getting them to talk to the camera - that would take a page or three and that before you have even started looking at settings.

Those settings are almost impossible to advise on without knowing what kit you would have with you [see above point], and even then, we have no idea about the room, its size, your models, the amount of light, etc etc etc....

Even if I say to you, go and get yourself a 300w studio head, a stand, a large softbox, a cable or radio controlled trigger....start at F8 and 1/125th and adjust from there - does this really help you in anyway if you have never shot with lights before and haven't got a clue what I am on about, where to put the lights for best effect and so on? :shrug: It doesn't, it can't.

As already mentioned, if you need to learn quickly, a studio training day is probably the quickest route to some fast knowledge, but failing that, lots of reading, video tutorials would also be good [check out the Lencarta website, there used to be some great ones on there if they still have them]


Just a reminder for everyone else to remember their manners when posting in this thread please ;)
 
Training would help, but you also need to spend some money on equipment. What camera do you have? What would your budget be if you require this particular type of shot? Luckily some of the photos provide a glance at some of the kit used, I also look at the eyes to see what was used as this will show if it was a shoot through umbrella, stripbox / softbox / octabox (these are all diffusers which adjust / soften the light in different ways)
Then you need to setup the angles of those lights to work out where you want the light to hit the subject i.e. if it's frontwards then the subject's face will be lit evenly, if shot to the side then you'll have some shadows on one side of the face to give greater detail to features like the nose / brow bones etc.

In a nut shell, I would suggest that you research a tad more and invest in some books, read Strobist and also check out Youtube, just type in 'lighting techniques' and that will give you a basic idea. Then it will be clear what sort of money you will have to spend and whether the lighting is actually better than your camera (especially if you have an old DSLR - there's no point in bottle necking if your lights are top notch but the camera body is old and naff if that makes sense).
Best of luck :)
 
I think everyone has answered the best they can to what is a very difficult question.
Take the advice on board and go do some research and get out there and practice, if you havnt the budget to splash out on all the lighting gear, start with the kit you already have practice using available light once you have the hang of that then begin looking other techniques such as on camera flash.....like it has already been said dont run before you can walk
 
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