By James Booth
Jackie Kamp, owner/photographer of Firefly Photography has been reading my photo basics article and sent in this question:
I was reading an article you wrote and thought I would ask you if you could recommend a basic three light lighting package (without a lot of fluff). I have been an outdoor photographer for 8 years but want to create an indoor studio now.
Also, I am getting a lot of advice and don't really know who to trust as I know a lot of the people writing me are getting paid by the lighting suppliers somehow. What brand of lighting should I go with and what do I HAVE to have in order to achieve awesome quality? I would be very grateful if you could recommend some equipment.
Well, you obviously know what you're doing. I've taken a look at your site. That photo of the sunflowers looks similar to one from Graham Watson taken during the Tour de France. I'm afraid I can't give you a hard, clear cut answer to your question. There are just too many brands out there, most of them quality names. First though, are you metering your shots TTL (through the lens), or do you use an external meter?
If you don't have an ambient/flash meter, get one. I'm kind of partial to Sekonic, and am providing links to two of their meters. Both would suit the needs of any photographer, have a full range of features, and are reasonably priced:
- The Flash Master L-358 is at http://www.sekonic.com/products/products_spec.asp?ID=4
- The Flashmate L-308s is at http://www.sekonic.com/products/products.asp?ID=3
The 308s goes for $190, and the 358 for $260, but the 358 has a wireless firing option. Your budget would determine how much you spend. And no, we have no business relationship with Sekonic. I just like their stuff.
With the lighting, again, your budget will determine what kind of setup you end up with. You could spend anywhere from $500 to $15,000, depending on what you want to do and your specific needs. Obviously, higher wattages will allow you to use a smaller aperture. What you need depends on what you intend to do with it. I use a couple of rather low-power lights because I don't have a dedicated studio. But if you plan on having a dedicated studio for people to come in for portraiture, using various props and settings, it might be in your interest to go with a railed system.
If you've never seen a railed system, the lights are suspended from a scissoring framework, similar to those collapsing gates people use to keep toddlers under control. They're attached to rails mounted to the ceiling, similar to track-lighting. You can slide the framework around the rails to move the lights where you want them, and because the framework is collapsible, you can raise or lower the lights as you see fit. It makes for less clutter in your studio, and you don't need to worry about clients tripping or knocking over one of your expensive lights.
I would say, to start, you could go with two lights, umbrellas, and stands. For a portable studio, I would use AC powered lights. For a dedicated studio, lights that take a power supply would probably be better. They provide a faster recycle time and more consistent results. Regardless, focus more on features than on brand names. A lot of companies offer kits, so may want to look into something like that. In the end, just get the most you can for the money you have available. I hope this helps to some extent.