My Barcamp Charlotte session - DIY photo studio for around $100
Saturday at BarcampCLT I did a session on setting up a do it yourself photography for around a hundred bucks.
The total cost of the equipment used to make the three photos above was around $105. I haven't retouched the photos other than to crop and resize them. In the first photo I used a small shoot-through umbrella places just to the left of the subject. In the second photo I used a white sheet on the subject's right side to bounce some light into the shadows on this face. In the third photo, I kept the sheet on the subject's right side but also had him hold part of the sheet under his chin to bounce a little light up onto the bottom of his face. If you don't have an assistant to help hold a sheet, a piece of white foamcore clamped to an umbrella stand works just a good.
Critique of the mock photo shoot:
Given that I had just five minutes left to throw a light up next to the subject and snap off a few photos there is plenty of room for improvement. First, I would try moving the light stand so the shoot through umbrella pointed more towards the front subject's face. It is a bit too far to the side and there isn't enough light hitting his eyes. With portraits you always want to light the eyes. Second, there is a bit of a hot spot on the subject's forehead. I was using a very small umbrella; the smaller your light source the harsher the light. You can increase the size of the light source in relation to the subject by moving it close to the subject. However, you would have to decrease the power of the flash to compensate for moving it closer.
Here are some links I referenced during the session:
The best reference for learning how to use off camera flashes (also called strobes or speedlights) is Stobist.com. David Hobby, a former newspaper photojournalist, takes you through Lighting 101 and walks you through actual photo assignments. Hands down it has been the biggest help for me to learn lighting.
Zack Arias is famous for his One Light workshops and DVDs. Check out this into video. Here is part 1 and part 2 of a live shoot on stage as Arias thinks through how to set up his lights. Here is a great portfolio review by Arias as he addresses many mistakes we all make when we're learning.
Mikey and Andy of Lighten Up and Shoot are another good resource. Here they are showing off their backpacker studio and demonstrating a live shoot on the streets.
Creative Live hosts free live online workshops.
Ken Rockwell offers thoughts on learning composition and what makes a great photo.
Here is a blog post I wrote on beginning photography and here's my portfolio.
The hard stuff:
The hardest part about learning off camera lighting is learning the manual setting on your camera. The best resources for you won't be ones that tell you what flashes to buy or what light modifiers (umbrella vs softbox) you need. To do off camera lighting you will need to learn shutter speed (shutter speed controls ambient light) and aperture (f stops) and the manual power settings on your flash. Along with those, ISO (the digital equivalent of film speed) and the distance from your subject to your light source will determine your exposure. Start at Strobist.com and read the whole blog, practice all the assignments and you'll have a good grasp of the concepts.
Here is the equipment needed for a beginner studio. This equipment I used to make the three photos at the end of the session (seen above):
CowboyStudio stand, bracket, and umbrella kit - $40
CowboyStudio NPT-04 wireless trigger - $20
Yongnuo Flash Speedlite Yn-460ii speedlight - $45
Here are some other options for cheap off camera lighting:
Vivitar 285HV speedlight - $85
LumoPro LP160 speedlight - $160
Yongnuo RF-602 wireless trigger - $33
Also check out Midwest Photo Exchange MPEX.com for some strobist kits
Adorama is my favorite place to shop for quality used camera gear.
