One of the longings of almost all photographers who begin to take their first steps in this art is to create their own photographic studio, to have enough space for art to circulate seems almost idyllic, doesn’t it?
This wonderful dream can be much closer to reality than you imagine Have you heard of Strobist philosophy?Did you know that the equipment needed to get started is much more accessible than you think?
- You don’t have to wait to be a professional who earns thousands of euros before you start building your own photo studio.
- Because the material needed to illuminate it is much more accessible than you think.
As the well-known saying goes, “Don’t leave for tomorrow, it’s a photo studio you can set up today. “
In 2006, a photojournalist named David Hobby unintentionally launched a revolution in the lighting of photography.
From his blog, called Strobist, he began to explain to all amateur photographers the different lighting techniques with which he managed to perform in each of his photographs that he then sold to newspapers, but with a focus, stead of teams, on practice. Thus, with only a few flashes and diffusers, he managed to bring the photographer fond of professional photography closer.
Strobist has ceased to be just a blog to learn how to illuminate, it has become almost a philosophy.
While it’s important the equipment you need to light up your photo studio, keep an eye out that the most important thing is how you use your wits and knowledge so you can render the photos you have in mind, in reality. This is where strobist philosophy comes to life.
Although the equipment and equipment needed to set up a high-quality photo studio are very expensive and at the same time huge and heavy, this does not mean that you cannot achieve enviable quality using equipment with a little more modest performance.
Below I have prepared a short list of the different light sources you can use and the different accessories that will help you shape your taste.
Light sources
Continuous light: it is all these light sources that “shine at all times”. Such equipment, such as a fluorescent lamp, tungsten lamp, LED reflector or halogen projector, etc. , will allow your subject to be constantly lit, whether or not you are photographing your camera (unlike the flash that is activated when photographing it), this is its main advantage, since, being its continuous light, it will allow you to observe in detail how the light affects your model , the shadows that form, etc. In any case, these are large heavy equipment that generates a lot of heat, and therefore a lot of energy consumption.
Contrary to what may seem, getting a couple of continuous bulbs costs nothing, at least in your first steps, do a Amazon. com search and you’ll find deals like this: Full studio lighting kit for less than 200 Euros.
External Flash: It’s the most powerful, compact and versatile light source because it’s easy to move and you can photograph it directly on your subjects or bounce or blur it as you see fit. You can also work with a set of them because, by placing them on stage and filming them remotely, you can illuminate it without cables or connection to the mains, such as with continuous light, even if its light is not as powerful as the latter.
You don’t need to get the most expensive flash from the same brand as your camera manufacturer, or be new or the latest model on the market. There are many alternatives, “big brands”, as well as other manufacturers with which you can achieve great results, even if they do not maintain the same functionality. One of these affordable and reliable alternatives is the YONGNUO YN-568EX Speedlite flash.
Once you have yours, be sure to read the following article: “Tips for better use of Flash”.
Studio flashes: they are more powerful than external flashes and as large, heavy and not very portable as continuous bulbs and can be with or without a built-in generator depending on the size of the studio, however their power and versatility make them ideal for giving forms light in the studio. Simply place one of the many available accessories (speakers, honeycombs, jellies, etc. ) in front of it so that you can easily get the effects you are looking for. They are reliable, durable and very robust lamps, so Investing in these lamps will not be a bad idea.
These flashes, compared to the previous ones, are a little more expensive and you can find them from 200 euros and go up to several thousand, anyway, if you look a little, you will find very accessible options, but look at this: 2 Metz BL-200 studio flashes for less than 450 euros Nothing bad to start with!
Light modeling: Flashes have one drawback: you will find it very difficult to judge the final appearance that a photo will look like, when you illuminate it with a flash as it will not illuminate the scene until it is taken. Flash heads bring lamps that emit continuous light with the same light effect as the flash. This way, you can work on stage even if the flashes haven’t started yet. In any case, this light is not as powerful or has exactly the same properties as the output of a flash, but it will be really useful when working in the studio and recording hundreds of spoiled photos.
So far, you’ve seen some of the main ways to illuminate your photo studio, but that’s not all because not only light generation is important, but also its manipulation.
Reflective screens: These screens are widely used when modeling light because they will allow you to reflect, intensify or reduce it, depending on the material with which its surface is made, the light will be reflected in one way or another: it will change color, direction, intensity, etc. There are several types: white for diffused light, gold to obtain a warmer, silvery light for a cooler light, black to absorb it.
They are really cheap: a set 5 in 1 on Amazon can cost you about 15 euros, here you have a Delamax brand for about 15 euros. You can even do them yourself, how? Read the following article :?DIY Photography: How to assemble photo accessories for home ?.
Clean windows: transparent windows or? Softbox? They are an accessory that will allow you to soften the light of the flash or light source you are using, by placing it in front of them make the light passing through it more diffuse and natural, you can also direct the light because, having a single translucent side, the light concentrates there, depending on the material from which they are made, their size and the distance to which they are placed from the subject , the light will be more or less natural, i. e. more or less diffuse. .
To achieve natural results working in the studio will be essential a window of light, but do not worry, they are not expensive at all: you can get yours with a few euros. But look at this window of light: Neewer.
Umbrella: Umbrella or? Umbrella: they will allow you to bounce the flash light on them so that the point of light is much wider. In this way, the light will affect your subject in a much softer and more natural way. Depending on the distance you place the umbrella flash, the hardness or softness of the light will vary, so it’s important that you don’t only have one umbrella, but also a stand that allows you to change that distance.
Like reflective screens, you’ll find them in different colors: white, silver, gold or translucent. Whites and translucent ones will allow you to get softer lights, while silver or gold will concentrate it.
Once again, getting one won’t be as expensive: you can find umbrellas for less than 15 euros each on Amazon.
Photometer: This tool is not more than a meter like the one your camera has to measure the light in a scene, but portable, you can measure the light that falls on a subject or the light that the subject reflects on the camera with one of these spectacular cameras to be able to carry out a correct measurement and exposure of all your photographs in the studio.
The built-in camera meter is not always able to calculate correctly (in fact, rarely does) the values?The amount of light? To take a photo due to its own defects or, for example, when working with many flashes, so it is very useful to have a portable photometer. If you want to have a more complete idea of its usefulness, be sure to read the following article: “Detailed guide: how to make a correct measurement and exposure in your photos?”.
Although they’re a little more expensive, it won’t be impossible to get yours. You can find a Sekonic L-308X Flashmate for sale for less than $250.
Flash radios: The radios are nothing more than a remote trigger, but instead of being for your camera, they are for shooting a flash, they are placed in the helmet of your camera and allow you to film one or more flashes in a controlled way. allowing you to vary the position of the flashes as you wish, they will be very useful to work with flashes in the studio because not everyone has the ability to synchronize them by photocell and yet, they do not always work as well as they should with said system and also to be able to direct and shape the light in everything, directions without the limitation of being on your camera.
Yongnuo RF-603 N II N3 flash radios are reliable and very cheap, less than 40 euros.
Broadcasters: as I told you in the article 😕 DIY Photography: How to assemble photo accessories for the home ?: Diffusers are, these are accessories that you can use to soften or make more punctual the hard light of a flash or projector. There are a wide variety of diffusers on the market that you can use to shape the light of your flash to your liking, as each of them will allow you to achieve a different effect.
For example, on Amazon you can get a complete set of 6 pieces from these Walimex branded stations for less than 50 euros, nothing bad.
Tripods: Tripods are not only used to achieve greater stability in each of your shots or so that you can work more comfortably on them, they will also be of great help to organize all the lighting elements within your studio. Place a flash over them with your diffuser or light window to carry them remotely, the tripods will always be the solution. There are a wide variety of brands, prices and models and depending on how you use it will be the level of investment that you will have to spend on it, although I would not skimp on spending on it, since even the king of tripods is not so expensive.
Flash feet: These mounts will not only allow you to place a flash directly on a tripod or other stand, but also allow you to place a reflective umbrella or umbrella next to it. If you work with multiple flashes, this accessory will allow you it will be essential so that, when shooting them remotely, you can work more comfortably. You can get these adapters by investing very little money. A Walimax mental support costs 25 euros on Amazon, and will save you more than a headache.
Frozen: They are sheets that you can place in front of your light source so that, for example, you can change the color, experiment with its use will allow you to achieve amazing results, of course, finding the perfect combination will require a little bit of Not expensive at all because you can make them yourself with almost all translucent color elements like acetate or cellophane.
Now that you have a more complete idea of what the materials are to illuminate your photo studio, all you have to do is choose how you’re going to equip yourself to prepare to take your photos: put it together in several parts or buy everything. Together?
There is a wide variety and price range for photographic equipment, if you want to build your studio little by little and experiment with each of the materials, I have already given you some reference prices, but if you are a little more anxious, you can also choose to buy a complete kit.
On Amazon, such a kit to start taking your first steps in studio lighting will cost you about 100 euros.
I have chosen all the equipment as a reference, before making your purchase take the time to delve into its specifications to evaluate whether or not it really meets your expectations.
So you know, the material to light up your studio may not be as expensive as you originally imagined, all you have to do is think about the types of photos you want to take, how you plan to take them and what equipment, then reread this article and go shopping.