What is the best and cheepest lighting for my digital camera?
I’m trying to start my own photography business and I need some portable lighting. I want it to be easy to move around, as I will be going to people’s homes, but I would like to spend the least amount of money possible without sacrificing quality. Any suggestions would help me out a lot.
I would also like the kind of lights that flash whenever to take a picture not the kind that stays on the whole time.
I have been in the biz for a few decades.
I carry a “kit” studio which consists of a pair of Lowell Tota-light lamps with umbrellas and stands, a Savage background stand and a variety of Savage background paper rolls. Those items and a sturdy tripod is all I need to shoot just about anything. …. oh, and add a remote shutter release too.
I used to carry an old Sekonic Studio incident light meter to set my lighting ratios, but now I can just “eyeball” it and get it right.
Cost?
The two light kit with carrying case: Under $400
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/294038-REG/Lowel__Tota_Omni_Two_Light_Kit.html
The Savage background stand: $110
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/395974-REG/Savage_6203750_Background_Port_A_Stand_Travel_Case_.html
Savage Backgrounds: $45 a roll. These you can buy at your local camera store.
You stated that you really want some portable studio flash units instead of continuous lighting. Until you can learn to really see what the lights are doing to your subject, you really need a good set of incandescent lights. These are the lights that student learn on until they can see what the light is doing under the very enemic “modeling lights” that are included with studio flash kits and can afford the $1,000 to $3,000 it costs for portable studio electronic flash systems.
Here is a link to a tearsheet. The food shots were lit using the same Tota-light kit as described above
http://s862.photobucket.com/albums/ab182/fotomanaz/Answers%20album/?action=view¤t=ihdWVHL1009Skye2.jpg&newest=1
Product Review: GFM/Digital Concepts Portable Lighting Studio PS-101 – PT1
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