reasonably priced studio lighting sources

[jann1033]

i want to take the plunge into setting up a small studio for still lifes ( not portraits, don't have the room) but would like to know of some sources for reasonably price decent quality umbrellas etc. don't have to be top of the line but don't want total throw away junk either. any ideas?

 

[MICKEY88]

how small... hot lites, strobes...???

 

[jann1033]

i'm leaning toward strobes( right now at least) I was reading a couple books about cheap lighting. one said you could use builder lights ( which husband has plenty of) but i know from burning myself with them they get pretty hot. but i could just use them carefully till i get the hang of what i am doing and then buy something better. so i was mainly looking for the reflector equipment for right now to kind of ease on into it . thinking of getting into lighting just panics me .

 

[MICKEY88]

actual studio strobes or speedlites,,, I've seen more and more photogs go that route, more portable, and there are now some nice softboxes to attach to speedlites..

I just got an email with this the other day..



http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=207390491&listingid=36228794&dcaid=18006

 

[jann1033]

originally i was thinking speedlights. but then i read an article that said since they are camera specific they can go out of date more readily than something like novatron strobes. so now it's up in the air once again
the last time i used studio lights was when i was in high school( so decades ago) so guessing they were photoflood type

 

[MICKEY88]

originally i was thinking speedlights. but then i read an article that said since they are camera specific they can go out of date more readily than something like novatron strobes. so now it's up in the air once again
the last time i used studio lights was when i was in high school( so decades ago) so guessing they were photoflood type

that is a valid point, but I figure if my lights go out of date, I'd be replacing them anyways,

I actually have both, I have studio stobes that I bought 20-25 years ago and have rarely used..

 

[Steve's Girl]

Jann -

panels of white foam core stuff from Lowe's will work just fine as a reflector.

 

[GrillMouster]

i want to take the plunge into setting up a small studio for still lifes ( not portraits, don't have the room) but would like to know of some sources for reasonably price decent quality umbrellas etc. don't have to be top of the line but don't want total throw away junk either. any ideas?

If you're doing still lifes, not portraits, then strobes aren't necessary. Continuous lights ("hot lights") tend to be cheaper, and the benefit of them is that you can visually adjust the lighting ratio, shadows, etc.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

The suggestions that you consider speedlites and continuous lights are good. If you do want moderately cheap studio lights, Alien Bees is the biggest player in that segment of the market.

 

[YesDear]

Calumet has a fairly often deal on 42" white umbrellas that have a black removable skin on them. If you order 3 they are $20 a piece.

I agree about the Bee's if you want strobes.

 

[jann1033]

Jann -

panels of white foam core stuff from Lowe's will work just fine as a reflector.

now that sounds within my budget for sure
the umbrellas sound good as well since i was looking at the white with the black removable skin. maybe i'll just try the builder lights as continuous lights and get one speedlight which i want anyway. that probably would help me figure out what i do and don't want better
thanks for all the good ideas!