(Part 2) Best lighting controls & modifiers according to redditors
We found 1,064 Reddit comments discussing the best lighting controls & modifiers. We ranked the 383 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the products ranked 21-40. You can also go back to the previous section.
> a better one for portrait photography.
For starters, portrait photography isn't about the camera as much as it is about the lenses and the lighting. Also, using good lenses on a mediocre body will get you far better results than using mediocre lenses on a good body. A D7500 is a better camera than a D3200, but the D3200 is probably not a major bottleneck to opening up opportunities in portraiture unless she already has good lenses and good lighting gear.
Questions:
Let's assume that she has a D3200 with the 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. It'll do, but you can get better lenses for portraiture than that. My ideal kit for that camera (or for a D7500) would be two lenses: Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 ($500 used) and the Sigma 50-100 f/1.8 ($600-700 used). (With third-party lenses, make sure to get the Nikon version, of course!) These are two of the best possible lenses you can get for a D3200, D5xxx, D7xxx, especially the latter, which is a zoom lens specifically designed for portraiture, as it covers all the classic portrait focal lengths.
If you want something on more of a budget, but still excellent for portraiture, get her a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AF-S ($150 used) and/or an 85mm f/1.8 AF-S ($350 used). These fixed-focal length lenses have great image quality, and between the two of those they'll cover pretty much all portrait needs. However, a high-quality zoom (with a fixed f/1.8 or f/2.8 aperture) is going to be a lot more versatile. If you can't get the 50-100 f/1.8 above, I'd get her a Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 lens. The newer "OS" 50-150 f/2.8 is wickedly sharp wide open at f/2.8 like the 50-100 f/1.8 is at f/1.8, it's great for portraits (covers all the classic focal lengths and then some), and it sells for only $400-450 or so used. The older non-OS 50-150 f/2.8 version is nice and sharp from f/4 on but only sells for $200 used, really quite a bargain but not as good as the OS model.
If she already has good lenses, the next thing to get (or maybe at the same time) is a bit of lighting gear. You can go bananas on lighting gear, but a good basic kit is a flash, a flash controller, a light stand, and an umbrella. Nikon has a great infrared wireless flash system that works well with the D3200 or any other modern DSLR, and used flashes and gear are cheap. Get her a flash that's compatible with her camera like a Nikon SB-600 ($50-75), SB-700 (~$100), SB-800 ($75-125), or SB-910 ($250-300, skip the SB-900). Then, get a Nikon SU-800 flash controller ($75-100 used), which goes on the camera, plus a light stand and a big umbrella kit. You may want to get some rechargeable AA batteries as well.
My suggestion is three of the Cactus V5 radio transceivers, two Yongnuo YN560 flashes, and two light stand kits with umbrella mount and a shoot-through umbrella
It's an inexpensive, reliable, portable, and powerful setup that works with every camera with a hotshoe. The three drawbacks are that flash power can only be controlled on the flashes themselves, the flashes are manual-only, and Canon bodies don't trigger non-ETTL flashes or transmitters in liveview mode. If you're doing home-studio work, none of those will matter. It's just something to be aware of. And definitely read David "Strobist" Hobby's blog.
I find those ring lights give you quite a direct/intense light and it can be a really good effect if you want people to stare into your eyes but if you want a more casual/warm feel i would suggest dropping a soft box over a lamp or something.
Hey! Always great to see more new MTG youtubers. The game can always use more. First, a few questions, what program do you use to edit? What do you use to record your audio and video? What kind of computer do you have?
Ok, a few tips I’ve learned is if you’re gonna be mainly talking to the camera you gotta have great audio and it needs to be recorded separately from your cameras mic. I would suggest this lab mic as a starter. It’s cheapest and can record right to a smart phone.
BOYA BY-M1 Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphone for Canon Nikon Sony DSLR Camcorder Audio Recorders iPhone 6 5S 5 4S 4 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NHN168W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_jdKYBb701AGWS
Lighting helps make videos look so much better and less washed out. I couple of light behind the camera pointed at you never hurts. I’ve had these for 3 years and they still work great.
LimoStudio 700W Photography Softbox Light Lighting Kit Photo Equipment Soft Studio Light Softbox 24"X24", AGG814 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E4YS2XU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3eKYBbM38FJ0N
I don’t personalky have these but my friend does they they seem to work for her and are cheaper
Fancierstudio lighting Kit (DK2) Umbrella Lighting Kit, Professional Lighting for Studio Photography, Portrait Lighting, continuous lighting kit and Video Lighting https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSCARK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fgKYBb2GV6BFZ
If you have some sort of social media presence (twitter, Facebook, tumblr), mention it at the end of the videos. It’s a good way to get your videos out there and seen more.
An intro and outro title sequence are always nice. They’re not necessary but add a little something to make the videos feel more professional. Plus, you just have to make them once and can tack them to every video.
Make thumbnails for your videos. Use something like Fotor to just add text of the title of your video to a screenshot of the video. Most people watch YouTube on their phone and just see the thumbnails. So it’s good to have informative ones.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to edit your videos. It might feel jumpy and choppy but most people are use to it. Or be like me and do many takes till you get it close enough. I usually do one take to get it all out and find my flow then try again. I find scripts work for some people but a lot of the times come off stilted. An outline of points to hit might be a happy medium.
Anyway, if you have any questions you want to ask me go ahead. I’m not a seasoned pro or anything but I’d love to help.
Simple on camera lighting, most likely a small LED bank attached to the cameras hotshoe. Something like this
Edited to add: The softness can come from a piece of diffusion taped over the light, or they make softboxes for the light I linked.
Your best bet is just doing it yourself using you iPhone and these few items from Amazon. It'll cost you about $100 for these 3 items, but you'll never have to pay someone to do it for you, so its worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/Julius-Studio-Photography-Backdrop-Background/dp/B015YHXHWQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1526082839&sr=1-3&keywords=white+photo+backdrop
https://www.amazon.com/Julius-Studio-Background-Backdrop-Photography/dp/B072BCNRTY/ref=pd_bxgy_421_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B072BCNRTY&pd_rd_r=3P35Q5G0Z2FWQG3Q4TAK&pd_rd_w=ZQN9c&pd_rd_wg=ReAuO&psc=1&refRID=3P35Q5G0Z2FWQG3Q4TAK
https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-DK2-Professional-Photography-continuous/dp/B004TSCARK/ref=sr_1_7?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1526082936&sr=1-7&keywords=studio+lighting
this is what I use
Facing me diagonally from both ends of my desk. Needed them to get the green screen working.here is how it looks with one of my favorite overlays... hahaha
My two cents is that it's not really worth it. Yes, TTL can be convenient if all you will ever do is to shoot with on-camera flash, and leave your camera in auto all the time, and with an advanced wireless setup with multiple flashes, it's somewhat convenient to be able to adjust the ratios from the camera itself, rather than having to go to each flash in a different setup.
That said, in terms of advanced lightning and overall versatility, you are going to have a much better time with a wireless setup and multiple flashes.
However, for the price of the one SB-700, you can have:
Total: $268, that leaves you with enough to add a softbox or some lightning modifiers.
Here's the thing: A manual flash, and compensating for it, even if you occasionally mount it on your camera becomes second nature after just a week or two, and the sheer convenience of being able to (let's say you're photographing a party), being able to just put two flashes in the room, set them both to something reasonable, point them at the ceiling, and shoot away handily beats out TTL, and avoids the harsh light on-camera flash gives you.
Since you're giving prices in euros, you may want to check amazon.fr, amazon.co.uk or amazon.de - whichever of these is more local to you - the Yongnuo gear is usually available there, and light stands to the Cowboystudio are usually also available, and shipping may be cheaper.
---
1. Note there are two different Nikon models, the N1 or the N3 - you'd need to check which model you need.
If you shoot in RAW you can edit the white balance in post. If you are using flash and are in a tungsten room and want to match, take a look at gels to add to your flash to get it closer to the room light - ExpoImaging ROGUEGELS-U Rogue Photographic Design Rogue Gels Universal Lighting Filter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KEL4NI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vZC1CbEDBXP1H
This kit also includes fx colors if you use off camera speed lights and want to color a scene differently or add accent colors for hair lights.
http://www.lee.com/shop/x-treme-comfort-khaki-pant
https://www.amazon.com/Twin-Peaks-Entire-Mystery-Reg/dp/B0186R6RV4/ref=tmm_blu_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1480364789&sr=8-3
http://holdfastgear.com/products/camera-swagg
https://www.amazon.com/ExpoImaging-ROGUEGELS-U-Rogue-Photographic-Design/dp/B005KEL4NI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480365008&sr=8-1&keywords=rogue+flash+filters
https://www.amazon.com/Rogue-Photographic-Design-ROGUEGEL-CC-Correction/dp/B00A8EIPGY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480365008&sr=8-2&keywords=rogue+flash+filters
https://www.amazon.com/Pelican-1510-000-110-Carry-Pluck-Black/dp/B0002SKHIK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480365065&sr=8-2&keywords=pelican
u/pastramiswissrye is totally right in that lights, sound, lenses, and media are all more important than the best camera.
My personal favorite camera in that price range is the Panasonic G7 and a good 12-35 lens. The G7 is like the little brother to the GH4 as it does 4k and just is missing some of the more pro features and is $600 for the camera. The lens is another $600 but you could just use the kit lens and upgrade your lens later.
Continuing with what Pastrami said, you should have good audio, lights, and media storage, in addition to the camera and lens. For audio, the rode videomic pro is a good all-around shotgun mic that you can put on a boom pole for good short film on location sound, however you will need someone to help hold your boom pole.
For lights, a good reflector will help you use the sun as a light when shooting outside on location for a short film. If you are in a studio, this four socket CFL light kit will go a long way to help. I personally use one of them and they are great for the price. Just pop in four cfl bulbs and you are good to go. If you would prefer LED lights which are smaller and don't heat up as much, but are pricer, you can get this LED studio light kit.
On the media storage side of things, you are going to want to pick up a few of these 64GB U3 SD cards for use with your G7 or any other new camera you get. Especially if you plan on shooting in 4K.
If you are going to shoot in 4K, your file sizes are going to go way up and you are definitely going to need to get more hard drive space on your computer. You may even have to upgrade your computer to handle 4K video editing. It all depends on what you have and what you want to do.
On the editing side, I personally use Final Cut Pro X on my Mac. It is $300 but a great piece of editing software, used by pros. If you are on a mac but don't want to spend money, just use iMovie, it will probably do what you need it to do unless you edit in 4K. On the windows side, some people use sony vegas, some people use AVID, some people use premiere pro, there is a bunch of them out there and you kind of just have to choose one. (I have never used any of them)
Like he said, there is no canon r6i. I assume you mean T6i, but you still need to do some more research. I hope this helps!
A lot of people will start off with the Panasonic G7. It's basically the cheapest 4K interchangeable lens camera you can get right now. The quality of the video is really good, and if has a microphone input if you eventually choose to add one of those to your setup. Using a 4K camera will also help you be a little more accurate with your post production when working with a green screen.
For the green screen and lighting, just start with a backdrop kit. The key to green screen is not necessarily using an expensive kit. What you really need, is consistent lighting across the backdrop, and that kit will be a good start to be able to do that.
You really need more than one light, especially if you're lighting a backdrop too.
A good budget option is a set of photography CFLs like this limostudio set. That way you can do proper three point lighting will be ideal for a small room set-up.
In terms of sound, /u/InstaxFilm has hit the nail on the head - a camera-mounted shotgun won't really do you much good in a small space. Good sound is all about proximity of the microphone to the sound source, and shotgun mics perform best in open spaces or outdoors; so getting a lav mic would get you far better results than relying on a videomic.
If you want easy, then the SmartLav is a good choice and you can plug it directly in to your camera if you use a Rode SC3 adapter. That'll get you great sync-sound for an easy edit.
If you want something a bit more professional, then presuming that she's sitting near a computer or laptop while doing her videos, then getting a USB audio interface like a Tascam 2x2. That way there are physical volume knobs, warning lights for if the levels are too high, and the option to plug in a set of headphones or earbuds so you can monitor sound whiel recording. The downside is that you'll have to sync the sound to the video in post, but that's a really basic editing skill that once you learn you'll be able to do in minutes if you aren't using an NLE that'll do it for you.
In terms of what mic to use with the interface, the MXL FR-355K is probably the best value-for-money XLR lav mic on the market at the moment. In the kit you get an omnidirectional and a cardiod so you can use whichever one better works in your setup (or both if you want a backup). You'll also need at least one XLR-XLR lead to plug it in to the interface.
You will need a flash, and most likely your on camera flash will not be enough.
You will need an E-TTL flash so that you can take pictures on the fly without having to adjust the power of your flash. You can buy a 3rd party one or a Canon version, or rent one if you want.
You will also want something to diffuse the light. There are simple caps, on-flash soft boxes, and another that seems to be popular is the Gary Fong Lightsphere. I personally use an on-camera softbox as it offers the largest light source, though the lightsphere seems to work pretty well too and isn't as bulky and fragile. These things also should be used in close range, over about 10ft the diffusion quality diminishes and they require too much power to light the subject.
At that budget, get some manual offname speedlights, and some cheap 28in umbrellas. They are far from the best things out there, but even the junk has its place, and that place is on shoestring budgets. As for backdrop, go to walmart, and pick up some queen or king size bedsheets of the walmart brand. Get one thats close to middle grey if possible. A middle grey sheet with a speed light and a color gel will become whatever color your gel is. I bought the strobist pack of gels, so my one sheet instantly becomes the whole rainbow. The reality is that $150 is a drop in the bucket of a proper studio, but there are plenty of budget ways of doing things. If you want even cheaper lighting, at the trade off of control, go to your local hardware store and pick up some of the $5 work lights that look like more like a bowl from your kitchen than a proper light. Continuous light can still be plenty useful but can be a little trickier to set up, and dealing with spill can be a pain. $2 foam core project boards make great dirt cheap reflectors and flags. You best bet at that budget is to think more DIY than "what can I buy". Try things and experiment. I have spent almost as much money at HomeDepot making my own lighting modifiers as I have on buying actual modifiers, and the results aren't really much different between my homebrew and the actual gear.
edit: Here's some links!
AmazonBasics speedlight $28 (x2, ~$60)
flash triggers, $15
two shoot-through, two silver reflectives, two gold reflectives, w/stands and carry bag $57
so that puts us at ~$135 right there
grey bedsheet $15
cheap gel kit $8
So add in tax and shipping, and there's your $150 budget plus a few bucks extra.
Now like I said you can do continuous light a little cheaper.
Here are some lights, modifiers, stands, and backdrops for $97
The key here is this is all "junk". That doesnt mean dont use it. I have a bunch of stuff from kits like these. But dont be surprised if an umbreallas silver lining separates off, or a softbox develops a tear in it. They just arnt made to the same standards as "pro" gear, but you can get just as good results with it if you take your time to learn what you are doing, and accept the downfalls of what you are buying and work around them. Work in your budget and develop your skills more. You will either pursue it further and buy better stuff later, or like me, still have the cheap off name junk because it works fine and you would rather spend money on glass than umbrellas.
My go to for a super quick setup is to hand it to someone with a https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00UIT28FI/ . I can install it and be ready to shoot with it in less than a minute and folds down small enough to go into a pants pocket.
If I need to shoot on camera, I would go with a smaller size like - https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Portable-Shooting-Diffuser-SoftBox/dp/B00UIT24ZM
My lamp: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00I2S7MHQ/ref=psdcmw_1063292_t1_B00WFZS55A
Softbox: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0093OWIYA/ref=pd_aw_fbt_421_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=BSC20C7JTC1YYXM1ZQJT
Bulbs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HNEPPJM/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If you get a lamp that can fit that softbox and fire those bulbs, you should have a decent setup. You can check my VODs if you need examples. I hope my links are good, because I am on mobile haha. But yeah, that setup works wonders for me so far.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A8EIPGY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Absolutely! I'm gonna leave it here so anyone scrolling by can see it, but I'll also DM you and the other person who asked for it so you don't have to check back in the thread.
NEEWER 2-Pack 160 LED CN-160 Dimmable Ultra High Power Panel Digital Camera / Camcorder Video Light, LED Light for Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Panasonic,SONY, Samsung and Olympus Digital SLR Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07438JXM7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cIS2Ab7JHAYCT
(Despite some reviews claiming the battery life is poor or the output is low, I've had nothing but great experiences with these panels. With the batteries I use, I can do a surprising amount of shooting before the batteries die out. Not only that, I only have two batteries. So the fact that it is often enough for what I do is astonishing. Also, the output is just fine. In fact, bright enough at max output that it hurts your eyes without a softbox. With the softbox it is perfectly bright for most occasions. If you need brighter, look into the Neewer CN-216 or CN-304. Just be ready to warn people about their brightness.)
Neewer 5.9x6.7 inches/15x17 centimeters Camera Collapsible Diffuser Mini Softbox for CN-160, CN-126 and CN-216 LED Light https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OXCGA28/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_CQS2AbBYSF5KE
(It has gone up a bit in price since I bought the two that I own, but it still offers excellent performance for the price. These are specifically made for the CN-160 panels. They diffuse light excellently, but at a minor cost. They are a bit of a pain in the ass to place onto the panel. At that price, though, you can't complain too much. You should be careful with them, as some have said that they don't take kindly to being handled roughly. My advise: take your time and do it carefully.)
Neewer 2 Pieces 2600mAh Li-ion Replacement Battery with Charger for Sony NPF550/570/530, Fit for Sony HandyCams, Neewer CN-160 CN-216 LED Light, Neewer 759 74K 760 Feelworld 759 74K 760 Field Monitor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDC47YM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gVS2Ab3RDJ319
(Outside of another tiny price increase, there's not much to say about these. They do the job incredibly well for what I put them through. However, NP F550 type batteries aren't meant to last incredibly long shoots. If you do long shoots, invest in a few more batteries and consoder using the larger capacity NP F750 type batteries.)
Fovitec StudioPRO - 2x 7'6" Classic Light Stand Kit - [Classic][For Photo and Video][Includes Carrying Bag] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNZJLG4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j0S2AbBBPVA2J
(These light stands have served me well. But, as with all cheaper gear, they won't withstand care that is too rough. They've handled plenty with me, but I recommend you try to take care of them. Other than that, they're just light stands.)
Bonus:
Neewer 12 x 12-Inches Pack of 8 Transparent Color Correction Lighting Gel Filter in 8 Different Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CCIKB5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_f3S2Ab6ZCYTAD
(Some cheap color gels. Get the job done.)
Of course I must include: This is all cheaper starter gear. It is not meant to replace the more expensive light kits that are much more durable, do much more and produce much better results. But restriction breeds creativity. And a passionate, new content creator with a creative eye will make the best of what they have. If you are a starting filmmaker, videographer or photographer, by all means, use this setup. Once you're ready to move onto better, more costly equipment, though, don't hesitate.
A lot of Youtubers have simple lighting kits that work really well and increase the quality of the video drastically. Something like this would work well for just starting out and it's super affordable.
http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Umbrella-Continuous-Lighting-Photography/dp/B013JV3J1I/ref=sr_1_2?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1463778143&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=lighting+kit&psc=1
Weekends are my busiest streaming days since I normally run from 12pm-1am but I'll try to throw a guide together this weekend and post it on the sub.
But for you:
LimoStudio Green Screen Stand - $35
LimoStudio Green Screen - $18
LimoStudio Studio Light Umbrella Kit - $52
Alternatively, you could get the softboxes instead:
LimoStudios Light Softbox Kit - $77
What's interesting is Limo no longer sells the green screen and stand together without the lighting kit but I don't think that's a deal killer.
Alternatively, if you want the full setup in one go, with two umbrellas, two softboxes, four light stands, a green screen and stand, and a black and a blue backdrop. The only thing substantially different from this kit is that it leaves out the third, small light stand from the umbrella kit that is typically used to project light on the subject's back to create a "highlight" on the outline of the subject to help the chromakey separate from the subject and the green screen but I don't use this and don't have any issues.
LimoStudios Full Light and Backdrop Kit - $143
Also, quick question, when I make this guide do you think it would be helpful to provide light setup and position guides as well as chromakey guides?
A little too bright, and super harsh direct light.
If you want smoother light for free, don't point at the subject, but at the wall. You can also get away with keeping it on the camera that way too.
Another cheap and portable option is a small softbox style diffuser that will mount on a speedlight and still be small enough to mount on the body if you choose. They run about $15 on Amazon. at short range it does make some difference.
Just to confirm based on what you're saying on other threads too, you say your flash can only go up to 1/128 and you want something that goes up to 1/4000. Do you mean shutter speed sync? Because normally 1/128 means that the flash is only firing with that fraction of power from its 1/1 full power setting, so 1/4000 would be almost nothing.
Also umbrellas are extremely affordable, you can get a 3-umbrella kit with mount and tripod for under $35.
Best bang for your buck when it comes to portraits (based on what you currently own) is a lighting setup. 2 yongnuo 560exIV's and a transmitter should be around the 150-200$ mark. Some cheap umbrellas and stands can be found sub 75$ for a kit on amazon. Leaves you enough to either upgrade your body to something with faster AF and ISO for outdoors stuff (Maybe the latest and greatest rebel?) or get an 85mm F/1.8 lens which would be my go-to for portraits.
LINKS
Yongnuo Flash kit (Everything you need)
Complete umbrella setup
The difference in quality of photos by upgrading to an older FF or getting a new lens will be significantly less than by upgrading your lighting. Yongnuo also makes an extremely cheap flash with TTL so you can set it to auto when going around the house chasing moments. Toss a tiny softbox on it and slap it on the top of your camera and you'll be amazed at how nice the pics turn out.
Are these overhead/ceiling-mounted lights? I agree with /u/JwellsGames, alternative lighting would probably be far superior. The lights you are currently stuck with are throwing out some pretty brutal light, and I can't think of a way you'd be able to cut that part that highlights your nose if they are ceiling mounted.
Perhaps, if you have room, you could use two studio-type umbrella stands (one to the left, one to the right). The umbrellas act as light diffusers, and you can use them fairly close. I prefer umbrella stands over more direct lightning just for the comfort level of having to put up with specialized lighting for hours on end while we stream. lol
Something like this: (Fancierstudio DK2 Umbrella Lighting Kit - Amazon) I'd recommend replacing the bulbs with some daylight-tone LED bulbs.
As for your angle, I think it looks fine. It's close but not too much so. The only suggestion I might offer is to raise the angle of your webcam just slightly, so you get maybe an extra two or three inches of your noggin in the shot.
Nope just gelled the flash. I used something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/ExpoImaging-ROGUEGELS-U-Rogue-Photographic-Design/dp/B005KEL4NI
I'm looking to buy some lights for photography. I do film work so I feel more at home with continuous lighting.
I was thinking between softboxes or shoot through umbrellas like these
https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Photography-Portrait-Umbrella-Lighting/dp/B00VWD2VUG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1492787413&sr=8-4&keywords=umbrella+photo
I found some on ebay as well, as Neewer but each stand had space for two bulbs on each mount. That seems like the better option but I'd like to confirm
Does this seem like the right choice? Quick set up seems better than hassling with cheap softboxes, just wanted to know what you guys recommend.
I would recommend getting something like this. https://www.amazon.com/Flash-Diffuser-Reflector-Kit-Positionable/dp/B01LZRBOME/ref=zg_bs_3109909011_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2E181RY1A0V589V7XBA1
Well if amazon ship to your country you are in luck.
http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Photography-Photo-Reversible-Background/dp/B0064L8KYW/ref=sr_1_10?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1450894331&sr=1-10&keywords=green+screen
and if you really wanna go super professional you can buy this
http://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Photo-Video-Studio-Light/dp/B00LV46738/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1450894424&sr=8-7&keywords=chroma+key
or if you wanna build it
http://lifehacker.com/5644256/make-a-portable-green-screen-on-the-cheap
I work Streamate and have been a full time cam girl/escort for 4 years. Equipment matters! The better your stream, the better your traffic, visibility, and money.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSCARK/ref=psdc_14014911_t1_B005FHZ2SI
I ordered a bundle from Amazon about 3 years ago from LimoStudio. It was about $150 and came with a backdrop stand with three different fabric backdrops, a bunch of clamps, two softboxes with diffusers, two umbrellas, four light stands, four bulbs, and a bag to carry it all in. I don't use it much anymore, but it's still going strong. I know $150 is over your budget, but the same company offers smaller bundles that are well within your budget. I used the two softboxes more than anything else, and for a while, I always carried one of them in my car. They really do produce beautiful light.
​
Link to what I think is the bundle I bought:
https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-2-6meter-Background-Portfolio-Photography/dp/B00LV46738/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=photography+lighting+kit+limostudio&qid=1554499137&s=gateway&sr=8-7
Did some research, here's I think my bargain basement lighting kit, and good reviews too.
There, you're good to go for wireless flash for ~$100, manual flash power, works with any camera that has a flash shoe.
If you can only spend $50, then just get the flash separately for $30 and the batteries. Then you can get the radio triggers, light stand, and umbrellas later when you have the money to spare.
Also, eventually, you may want to get a larger umbrella - I use an Impact 60" convertible umbrella. Big, beautiful, soft light. I have two of these; they have 4.5 stars on amazon, great umbrella. They are a little unwieldy though; 60" is a big umbrella to deal with.
The key to getting soft light is the size of the light source from the vantage point of the subject, in porportion to the subject's size.
Small diffusers won't do so much if you are shooting large subjects (such as people), or even if you are shooting small subjects and don't position the light very close to the subject.
So I ask, what are you looking to use it for? The only real good use case for small softboxes is for small scale studio still life and macro photography. I do a lot of this, and I use these on my 560s, and they work great.
Otherwise, if you are looking for big soft light in a small package (say you want to take a killer portrait, or photos at an event, but without carrying a 48" softbox), your best bet is with bounce flash. There are several modifiers that can help you.
Modifiers that throw the light in all directions, bouncing off everything, are popular, but in my opinion they create flat and boring shots. The most popular modifiers that do this are the Sto Fen and the Gary Fong lightsphere. They are very easy to use, but again, I find the shots boring.
Another modifier is the simple bounce card. There is one built into your flash already and there are several "improved" bounce cards out there. The bounce card simply allows you to create soft light from the ceiling, while filling in the shadows under your subjects eye sockets.
To me however the key to light is directionality. I would recommend not buying a flash modifier, and instead getting Niel Van Niekerk's book "Direction and Quality of Light". He will teach you how to create dramatic shots with bounce flash, and how to build your own flash modifier, that (IMO) is better than anything on the market (once you know how to use it) and costs less than $3 to build.
CN-216 $64.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010FELA9K/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751532&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216
Soft box $8.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OXCGA28/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751532&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216&dpPl=1&dpID=41HFsj%2BBBzL&ref=plSrch
Filters $9.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00ZP45V8M/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751737&sr=8-1-fkmr2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216+filter
Stand $18.99: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00K69A0QY/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511751838&sr=8-1-fkmr1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=neewer+216+stand
Total: $103
You can get a kit with a stand, umbrella, and an adapter for your hotshot flash on Amazon for $36. Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002DE3RYM/ref=mp_s_a_4?qid=1320287178&sr=8-4
Honestly, when the "real deal" can be had for probably less than your monthly cable bill, it's not worth the trouble to try improvising.
In order to take good pictures of art, you should find the most diffuse light you can, this'll prevent whitewashing half your picture. I've found that sunlight through clouds is pretty good and quite bright. If you're doing this regularly, then it might not always be ideal conditions to go outside and snap a picture. You'll want to invest in an external flash or lamp and a light diffuser So that you can take good pictures indoors. Though you might have a florescent lamp or something that does acceptably, too.
Properly exposing is also important. If you're taking pictures indoors especially, you'll probably want a tripod so that you can take exposures as long as you need.
Also, try to get reasonably far away from the piece and zoom in if you have to, this'll prevent distortion. Try your best to frame the picture well and make sure that the piece is as square against the camera as you can get it.
It'll take a bit to get right, there are people who specialize in photographing art. But once you've got a system down, it doesn't take a minute to do.
If you're working small, you might be able to use a good scanner (though crappy scanners will result in crappy scans, especially of art. They're usually designed for text, which means the the colors will be washed out and the contrast absurd. Make sure you research a scanner before you buy one.) but that's not really an option if you're working on a larger artist's pad, oil painting, or doing anything that's shiny or bumpy.
Not OP, but I bought these and they work perfectly for my setup. They're quality for the price they're at.
I don't care what anyone says, lighting is important. It's second only to sound as the two biggest and easiest to fix flaws that damn near every streamer has issues with.
The good news is that you don't need to go overboard with professional lights. You can get the Neewer lighting kits for under $50 and, if you watch for sales, you can get it as cheap as $35. It comes with three lights and two umbrella diffusers meant for three point lighting set-ups.
But you don't even need to go that far really. If you're streaming from a couch, you'll do better with a kit. But if you're streaming from your desk, you can get away with using a couple of cheap desk lamps with CFL bulbs in them, one acting as a key and the other acting as a back. You can use the monitor light as your fill. You can probably find lamps like that cheaper from Walmart or the Dollar Store, honestly, but the link is more to give you an idea.
Whatever you do, do not just use your room's overhead light. It can create issues with backlighting and some really harsh shadows across your face. Also, make sure to put shades or curtains over all your windows in order to block out sunlight. The light through a window can change a lot in as little as an hour just as the sun moves, let along changing weather conditions. It can cause you headaches trying to light yourself if you've got that sort of inconsistent light screwing things up every time you set up.
[This is the one I am planning on purchasing.] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LV46738/)
Yes, it is basically a strong light bulb, but I mainly want to play around and see how my photos change with the diffused and directed lighting, changing angles and distances etc.
The following is for a two light setup
this
Just add flashes. there are some good cheep flashes out there do your research and read reviews.
I went with these but they are a pricey. but they do what me and my fiancee need and its modular so I can add more flashes to the system.
in additon we also got a set of these as we determined some times we need to limit the back blast of light you get from a shoot threw umbrella
Go to Strobist and read his guides. so much good info
> https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Rotatable-Aluminum-Adjustable-Photography/dp/B01CHQ8Z7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qf2ooD3alA
This is the look I'm going for.
If I had all the money in the world, I would buy 1 big octagon modifier and 1 professional speed light which would work.
But I dont. I'm caught between buying 4 of these: Which I still need to find a way to attach them to stands, and what stands to buy.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01I09WHLW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510881560&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=amazon+basics+speedlight&dpPl=1&dpID=41NIpT%2Bjt5L&ref=plSrch
The idea came from here: I really like the last photo. But this takes up a LOT of space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRU5x8DWq_k&t=530s
And a recommendation a redditer made:
https://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-560IV-Wireless-Speedlite-Controller/dp/B015ZALVI4/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&dpID=51jDyWBhEoL&dpPl=1&keywords=yongnuo&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&qid=1510935752&ref=plSrch&ref_=mp_s_a_1_5&sr=1-5
Remember though, this is just one poor schlub's opinion. Hand on chin can work, but it's got to look more natural, like you're supporting your head, not just sticking your hand near your face.
Have you considered a collapseable soft box to stick around your flash?
I got this one and a cheap stand and it seemed to work okay, at least for shelter kitty portraits.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BQ233C/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_v-Yrtb0SN7VT1
Two of these flashes:
http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Professional-Speedlight-Flashlight-Olympus/dp/B00BXA7N6A/
One transmitter:
http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-Wireless-Trigger-Shutter-Tranceiver/dp/B0050K855C/
Double umbrella/bracket/stand kit:
http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Off-Camera-Umbrella-Umbrellas-Shoemount/dp/B008S1W19Q/
I am interested in learning to take better indoor portraits. I am willing to buy some gear, but cost is a factor as I do not know how I'll take to it, or how much I will use it.
The equipment I have available is:
As far as I can tell right now the biggest problem I have is with the quality of light. The homemade diffusers that I have are a great improvement over naked flash, but they simply don't make big, soft light.
It's my hope that I can find a couple of inexpensive softboxes and stands to improve my lighting, and hopefully someone may have recommendations there. I saw this on another thread, for example: http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Off-Camera-Umbrella-Umbrellas-Shoemount/dp/B008S1W19Q/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1384792982&sr=8-8&keywords=flash+umbrella
I am willing to get a 3rd strobe which seems like it would be awfully useful for removing shadows from the backdrop, but I don't know if it is necessary.
Bottom line... Decent camera, passable lens, 2 serviceable strobes... what else do I need to get to shoot a decent indoor portrait on a budget?
Neewer 13feet/390cm Two Way Rotatable Aluminum Adjustable Tripod Boom Light Stand with Sandbag for Studio Photography Video https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CHQ8Z7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cZyADb48FAEXB
Here is the desktop version of your link
I have a c920 and I am not disappointed. I subscribe to the belief that your camera is only as good as your lighting. Shit lighting will make a great camera look like shit and great lighting will make a shit camera look great.
I bought that exact screen from Amazon [link], but in retrospect I should've just gone to a fabric store and gotten a green sheet, because that's all it is. It is not special in any way. It is super thin though, so I just double mine up on a custom frame made with PVC pipe (cost of tools and materials was around $20). The good thing about the PVC is that you can measure your space and build a custom frame that fits your needs.
I found some awesome clamp light fixtures at Wal-Mart [example]. In my case I clamped them to my desk and a nearby window sill, pointed at approximately 45 degrees toward me and the screen behind me. The positioning is important in that you need your screen evenly lit and you need to not cast much of a shadow onto it. Luckily I have the space to put the screen far enough behind me and eliminate most shadow problems.
The bulbs I got are bright as hell though, so I've got [these] soft boxes on the way. These are not so much for the lighting itself (although I don't think it'll hurt) but for my own comfort. After only a few minutes of having those lights in my peripheral vision it got uncomfortable.
I also have a light almost directly above me, which rounds out my setup so far. Key light, fill light, and hair light. A Google search on studio and green screen lighting would benefit you. Good luck!
As the other commenters mentioned, it should really depend on the situation and you should be making these kinds of decisions on a case-by-case basis. 4 speedlights in the corners could potentially work, but it would depend on the room. Additionally, you want to think about the type of light you are creating - do you want to point everything at the ceiling and have light everywhere, or do you want to have a kicker or two to shoot into to create some depth to the images?
If you only have one speedlight, on-camera bounce can provide decent results. However, if you're going to add additional off-camera units, my advice would be to invest in flashes with triggers/tranceivers built into them, such as the Yongnuo YN-560 IV line. They're incredibly cheap, reliable, and work perfectly for this sort of application. By doing this, you'll be able to trigger the flashes remotely (and reliably), with the additional benefit of being able to balance your output with the ambient light in the room, so as not to completely overwhelm it. Your batteries might have to be replaced once every 2-3 hours, depending on how bright your flash is set to. Buy some rechargeable batteries. You'll save hundreds.
My personal preference is to use a master flash on the top of my camera to light my subjects, and use it to control other off-camera radio slave units for additional fill or edge lighting (kickers) as the need arises. You get the flexibility of on-camera bounce with the look of multiple off-camera lights. It's the best of both worlds, I think.
Also, to your question about the light temperature, bare flash will show up as blue light in an image where the white balance is set to match most ambient indoor lighting, which is far warmer (usually tungsten). This will definitely create some weird-looking shots. You can easily get around this by gelling the flashes to the ambient light in the room, and I would definitely recommend it, no matter what lighting setup you go with. Just pick up a couple of gel kits off Amazon that include some CTO (orange) gels, and you'll be golden. In terms of bang for your buck, this will be the most effective way to improve the look of indoor images shot with speedlights.
Good luck with your shoot!
You're welcome!
There's several ways you could go about it. Without investing in more equipment, you may be able to bounce it off a white ceiling.
Otherwise, you could buy a cheap softbox that goes over the speedlight to diffuse it, and then either hand hold it or set it down pointing at the subject.
Or, you can get a lightbox that you put your subject in, and shoot the flash through a side/top of the box. This method ensures that the background will be white, if that's what you're going for.
I bought mine locally but this is the exact set I bought. in my video I was only using the one with the weighted stand. perfect for that overhead lighting and getting the whole kit. I absolutely love them all so far.
LimoStudio Photo Video Studio 2400 Watt Softbox Continuous Light Kit with Overhead Head Light Boom Kit, AGG891 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GWH7VE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Rz5HDbDN9FYJ8
Maybe stupid question: do flash gels also work as diffusers? Or would it be feasible to put a gel over my flash and then stuff it into a softbox diffuser like this one?
I've used these fairly cheap umbrella lights from amazon, they are a little bit flimsy, but are a great deal for the price, and put out a good amount of bright light. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TSCARK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_WcGQybTKT1YVG
For me, cheap as in $50 USD lol. I'm thinking about this https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Umbrella-Lighting-Professional-Photography/dp/B003Y31FHC/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1497559675&sr=1-3&keywords=professional+lighting+for+video
Not sure how I would use the small one, though.
Something like this. This is what I have
Gels - https://www.amazon.com/ExpoImaging-ROGUEGELS-U-Rogue-Photographic-Design/dp/B005KEL4NI - are just some plastic color filters for flashes
Flashes generally provide more light and/or have longer reach. I can't really imagine setting up a LED somewhere or even using one of the on-camera panels and photographing people. You would either have to be really close or have expensive lights. Check out strobist if you're curious about lighting
Color filters are mainly for BW film. They can also block out a lot of light (3-4 stops for a red #29). With digital cameras, you can change the luminance of a color channel while converting the image to black and white without losing light or dealing with filters.
I shoot a bit of BW film as well, and that's really the only use case.
Well the point of a softbox is to make light less harsh -- to take your small point source of light and expand it for softer shadows. It's also to control the direction of incoming light so you can shape your subject in a controlled way. Sure you won't have room for a large device, but really anything could be better than a bare flash (depending on your intention).
Worst case, cover your colored walls with cheap white sheets or a white paper roll or whatever and treat it like a giant DIY light box.
Photography is all about overcoming limitations, or figuring out how to make it work just well enough to pull off a shot. Sometimes that's dealing with sub par gear; other times it's limited space or some other frustration.
If you're ok swapping one white-label for another, neewer sells it for $79.99.
The AmazonBasics flash is ~$30 and is just a rebranded Neewer model. It's full manual, but if you're shooting off camera with speedlights, with the A6000 that's the only game in town anyway. (If there's a TTL wireless transmitter/receiver out there for the Sony multi-interface shoe, I'm not sure).
For stands and umbrellas, when I started off Cowboy Studio stuff was inexpensive and relatively good quality to price. I'm not sure if it's still that way, but if you're looking to keep it cheap to start with, it's not a bad way to go. Same with their wireless transmitter, but Neewer has one for $16 on Amazon right now that comes with 2 receivers.
(The one thing to keep in mind is that the hotshoe on the black A6000 is painted/coated, so the transmitter may have issues grounding, but I haven't had one of these in hand for several years, and I'm having difficulty remembering if the transmitter required a ground spot in the first place, as it's just a simple "pop the flash" affair. You should be fine though.)
So for a starter kit to learn off camera stuff, I'd say go with 2 of the AmazonBasics Flashes
This umbrella/stand kit
And the above mentioned trigger set. That's around $130 and two lights should be plenty to get you started. Maybe even consider getting some softboxes while you're at it.
Since you're just getting started with it, I wouldn't dump too much money into it for now. Those two flashes with umbrellas/soft boxes will be plenty to just get the basics down, learn the different lighting styles, and decide if shooting with flash is where you want to go.
From there, shelling out for some PocketWizards, Profoto strobes, and all the high end kit is up to you!
I am working on a series of YouTube videos. We want an infinite white background but we cannot seem to get it that "infinite white" color. I cannot afford to spend any more right now. Is there any type of post-processing that can be done to achieve that color or a way to overexpose the background in the camera? I tried spot and center-weighted metering, but nothing seems to work. I just want a headshot, not full-body. I'm completely willing to re-arrange the lights in any order necessary to achieve this.
Here are the details:
Really bad mouse-drawn schematic: http://imgur.com/DNvNL21
Current picture of background: http://imgur.com/qjQ6B99
Equipment:
Muslin Background
Lighting Kit 1
Lighting Kit 2
Adobe Premiere CS6
Nikon D3200
Thank you so much in advance!
I have a buddy who uses these
and they are great build quality but he only uses the cto. so the rest are a waste.
I had a sheet of CTO left over from my film school days so I just cut one to the same size, and attached some velcro to it to stick to my flash. infact for $8 here you can make more than 20 gels if you cut them yourself.
Hi all! I'm looking to make an entry into speedlight photography. On one of my threads a few months ago, the overwhelming consensus was to buy 3rd party flashes. There were a few recommendations given, but as it was some time ago, I'd like to know what is currently the best recommendations for 3rd party speedlights. I'm starting from scratch with regards to lighting equipment, so I'll need flashes, stands, transmitters/receivers etc. I'm looking to spend around £100, if possible.
Would this be a good deal? - https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEEWER-4-Color-Display-High-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B011BJXWOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048783&sr=8-1&keywords=Neewer%2BNW985&th=1
I also hear good things about Yongnuo. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
EDIT: and what about this, in terms of stands and umbrellas? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Speedlight-Umbrella-600EX-RT-Youngnuo/dp/B01ABFSAPU/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp
Unanswered question from the previous megathread
Author /u/caterix - (Permalink)
Hi all! I'm looking to make an entry into speedlight photography. On one of my threads a few months ago, the overwhelming consensus was to buy 3rd party flashes. There were a few recommendations given, but as it was some time ago, I'd like to know what is currently the best recommendations for 3rd party speedlights. I'm starting from scratch with regards to lighting equipment, so I'll need flashes, stands, transmitters/receivers etc. I'm looking to spend around £100, if possible.
Would this be a good deal? - https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEEWER-4-Color-Display-High-Speed-Speedlite/dp/B011BJXWOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503048783&sr=8-1&keywords=Neewer%2BNW985&th=1
I also hear good things about Yongnuo. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
EDIT: and what about this, in terms of stands and umbrellas? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Speedlight-Umbrella-600EX-RT-Youngnuo/dp/B01ABFSAPU/ref=wl_mb_wl_huc_mrai_1_dp
We use Neewer Photography Lighting kit. You can change the lamps to any color but they come with daylight balances LEDs!
Neewer 600W 5500K Photo Studio Day Light Umbrella Continuous Lighting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013JV3J1I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6svRAbV12VWD1
Which lighting would look more natural, flash with a softbox pointed at the subject or a flash with a deflector attached "bouncing" at the subject?
---
I was thinking about getting a film camera and the N8008s seems like a good choice, but I don't have any Nikon lenses, can anyone recommend a good cheap 50mm that would work on it? It's ok if its manual.
---
In your opinion do you think a used GoPro Hero 2014 for like $60-$70 is worth it mainly for casual timelapses and some underwater footage?
I bought this recently. It's fucking great. Two umbrellas two softboxes three backdrops and frames and tripods for all of it. Works great so far.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LV46738/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_VwPPwbG1DHRE5
This or a Pair of them and This with a radio trigger setup.
I think I may have close to the same lighting as u/cannondale1986 does. Here's a pic of one of the lights and one of mine and my husbands setup with the lights on - http://imgur.com/a/y1X3Z
Here's what we bought.
LimoStudio 2 Sets of 18W LED Photography Table Top Photo Studio Lighting Kit with Energy Saving Light Bulb and Light Stand Tripod, AGG1077 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DP65ARO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_rNuV7xRmksQbV
CowboyStudio 9-Inch Portable Quick Setup Speedlite Softbox with Velcro Strap for Nikon Canon Flash Light (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0093OWIYA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_WvhgqzWOjwwaF
We didn't have many places to put the lights on the desk, so we took them off their stands and figured out a way to anchor them to the wall. It works out fine for us because it's a fairly small room to do that in. The setup is easy to figure out when it comes to hooking the stand to the lamp. The only tricky part is if you're using a softbox to diffuse, you need to take the metal lamp shade anchor piece off by removing the nut and then put the light into the softbox. You can then put the the pieces back together and you're done. Here's the YouTube video I used to figure it out - https://youtu.be/Ek-VoKte9ts
Also @u/cannondale1986 - Hopefully my husband and I see you around the TwitchRP community. :-)
The harsh bit of information is: you're not going to be able to get good results with no experience and a £100 budget.
Basically, for that level, you'll only have full manual flashes, so will need to understand how and why you're adjusting the settings (which will be limited) on that budget.
However, in the UK, look to amazon, for the brand Neewer.
You will want the following items:
An example set up of this can be a lighting kit of the stand, umbrella, and mount at £25, a full manual flash for £26, and very basic transmitter and receiver for £11
Be warned though: this kit is not brilliant. But can be a reasonable starting point to get an idea of what to do.
The other alternative is to find and see if you can have the scene naturally lit, and use some form of reflector (large bit of white cardboard can help for cheap) to add some fill in the shadows.
These are the umbrella lights that I have:
https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-DK2-Umbrella-Professional-Photography/dp/B004TSCARK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1478013351&sr=8-6&keywords=umbrella+lights
This is what I mean about using foam boards:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/27/33/61/2733611f93695a589884bc848c200a21.jpg
I'm not sure if I'll be able to create the same effect with umbrella lights.
I'm an avid window light shooter when I work with food as well, but of course now that the darker season has hit that isn't really an option in the evening time.
Alternatively, I use a cheap video LED and a small softbox. It's not ideal by any means, but it's a quick and mobile option in your price range and sits nicely on a light stand. Here's an example of it in use without the softbox on it, taken in a very dark restaurant corner. An assistant is holding it for me camera left.
If you're shooting in a small space, it will get the job done at the price point you're at.
If you're solid about the $100 point, I'd recommend a YongNuo 560III for $60ish, Yongnuo YN603 wireless triggers for $30, and a CowboyStudio Speedlite Umbrella Kit for another $30.
All in all, $120. You could do sub-$100 with a Neewer TT560 flash, or a Neewer C180 monolight, which are decent, I use them all the time. Or if you can stretch I got plenty of recommendations. Cheap lighting is my thing.
Ok how's 3 tiers?
First tier is very basic. Any kit like this should do the trick. You would most likely put one light on either side while your product is on a table, then have the 3rd light pointed at a wall behind the table.
A step up from that would be a basic set of speedlights like this paired with one of these or an umbrella (two if you're feeling ambitious one on each side, then snag another flash for a BG light) Flashes are better vs continuous lighting from the first link as they allow you more control and let you modify the light easier (with softboxes and other various things, this would allow you to get softer light, harsher light, more focused light, etc etc) You can also bounce them off a white ceiling at higher power which would act like a big softbox overhead.
Top tier for someone starting out would be a set of alien bees Paired with a couple of softboxes and a background light. They take up more space and I wouldn't recommend them if you're just getting your feet wet. (mine are set up all the time and I shoot stuff like this and this with them. )
I use my phone. I've had a couple of high end Panasonic and Canon DSLRs, but I switched to just using my phone a while back. The higher end models have a "pro" mode that will let you adjust just about everything. Most of my pictures come out super clear with an almost invisible background.
If you want to stick with your camera and just need more light different light boxes could help or maybe a light ring. Good deals on Amazon and eBay.
You could also just take pictures in natural light if that is at all possible.
I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy S8+ and I was using these lights https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005FHZ2SI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8GpaBbWCXSDTK until a few days ago when I found this kit in a Goodwill https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008GWH7VE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GJpaBbG4K66S8
Depends on what you deem as inexpensive. I went with this for $50 recently:
http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Light-Lighting-Fluorescent-Umbrella/dp/B003Y31FHC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426098256&sr=8-1&keywords=Fancierstudio+Light+Kit
I have seen a huge improvement since I had terrible lighting in the room I was in... it also fixed all my green screen issues I was having. I don't think I will need to upgrade from this kit down the line which is also a perk (I still have tweaks I want to do).
However starting out a cheap lamp or two is probably the best bet actually.
Do you have any examples of a "great portable light"?. Are you talking about a full time light? a strobe? a Flash?
At this point, not really being a portrait photographer, I'm leaning towards spending a little less for gear as long as its reliable. I don't need anything that's fancy. For a flash, I think I'm mostly looking for something that can give me manual control and Master/Slave options for later... Not sure what else I "need". (Do I need TTL? will I want it in the future? Manual mode is great when you can setup shots, but will I want TTL for outdoor fills?)
Reality is, I simply can't spend $150 on a light alone at this point.
What would be the big downsides to say something like a Yongnuo YN-560 II? for $70. How does it compare to say a LumoPro LP160 which is twice the price. Both of which do not have TTL (correct?).
Then adding a simple Stand/Umbrella setup for ~30-40/ea. I know the quality here will be less than "par", but as long as the locks hold tight and I can weigh it down with a bag, I should be good... (not being heavy enough is a concern though, as I plan on using it outdoors... but then again, I'd be caring them around so I don't want things to heavy). Looking at these... CowboyStudio Single Setup, ePhoto (two stand setup), Thoughts?
As for a wireless flash system to invest in, This I could see putting some money into as It would be expanded upon later down the road. But I don't expect to be getting some ridiculous system either. Some of the cheaper wireless flash triggers didn't lock onto the stand, which means the flash isn't secure either... That steered me away from those, so I'm still looking. I was looking at Yongnuo RF-603 until I noticed that.
My debate at the moment is, do I need TTL, or simply Manual control? I played with a friends Canon 550EX (II I think) last night, and ended up sticking to manual mode the entire time... Granted, that was in a controlled situation and I was able to play around with the flash settings. I could see where the TTL would be great for getting the right fill in an outdoor shot.
Ahhhh!!..... (haha)
That is a little bit of expensive for me right now. Also I'm in Canada I should have mentioned that before. I was thinking something like:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B00VSKUEVQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485280776&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Softbox&dpPl=1&dpID=41Sd3577HRL&ref=plSrch
Or if I could get away with one then:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B008BQ233C/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1485280776&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Softbox&dpPl=1&dpID=416D-%2By1xmL&ref=plSrch
This is what I have http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y31FHC/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They have a really strong light but its also soft, I've never used more then one at a time because it really brightens the room. One thing I have noticed though is that it gives a slight blue tint the videos I make with it. No idea why. But yeah, for only a tad over $50 pretty good!
I'd look at getting a photography tripod first. I got one with a really small projector and it's worked out great. The only caveat is your projector needs to be fairly light and have a tripod mount hole. Here's the tripod i got:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CHQ8Z7Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I didn't make it, I modified one already available on Amazon for $17!
The thing on top is a built-in LED light to help better see subjects when shooting in the dark. It has a flexible neck to move it around. I can also stick it inside a small hole I cut in the top of the diffuser to stabilize it better.
LimoStudio
I can see the album of the build but I don't see the white umbrellas over the lights? Unless you're referring to the normal lamp (not sure the right name for it) mantle/light cover?
Did you put mini light diffusers on it like these or something similar?
The end result is great!
/u/Apex98 - here is how you can put a green screen studio together for $200CAD [Referral Links]:
Backdrop
Lighting
With this setup, you should be able to produce well-lit, high quality green screen content with stable color and no fluorescent flicker.
Hope this is helpful and best of luck!
That kit is good for adding a splash of color but for balancing your flash temperatures I highly recommend this gel kit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A8EIPGY
Each gel has what it is printed on it which is super handy.
Actually, I was looking more for the lighting end of things. I ended up going with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O0NMDYE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ABFSAPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
As well as https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PIM3I6I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I think this will be flexible enough for me. I've got a newborn and will be mainly using this setup for portrait photography as he grows up.
> Link it up
This
> I think we need more context?
Just normal portraits for future use in weddings and events. What use are for the gold transparent etc.?
Yes there will always be some sort of reflection. You should be able to avoid bad reflection on the main face by moving the lights, diffusing them with soft boxes, using circular polarizer filter, or moving the object a bit.
Soft Box - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008BQ233C/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1503661008&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Soft+box&dpPl=1&dpID=416D-%2By1xmL&ref=plSrch
Flash looks fine. Yongnuo is another inexpensive option many people use.
Polarizer - Something like this. Make sure it fits your lens and has decent reviews. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00344R250/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1503661167&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Circular+polarizer&dpPl=1&dpID=41JCIY1MFcL&ref=plSrch
yea I have that similar setup now but there is no way I can fit the light umbrellas. I bought this back in 2014 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Y31FHC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thinking about a led light panel but so expensive!
Right now I'm using 4x Philips LED Household Daylight Light Bulb, Dimmable in a ceiling fan in the center of my room and 1 more in a lamp behind my desk. My greenscreen is actually at an angle behind me so that it can catch light off the lights in the center of the room. The lamp in front of me basically lights my face.
For the lamp that's shining right in my face, I use a soft box to make it tolerable. Here's that entire setup:
The dimmer switch is nice for giving me both an easily accessible switch (on my desk in front of me instead of up behind my monitors) and also allowing me to control the amount of light on me. That's also why I went with dimmable bulbs.
Just know that you'll need to have light hitting the green screen behind you otherwise you're probably gonna have shadow issues. So you might need a lamp or two off to the side to light the screen and then something on yourself. If you don't like the results you're getting then you probably need to add more lighting.
You can accomplish a lot with a single light.
I like the TT600s, but maybe hold off on buying more gear for now. Try to get good with your current flash before spending more money on gear. When you have experience, you'll have a much better idea of how to spend your money.
Presumably the Flash you have supports optical slave mode. Try using it off-camera; there are good guides to set that up.
If you're going to buy anything, I'd recommend a light stand, an umbrella holder, and an umbrella.
Edit:
Here's a kit. Not as good as the individual bits, but a lot cheaper: https://amzn.com/B01DJ11S6G