Best lighting soft boxes according to redditors

Hey guys! So I decided to upgrade my cheap Amazon lighting kit to something with diffusers and more bulbs. I'm 6'4" ~241lbs. Diet-wise I conditioned myself to under ~50 grams of carbs a day for 2 weeks with 3 gallons of water a day (ouch). Then 24 hours prior I carb loaded and basically dehydrated myself to pull out any hydration under the skin. Thanks for all the advice and photo tips from my last shoot! It really helped showing off my strengths. I've attached a couple more photos that my girl took, plus a photo that displays my height. Any more tips for next time would be appreciated!

https://imgur.com/fYZtQtb.jpg

https://imgur.com/7NzyvzM.jpg

https://imgur.com/mS7s21z.jpg

https://imgur.com/Pu28ehg.jpg

She shot it on her Cannon t6i and the new lighting kit is Fancierstudio Lighting Kit 2400 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047FHOWG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_nzQCDbYPPNCFV

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I09WHLW x 2 - Speedlights - $56

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Wireless-Speedlite-Receiver-Universal/dp/B00A47U22U - Wireless Trigger - $19

https://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-Photography-Light-Stands-Cases/dp/B001WB02Z4 - Light Stands - $29

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Universal-Speedlite-Umbrella/dp/B00JJJR7PY - x2 - Cold Shoe - $22

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0132I34K4 - Octobox - $23

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Premium-Shoot-Through-Translucent-Umbrella/dp/B005ODKMOC - Shoot though umbrella - $14

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-43-inch-Collapsible-Multi-Disc-Reflector/dp/B002ZIMEMW - 5 in 1 reflector - $20

That brings you for a full starting light setup that can be used for headshots and starting boudoir for $183. And you even have flexablity in there to use a 1 light setup with reflector or use 2 lights. You would want a few sandbags to keep the gear stable, but I am not including those in the price.

Now for a background setup

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6GRHBO/ref=psdc_3444601_t1_B00MTF6ZVC

Is a good basic stand but hard to fit under your budget with the above lighting gear.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Studio-Collapsible-Backdrop-1-8x2-8m/dp/B00UWL02PU is also an okay starting backdrop, Grey can be turned into white or black. I will warn you that you will need a fabric steamer to get the lines out, but that is pretty much the same however you go with cloth. Another more expensive choice is to go with seamless paper, I love working with paper, but it is an ongoing expense to use it.

Now if you are going to make this her studio all the time, they make http://www.homedepot.com/p/EUCATILE-32-sq-ft-96-in-x-48-in-Hardboard-Thrifty-White-Tile-Board-HDDPTW48/205995949 that you can use to make a great background. Or to me the better option if you are going to use a room as a full time studio, paint the walls, put down hardwood or laminate, and you have a great studio setup.

The basic principles of light are quality, direction, and luminosity.

Quality is how hard or soft the light is. Having a larger light source will produce softer light, that's why softboxes are so large. Keep that in mind if you're going with a DIY option. (Also remember that larger is relative to the subject, so having a light a lot closer makes the light larger, and therefore softer)

Direction is obviously the direction of the light. The most popular use of lighting in facecams is two lights each at 45 degrees from your face. This will give the most even and pleasing light. Experiment and see what you like. Other uses for a two light setup can be things like key light, fill light, and rim light. Look these terms up if you want to learn more.

Lumonisty is the power of the light, and this can be controlled through the light itself or the exposure settings of your webcam. Try to find a good balance and capture realistic skin tones.

Using these principles this is how my facecam looks using two of these and a Logitech C920

Ok, this is SUPER short notice, but who would like to attempt a 'Fit Pic February'?

The challenge is to take a fit pic every day, no matter what you're wearing. The point is to build up good fit-pic-taking habits, not to show off our wardrobes. I know I need it, at least.

EDIT: Yo, if you're reading this and thinking 'I'd love to do that but I can only take mirror selfies', may I recommend this cameraphone stand and this light kit?

They're a bit of an investment for sure, but if you love taking OOTD pics they'll pay for themselves in time. And if you're at all crafty, that big-ass bright light will come in SUPER handy for all kinds of things. Hell, I don't even have mine right now because my dad borrowed it while he cleaned his guns.

EDIT 2: There's nothing wrong with mirror selfies, this is just a suggestion.

EDIT 3: But if you could just get one thing, I would recommend the light kit. It's easy to jury-rig a phone stand -- I used one I made out of clay for a while, and I've used soda bottles in a pinch -- but dim, yellow-toned, overhead lights can't be fixed as easily.

ALZO Diffusion Fabric Nylon Silk White, 1 Yard Long 60 Inches Wide, Un-Finished Edges, Scissor-Cut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1SHnybENCDW92

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.

Awesome! I hope you do trying it out! Here's what I got.

Camera: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019UDIDXS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Audio Recorder: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DPOXS8I/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mic (Same we use for podcasting) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001IPUJJI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lighting Kit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KRN0SEI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ring Light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O1UCDKU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a subscription of Adobe Creative Suite and use almost all of it. After Effect and Premiere. We use Cubase for audio engineering but Audition is great too.

I've used a wide variety in my gallery over the years. The short answer is that LEDs are probably the way to go. They generally have good color rendering, don't put out excessive UV, aren't expensive, turn on instantly, don't flicker (usually), and don't use a lot of power or generate a lot of heat.

I ideally like to have both track lighting and non-directional lighting like fluorescent tubes. Track lighting is better for some work, but non-directional lighting is better for other work and for photographing the show. In my gallery for non-directional lighting I have 2x2 foot dimmable LED panels that people usually think are skylights because they're installed in recessed ceiling wells.

My LED panels are daylight color temperature, and my track lighting is one step warmer than daylight.

edit: This is what I'm currently using for my cans: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011KD5V54/

Also, sometimes good to have some of this diffusion cloth on hand for tricky lighting situations: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XPUV1XM/

Open Source Software

• exiftool Command-line metadata editing tool.
  
• dcraw Command-line RAW processing tool.
  
• GIMP Photo editing.
  
• Blender Video editing.
  
• Audacity Audio editing.
  
• OBS Studio. Realtime streaming and clip production.
  
• Darktable. Light table and raw developer.
  
  Proprietary Software
  
  
• ManyCam Pro - freeware software that enables webcam use with multiple chat applications simultaneously, such as Skype, Omegle, Chatroulette, MSN, or YouTube
  
• OnyxServers - white label video streaming / hosting service
  
  Hardware
  
  
• [Logitech C922x webcam] (https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Webcam-Widescreen-Calling-Recording/dp/B01LXCDPPK/) - well-reviewed webcam.
  
• [Fovitec StudioPRO softbox lighting kit] (https://www.amazon.com/Fovitec-StudioPRO-Softbox-Lighting-Softboxes/dp/B00KRN0SEI) - Good lighting is essential for high quality videos/photos.
  
• Blue Yeti microphone - well-reviewed microphone
  
• Microphone shock mount - Reduce rumbles from stand / desk.
  
• Microphone foam windscreen - Reduce pressure on the microphone sensor from wind, breath blasts, and splosives ("b" and "p" sounds). One thing to note, a mic windscreen often will dampen higher frequencies more than a pop filter will.
  
• Microphone pop filter - Same purpose as foam windscreen, but doesn't dampen high frequencies as much.
  
• Microphone boom stand - Useful if you want to capture good sound on your bed / couch.
  
• HyperX Cloud II USB Headset - good for phone sex, video editing.
  
  Tutorials
  
  
• DIY ultimate tripod with camera boom
  
• DIY Mini Camera Jib Crane $25 dollars
  
• Easy DIY Camera Crane Jib - Complete parts list

Just a few more to add to the list:

18% grey card

Neewer TT560 flash

Neewer 43-inch 5-in-1 reflector

Tiffen Circular polarizer

7 ft. light stand

47" Speedlight Umbrella Softbox

Continuous lighting kit

New camera bag


[EDIT] Added more things to the list, as I think of things I'll continue to expand it.

I'm in the midwest so I know how this is; I'm at work during the best natural light hours and in the winter it's just gray all the time and it gets dark so early.

It's a little bit of an investment, but I bought this light to take photos with (you can look around at other lights, this one had the best price as far as I could find at the time). It's collapses so you can store it under your bed or in a closet so it's apartment friendly.

I scan all of my RGD drawings and primarily work in graphite. I use a canoscan 8600f but I believe they have updated the model to the 9000. It works pretty well. Sometimes the dark pencils (the ole' 9b) can get reflective, particularly when you mix media and they are drawn on a dark surface. The only way to avoid that is to make a whole elaborate setup. Black felt behind the art. Studio lighting. Then you can spread you light sources so wide they won't reflect as much.

By that point, if you aren't working to large, it's easier to just scan and use a white balance card. Just include that little guy into the scan and use the black, white, and grey eyedropper tools in the "levels" settings in Photoshop. Any reflections, you can edit out to make it match the real values of the drawing.

_Dead's suggestion with the shade is the best method for shooting on a larger scale and don't have the resources for a fancy pants setup. Cell phones won't have the best camera for shooting the art but you gotta use what you gotta use.

Just remember, even with a white balance card, the most important thing is making sure the lighting is EVEN. Try your best to make sure there are no hot-spots of light because that is the most difficult to adjust later.

I can go into more detail on fancy pants rigs if needed.

Believe the hype. I almost listened to a couple Youtube 'pundits' trash them, but I think they're just going for controversy clicks (looking at you, Angry Photographer, and your consistently terrible advice). lol I'm glad I read reviews.

I'm using this Godox softbox, which mounts just like an umbrella (because it basically is). I also have a dual-head Bowens mount that I've yet to try (partly because I haven't needed the extra power yet).

I've got no real setup to show ya, partly because I'm still experimenting with all the modifiers I bought (they're so cheap!!), but also because a fluid setup is really its advantage. Every single shoot is different because the lights are so easy to move around, and quickly turn off and on. They're like shooting with SB900 flashes, only much more powerful and a much more reliable RF transmitter. Oh, and they recycle unbelievably quickly. I'm shooting bursts and they don't even break a sweat. And they have high speed sync, which my Einsteins, incredibly, do not.

Easiest thing I can think of to accomplish that is to get some cheap photography softbox lights. Those things are bright af, they fill the whole room if you position them correctly and the light is very evenly white. Would that qualify?

Like these

I'd suggest leaning more toward lights and skipping the green screen. Green screening takes quite a bit of work if you aren't used to it, and if the woodworking is his true hobby, he may find it distracts him from his projects. How would the green screen add to his videos?

A mid-low range LED panel like this http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-600-3200K-temperature-Camcorder/dp/B00E4LFP0G would look great and fit the budget, paired with a bit of diffusion like this: http://www.amazon.com/ALZO-Diffusion-Fabric-Un-Finished-Scissor-Cut/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451763150&sr=8-1&keywords=diffusion would look really awesome.

That camera isn't terribly spectacular (which is fine - if it works, it works) so I'd stay away from buying accessories like lenses specifically for it.

He's a lucky guy! Once he gets a chance to incorporate his birthday gifts, shoot us a link to his channel so we can give him some views.

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.

Let me link you to the exact lighting I use... Used it a few hours ago actually.


Use it by turning off all your lights or going to a basement.


LimoStudio Photography Video Studio Continuous Softbox Lighting Light Kit with Photo CFL 105W Bulb, AGG702
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DFP6M4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Wa6FAbV102PNV

I'm looking to get into shooting more 'studio' portraits. I want to get a cheap continuous lighting set-up for my house, that way I can use it for filming and also for some portrait work with analog cameras. Do you think that continuous lighting would be enough? I shoot with pretty fast glass normally. I was looking to get the Neewer 700W Set because of the price and I have had good luck with their products in the past. Any suggestions or advice is appreciated!

I just bought a lighting kit and I wish I had bought it sooner. I'm linking to the one I bought. It's really compact when not being used. My photos looks so much better than they did even in natural light.

https://www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Continuous-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=lighting+kit+for+photography&qid=1564929917&s=gateway&sprefix=lighting+kit&sr=8-11

I use this. It works great, and it paired with a white background really makes all the difference.

Glass is going to have more of an impact on detail than the camera body typically. Honestly if you wanted to go that route I would look for an old Canon t3i (~$400 on ebay) and then get a Canon 24-105 f4 L (also ~$400 on ebay.) As any photographer would tell you lighting is going to be way more important than what camera you choose. If she were to invest in a few softboxes and took some time to experiment with the lighting then she could probably get away with using an iphone. Really what it depends on is how far she wants to take it and what results she is expecting.

You have a unique closet with lots of great valuable pieces. It's worth it for you to invest in some equipment. Lightweight box and dress form would drastically improve your photos and presentation. You can purchase both for $100 on Amazon.

For your jewelry, I'd buy neutral color jewelry display stands. Personally black doesn't photo well.

I'll do some digging around and edit with links to what example of what I'm talking about. Keep in mind, after you finish selling your stuff (if Poshmark hasnt become habit forming) and if youre done with Poshmark you can always sell your equipment on Ebay. You have high-end unique items that will sell, and professional equipment will speed up the process.

edit:

Jewerly Supplies

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Jewelry-Display-Storage-Mannequin-Necklace-Bracelet-Watch-Stand-Holder-16-Kinds/172994771570?hash=item28474aba72:m:muw3aBw2N5WY3Z8YFbBxLzw

Small box for photos -- jewelry and shoes etc.

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Jewellery-Photography-Shooting-Backdrops/dp/B078ZT9L9F/ref=pd_sbs_421_4/130-8055746-7930327?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B078ZT9L9F&pd_rd_r=034f5813-72d6-11e9-a70e-fdfd69152f1b&pd_rd_w=K3SxU&pd_rd_wg=Yadx3&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=V72S5QS2V6DW9H5CW7P6&psc=1&refRID=V72S5QS2V6DW9H5CW7P6

Set of softbox lights

https://www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Continuous-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=lightbox+photography&qid=1557460179&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-4

Dress form

https://www.amazon.com/Bonnlo-Female-Pinnable-Mannequin-Wooden/dp/B072VHFBSJ/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=dress+form&qid=1557460275&s=photo&sr=8-2

I would get a kit with softboxes (actually I did get such a kit, minus the greenscreen - I painted the wall) and get the screens separately. So, either the 3 point lighting kit: https://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-H9004SB2-Photography-Continuous-Hairlight/dp/B00MBVOIJU/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1498753304&sr=8-7&keywords=softbox+continuous+lighting

Or the two stand kit: https://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-Photography-Continuous-Lighting-Portrait/dp/B00TOWZDE8/ref=pd_sbs_201_25?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00TOWZDE8&pd_rd_r=S3ABGYT7MNCEGFYY2ZNX&pd_rd_w=tc3oQ&pd_rd_wg=Ekc61&psc=1&refRID=S3ABGYT7MNCEGFYY2ZNX

Reasoning: Bare bulbs are too harsh.

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.

Thank you! It was a lot of trial and error. It's this exact one from amazon. I got it about two weeks ago and really like it. Neewer 700W Professional... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017D7W57S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I wish someone would have given me this list when I started. For about $360 the list below gives you everything you need. I highly recommend against recording on your phone. There is also a lot of great free software out there for recording video for both PC and Mac. I use XSplit personally, even if I'm not streaming. You could probably find the light set without the green screen for a little cheaper if you want, but I wouldn't go any cheaper on the microphones, soundboard or webcam. With all this you'll have a semi-professional setup at an affordable budget.


2x Microphones ($70) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XOXRTX6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


2x Microphone XLR Cables ($20) https://www.amazon.com/XLR-Microphone-Cable-Feet-Female/dp/B06XC6435F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503965340&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=xlr+male+to+female&psc=1


1 USB Mixer ($60) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1503964969&sr=8-3&keywords=xenyx


Light Set ($150) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019GTCNXC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Webcam ($60) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JH8T3S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought something very similar to this. The lights, stand, and softbox are about the same.

http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2

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.

My set up is similar to /u/alittlekink 's.
My computer an duel monitors are set up on an ikea desk made out of a Ikea Alex drawer unit leg set. I use two softboxes, One on the stand on one side & then one sitting on the floor on the other side of my desk. (The floor softbox hides the belly shadow) Before the lighting kit, when I had housemates, I used a cheep target lamp with mutiple heads like this.

My desk sits in front of the only window in the room, so I can use the natural light as filler during the day.

My bed is placed sideways (longways) against the wall opposite the desk, made up daybed style.

I use a Logitech c930e placed on a cheep tripod that I can move around.

Im buying my gf a soft box and a set of reflectors for indoor food photography.
will these work?
https://www.amazon.com/Photography-Continuous-Lighting-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681089&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=softbox+kit&psc=1


or


https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Photography-Lighting-Equipment-AGG814/dp/B00E4YS2XU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681089&sr=8-3&keywords=softbox+kit


and


https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Multi-disc-Collapsible-Photo-Reflector/dp/B00D6NWN6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484681493&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=light+reflector&psc=1

or does someone have better suggestions?

>am looking for a lens to do product photography

How big are the products?

> I initially was looking at a Tonika macro lens.

Are any of the products very small, like jewelry? Or do you want extreme close-up detail filling the whole shot (items bigger than your hand going off the edges of the frame)?

If not, you don't need a macro lens.

> But the fine people at B&H suggested a 50 mm prime lens.

If you don't need an extreme close-up, that's probably good.

> Next, I wanted some lighting, so I looked on amazon, and lo and behold, there’s something Chinese that looks too good to be true. But it has good reviews, and ultimately I’m a beginner, so I feel this might be good enough for me?

I'd hate to use it for portraits because of making subjects squint and contracting their pupils; also no output adjustment, and low output overall. But I guess it's okay for products since you could always just do a long exposure with a tripod if the output isn't enough.

> please recommend anything else I might need for studio photography (those little grey cards that do a thing, or whatever else)

Again, it depends on the products.

Unless you have sunlight mixing in through a window or something, you probably don't need a gray card. Or you only really have use for it once. That would serve as a calibration point to compensate for the color of the light you're using. But if the light is staying the same, you don't have to keep readjusting that.

If you're doing video, you want constant lights - really, really big ones. If you're using fluorescents, you want really good bulbs like these units from Eiko,, perhaps in a couple of four-bulb umbrella holders with Godox umbrella softboxes.

Alternately, big damn incandescents (700W+) are powerful, have great color (100CRI,) and zero intercompatibility issues. They're hot as hell, though.

A pair of YN360 light wands are also a good choice, but not so much if you want to cover a large area.

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.

In my opinion, the T3i is garbage for video in the current market. The Panasonic G7 is a far better choice, however it will eat up your entire budget.

But in terms of sound, ideally you'll want to be recording sound externally, so not directly into the camera. So something like a video mic hooked up to a zoom h1 to record your audio, or a Blue Yeti mic. And for lights, you can get a fairly cheap set of continuous lights like these, not fantastic but they'll more than do the job for simple setups.

But focus on good sound and lighting, that'll help your video more than most cameras will.

They are softboxes for lighting my green screen. I've started streaming to twitch in my spare time.

Fun, thanks for hosting the scavenger hunt!

1. Something Blue: These journals are so beautiful, and I just thought I would start the scavenger hunt out with something simple and beautiful. Is that too corny of a reason to put them on here?
   
2. Summer: Summer reminds me that I will soon be in a place with sun constantly radiating down and burning my retinas. We're all gonna need some sunglasses.
   
3. Unusual Food-Related Item: Kawaii Squishies are super cute, smell like freshly baked bread (or cream soda), and are shaped like foods! I had a lot of wiggle room with this category, and while I have tons of things about food in my WLs, I just think these are great to pass out to stressed friends, as well.
   
4. Gift Someone Else: A Bidet for the Fiancé Kind of a silly one, but my fiancé loves bidets. I've always wanted to get him one, and so this is my ultimate "I love you" gift for him. I actually thought about getting it for him and calling it his engagement ring, in response to the one he just got me. Do you think it would make him laugh?
   
5. Book!: The book Lab Girl by Hope Jahren has gotten a lot of great press, and it seems very relevant to any woman in a demanding science-related field. I think it would be an interesting, and hopefully inspiring, read.
   
6. Less Than a 1$: Somehow this shampoo brush is only $.01? Is that real?
   
7. Related to Dogs: I haven't owned a dog since my family's golden retriever, Max. He was such a wonderful light in our house, and I think about him a lot. I know that GSD are really smart, so I figured I'd put something a smart-alecky GSD owner might have on here. ;)
   
8. Not Useful, But Awesome: I really love oracle cards. I find that they sort of get me past challenges that maybe I'm too stubborn to see for myself. I think they are a good psychological tool, but I also know most people would find them less than useful. Therefore, they are mostly just awesome, and I want them.
   
9. Great Movie: I get some flak for it, but my favorite movie of all time is Coraline. I think it is just so thought-provoking and the animation is beautiful. It really has a special place in my heart.
   
10. Zombies Attack!: Weirdly enough, I am in the process of creating an emergency plan and some bugout bags for my fiancé and I. It's more of a hobby than worry, but I always thought a couple of these matches would come in handy when the hammer drops.
    
11. Life Goals: This one might require a little explanation. So, I just quit my career as an archaeologist to become a creative writer, and my fiancé just quit his archaeology career to become an illustrator. Together we are writing some children's books, creating a comic book series, and hosting a podcast. It has come to our attention that these endeavors require social media presence (something neither of us are very good at). Through our bumbling around, we've found that our pictures are turning out less-than-great for social media, and the problem is lighting. I think this lightbox really neat for anyone who wants to make their pictures look professional on social media.
    
12. Add-Ons: Makeup Remover Cloths These are so useful, I thought about even adding them to the Zombie Apocalypse part of the Scavenger Hunt! I sometimes forget to take care of my skin. So I started leaving one of these by my nightstand just for those times when I'm too lazy (or drunk) to take my makeup off. They are lifesavers!
    
13. Fandom Related: Adventure Time, come on grab your friends.... No explanation needed really. AT is amazing, and I'm sad the series is ending, but we will always have the comics!
    
14. Ridiculously Priced: Okay, let's chat. This watch is over $200,000 and has 4 reveiws? 4 people bought this? Why?! If I was that rich, I'd hole up in my cool-ass movie theater and eat caviar all day. Who needs a watch for that?
    
15. Shark or Unicorn: This unicorn color-changing light is on my wishlist. I want it so badly, but have no idea where I would put it. The bathroom maybe? It has to be somewhere that won't get in the way of all my other unicorn stuff. I like when people just happily stop upon a unicorn in the apartment. When they're peeing is a good time, right?
    
16. Smells Great: These candles are the scents of a coffee shop and so I know everyone in my house would feel warm and welcome right when they walk in once they are lit. These are actually three of my favorite scents, so you can probably tell that I have a slight coffee-related addiction.
    
17. Toy: Dixit is an amazing game. Like...I don't know how to describe it. A bunch of cards with illustrations on them need to be described by the players, and then everyone votes on which description they like the best (blindly vote). It's just a wonderful game for inspiration, and you can make it as complicated or as simple as you'd like. I really enjoy playing it with both my friends and family.
    
18. Helpful for Writers: An Imaginative Workbook! I think one of the biggest things writers forget how to do is play! We spend so much time in our universe, trying to make it perfect, that sometimes we forget to just let go and have our imaginations run wild. I think workbooks like the one I just linked are perfect for when writer's block hits, or when we need a pick-me-up to remember why we started writing in the first place.
    
19. Current Obsession: My current obsession has become learning how to play the ukulele. I heard on a couple of podcasts that it really boosted some people's happiness, especially if they loved music, but didn't feel like they had the time to learn to play a new instrument. I have been borrowing my neighbor's, but since I am moving soon, I've decided to purchase one from Amazon. They have tons of ukuleles on there, weirdly.
    
20. Makes You Laugh: As a person who loves Wes Anderson films this coffee table book always makes me laugh.
    
    Edit: Finished! I love scavenger hunts; it always reminds me what a weirdo I am.

It's surprisingly sturdy, especially for $23

Note though, that it doesn't include the stand or mount for the speedlight.

Hmmmm, personally I would go with the less expensive camera and a nice lighting setup. Then I would upgrade your camera later on if you want/need to. I don't know that camera but it seems to have pretty good reviews. If you are just using it for facecam with gameplay then you'll be scaling down the video anyways so it shouldn't matter as much.

I use two of these lights for my lighting and it works well.

I use a softbox like this.

I've been looking for some budget soft lights, I was looking at these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3423NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_N8XACbM08GA1K

But I would love to know if anyone has better suggestions.

I used one of these cheap 30 inch umbrella style octa-softbox. I used it without the diffuser since its an indirect softbox anyway, wanted more specular look since it was sunny out plus saved my light the work of having to put out extra power for the same exposure.

Also used a 1/2 CTB gel on the flash since I am shooting them in the shade. This helps warm up the photo and keeps the shadow side of my subjects faces closer to the same WB as the lit side.

I'd like to get a softbox to use with my existing speedlite for shooting portraits outdoors. Preferably something where the flash enters the rear of the setup. I also need a stand. My budget is around $200 +/- $50.

I don't really want a softbox that the flash goes inside of, like this neewer one: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Octagonal-Speedlite-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I7W/

It looks like the zipper where the stand would enter would be a pain and limit the range of adjustment. Also, I don't think the flash wouldn't be centered and might cause issues. If I'm wrong here, let me know!

Thanks!

hey something I actually know something about. I too used to steam on twitch, and close to when I stopped streaming I got a green screen (went back to college). You're going to want SOFT consistent light on your green screen. Hard light can work but I would not recommend it. You'll also want light on yourself to help you stand out from the green screen, the name of the game here is contrast. I would recommend a three light set up, two focused on the green screen, it might seem like over kill, but trust me a well lit green screen will make everything look so much better and the set up so much smoother. depending on your budget I would recommend this https://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-H9004SB2-Photography-Continuous-Hairlight/dp/B00MBVOIJU/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444402&sr=1-6&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit

something a little more budget friendly https://www.amazon.com/Safstar-Photography-Softbox-Lighting-Equipment/dp/B01G76VBBW/ref=sr_1_45?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444542&sr=1-45&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit also you'll need a light for you https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-50cmx70cm-Softbox-Diffuser-fluorescent/dp/B00GLMI44K/ref=sr_1_25?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494444634&sr=1-25&keywords=softbox+lighting+kit

also when you get everything and you're ready to set it all up this video helped me figure it all out. https://youtu.be/33HXwK8MIfI?t=2m20s

cheers!

if its a light issue the easiest fix would be an on camera light. These things are super handy and just attach to the hot shoe of your camera. the light may be a bit harsh but if low light is your issue, its a sure way to get it lit.

If you are more concerned about good(smooth) lighting, Youll have to drop a bit more cash on a 3 point light set and learn how to use it.

Thank you and steal away lol.

Tip: I had to double up the flood lamps on each window. My original idea was one clamp/bulb per window but it wasn’t giving me the desired brightness so I doubled them up which looked great from the street. You’ll have to play around with it and see what works best for your needs.

I also had two studio light soft box stands lying around that really helped with the brightness and made it so I only had to use one bulb on two of the windows. I would have used just the studio light stands for all the windows if I had enough but I ran through my budget this year already so couldn’t get more. If you’d like, I can PM you a couple pictures of the setup for reference.

The soft box light stands I’m referring to:

Neewer 700W Professional Photography 24x24 inches/60x60 Centimeters Softbox with E27 Socket Light Lighting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017D7W57S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VDHMDb5HDB7QJ

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'm coming at this from a design / video background. Other people here have addressed the actual content well enough.

You need better production value. I'm now saying you need MKBHD level of stuff, but if you're serious about doing a series, getting real followes, etc, you need to up the production game. This is just about the bare quality minimum you can go to get a real audience. This is a realistic goal. There's nothing he does that can't be done by one person with a tripod.

Get out of your bathrobe, get a tripod and a cheap softbox or two, a better camera (lighting might be all you need here), and try to simplify. Really watch that video I linked. He only has two or three locked down camera shots in the whole thing. It's not a crazy fancy multicam + slider setup.

Your audio quality itself is pretty good, but I'd personally reduce the humor a bit. I get what you're going for, but if I feel the itch to skip forward throughout your video, it's too much. Literally, a 3s logo intro + a 10-20s intro, then get into it. People are SO willing to just pop into another video if yours isn't getting to what they want.

EDIT: You desperately need to learn about SEO. Do some googling (ironically.) The title "Eggses" is absolutely useless. I get the joke, but think for a sec: What does your audience search when they're looking for what the video shows? "How to cook eggs," maybe "How to fry eggs," etc. YES, you will have more competition in that title, but competing over the actual audience is better than having 100% of no organic activity.

Here is the kit I bought: https://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-H9004SB2-Photography-Continuous-Hairlight/dp/B00MBVOIJU/ref=sr_1_13?keywords=softbox&qid=1575156441&sr=8-13

​

It is a hassle to put up and take down.

If you want simpler, get a ring light. They work well but you will see the rings in the reflection in the actors' eyes. They are cheap and far more mobile.

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

No problem at all!

Here are some I found:

Basics ( 2 main stands and a mini one, umbrellas, bulbs, everything you need )
http://www.amazon.com/Cowboystudio-Photography-Portrait-Continuous-Umbrellas/dp/B003WLY24O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373804988&sr=8-1&keywords=studio+lighting

If you're needing soft boxes:
http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373805007&sr=8-3&keywords=studio+lighting

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DFP6M4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I used two of these. I guess $80 for both isn't exactly "cheap" but for lighting it is, and given the quality boost it gave me it seemed a worthwhile investment. Especially if youre the kind of person to sell your replaced GPU's etc. on ebay, you also get value there by having nicer pics. I'm glad you liked the pics!

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.

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.

Absolutely. You can get a cheap lighting kit with 2 x (stand+bulb+softbox) for 50-60$ on Amazon. The brand doesn't matter, whether it's Neewer, Amzdeal or insertchinesebrandname they are all the same repackaged.

Example:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015DYIQ94/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1522702893&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Lighting+kit&dpPl=1&dpID=41JsWZ4FmCL&ref=plSrch

Good tips! Would you believe the entire thing was shot and edited on an iphone 6s?

Lighting is massively important when you aren't using a great camera, I bought this $40 softbox and it's made a world of difference. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DFP6M4?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01

Good idea about the slider, I'll look into it

After reading a bunch a reviews I went with the Neewer 700w Pro Kit. Very inexpensive, gets great reviews, and comes with everything you need. I've only used it for 1 day but have already gotten multiple comments on the upgrade.

www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017D7W57S#Ask

I'd get the Panasonic G7, flip screen will come in handy when filming yourselves.

For lights, simple softboxes will do, something like this.

[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.

Best single-speedlight softbox? I've narrowed it down to 3 from amazon.ca (I'm Canadian). Cheers!


80cm Umbrella/Softbox Hybrid https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Octagonal-Speedlite-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I6I/ref=pd_cp_421_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=490C3RA3JDVRJ1MVAX65
120cm Umbrella/Softbox Hybrid https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00PIM3I7W/ref=s9_simh_gw_g421_i1_r?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=T6VB1JZ3BEWFBSR1TP56&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=b06971ce-9992-44c1-9ee0-eb9792e71b5e&pf_rd_i=desktop
Traditional Shoot-through 24x24inch softbox https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-24x24-Inch-Professional-Off-Camera-Photography/dp/B004XY65WQ/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1466446284&sr=1-11&keywords=softbox

For cheap lighting, i remember using cheap softbox with a lightbulb in them. The light was bright enough and the softbox really helped.
Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/ESDDI-Photography-Continuous-Equipment-Portraits/dp/B015DYIQ94/ref=mp_s_a_1_9?keywords=softbox&qid=1565688943&s=gateway&sr=8-9

I do a beauty channel so my lighting setup will be different than the look you are going for. I looked up Chael and it looks like he at least uses a ring light and a background light. You can get a lot of use out of a cheaper lighting system like this one. I’ll try to link you; also what camera are you planning to use? https://www.amazon.com/Fovitec-Photography-Continuous-Equivalent-Softboxes/dp/B00KRN0SEI/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=lorryhill-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=b7e44016ad0d59a26b439e43e9bce276&creativeASIN=B00KRN0SEI

Well I won't get much use out of them for about a week, but just so you're aware it costs 150 for just one of these lights brand new, so keep that in mind! Best lighting setup you can get for the money other than that is probably something like this

In theory those lights sound good, but in reality they're really not versatile at all. To change the colour balance you have to change all the bulbs as opposed to throwing on a filter or a gel, they're super bulky, they're light and flimsy so if you're dealing with wind they'll blow all over the place, and finally they take forever to set up.

Sorry if I seem like I'm insulting your intelligence, I'm just assuming you're some what of a beginner like me.

> 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

> That's super daunting.

That sentence speaks to me on a spiritual level haha.

Thank you for the link to that video!

My biggest concern is the power supply, as I won't be plugging this into a wall. I need to make sure that it's either something I can power via batteries or some alternative power supply like a power bank. Maybe I can hook it up to my wheelchair battery with some power cables? It's 12 volt.

As far as diffusing the light, I'm not really worried about that and have no plans to do so but if I do end up changing my mind I'll just go cheap and get some of that diffusion fabric stuff.

Thank you so, so much for your input it is much appreciated! Seriously.

I was a bit worried that it's too old, and one of the points they were telling me is that if I want to upgrade the lens down the road, Panasonic and Olympus lenses are compatible. They want $140 for the camera and $90 for the kit lens. I definitely would like to stay under $250, and closer to $200 is better.

I'm taking pictures of soap, and other bath products that I make.

For lighting, I have this StudioPro kit. I've actually wondered if it might be a little bit of overkill, but it seems to give decent output. Hard to tell though on my point & shoot.

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!

Hi all, i'm looking at trying to get a basic lighting setup. I don't want to spend a lot of money, as this is not my only hobby..

What is your opinion on a relatively inexpensive kit such as this?

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Background-Umbrellas-Continuous-Photography/dp/B019GTCNXC?th=1

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 got a kit on amazon for $70 that works wonders.

Neewer 700W Professional Photography 24x24 inches/60x60 Centimeters Softbox with E27 Socket Light Lighting Kit
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017D7W57S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7ZLHDbC666GRZ

(Sorry I'm on mobile)

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

If I had to guess, you are using normal household lights, maybe 50w, 100w, 150w. With such a setup, any extraneous light has a noticeable impact. And you have warm colors for the whole scene (household lights lean to warm).

I use one of these: MOUNTDOG 1350W Photography Continuous Softbox Lighting Kit 20"X28" Professional Photo Studio Equipment with 2pcs E27 Socket 5500K Video Lighting Bulb for Filming Portraits Shoot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3423NQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_dHAJDbGY7KJ5S

The brightness is intense and full-spectrum. The intensity means that you have to adjust your camera, which is not a big deal. It also means that any other light or reflection that happens will be negligible. The full-spectrum color means you have a wider range of color to start with and can either leave it or you have a lot more to work with in post.

This is the very first video I did on my kitchen table with normal kitchen lighting around me: https://youtu.be/iy7Lzc5fyGc

Here is my most recent video with the softbox light and a constructed white box around me: https://youtu.be/F8uSafHRffY

Thank you!

>At any price? You'll pay any amount?

Within reason - if a lens that's perfect for this is a few hundred bucks, no problem. Close to a thousand, I'd think about it. More than that, I'm probably out. It's a business purchase for me, though, so easier to justify.

>Be more specific on the lights.

Ahh - let's talk about that :)

What I have now seems to 404 on Amazon's site, so they must not offer it anymore. However, I believe they are closest to these, which is two 700w lightboxes, each with an 85W CFL at 5500K.

I'm absolutely open to switching around the lighting setup.

you can get started with one flash/strobe + reflector and stand or softbox and stand. you don't need a backdrop right away, you can just use any solid color wall.

flash vs strobe. strobes are more powerful and faster cycling but require ac power or battery packs. flashes are more portable.

for a backdrop you can just use these two. it's a bit cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Adjustable-Background-Backdrop-AGG1112/dp/B00E6GRHBO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494795437&sr=8-3&keywords=Backdrop

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Collapsible-Background-Photography-Television/dp/B00SR28X9S/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1494795437&sr=8-6&keywords=Backdrop

for the lights, you can just buy stands and softboxes or flash reflectors seperately. i wouldn't recommend that kit. start with one softbox or one flash reflector and stand. then add more as you need.

stands

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Photography-Relfectors-Softboxes-Backgrounds/dp/B00K69A0QY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494795534&sr=8-2&keywords=softbox+stand

softboxes, multiple sizes available.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-centimeters-Octagonal-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I6I/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1494795485&sr=1-4&keywords=softbox

flash reflector

https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Double-Reflector-Umbrella-AGG127/dp/B005AKF4F6/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1494795671&sr=8-7&keywords=flash+umbrella

Check out the Neewer kits on Amazon.

Here is one for $75.

https://www.amazon.com/Background-Backdrop-Portrait-Photography-Shooting/dp/B018S65N1S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494058589&sr=8-1&keywords=neewer+background

Here is one for $165 that also includes lights.

https://www.amazon.com/Background-Umbrellas-Continuous-Lighting-Photography/dp/B019GTCNXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494058589&sr=8-2&keywords=neewer+background

Neewer 700W Professional Photography 24x24 inches/60x60 Centimeters Softbox with E27 Socket Light Lighting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017D7W57S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OncSBbEARN4DN

I just picked up some lights on Amazon to complete the "infinity white" background look for shooting video. (probably overkill for what you need, but I think you could green screen it with these lights)

I believe they are soft box and come like this. There are different kits online and will probably run between 200-300.

http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Continuous-Softbox-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1415764151&sr=8-4&keywords=video+lighting

I use this three-point lighting set bought on Amazon. A little pricey but it works amazingly.

The only caveat I would say is that in very dark portions of a game it can become difficult to make out what's on the screen with the bright lighting behind. I have a brighter set of dual monitors on my "someday" list.

You can check out one of my past broadcasts if you'd like to see what it looks like in action.

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?

Ok, figured you just linked the wrong video. Neewer 700W Professional Photography 24x24 inches/60x60 centimeters Softbox with E27 Socket Light Lighting Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017D7W57S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_D8bpzbGRSWY1S

I'm glad you're learning through my experimentation haha. I bought this kit for 33 shipped,

https://www.amazon.com/Photography-Continuous-MOUNTDOG-Professional-Equipment/dp/B07G3423NQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1541789325&sr=8-2-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=light+softbox&psc=1. It works really well.

Yeah the picture you linked was one of my first with multiple light sources. Definitely come a long way since then in a short time.

Just looking around, tungsten kits seem a lot pricier. What’s the benefit of them over fluorescents, something like this?

Not the other guy, but for $200 or just over, you can get really good images.

What you need:

• flash: try a godox tt685 ($110)
  
  
• trigger... x1t ($45)
  
  
• lightstand: just get some cheap amazon one ($15)
  
  
• try an umbrella soft box thing ($26)
  
  
• speedlight holder thing that holds an umbrella](https://www.amazon.com/Anwenk-Speedlite-Umbrella-Reflector-Holder/dp/B072JRNNTG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2C3FCKUUBCFAW&keywords=umbrella+flash+bracket&qid=1556913624&s=gateway&sprefix=umbrella+flash+&sr=8-2) ($10 - $15)
  
  
• something white to bounce light, like a sheet of poster board or just use a white wall. To fill in shadows.
  
  
• optional: a second flash for a hair light (anything cheap that has optical slave mode will do) + second light stand + flash holder bracket etc. Or just prop it up on a shelf.

>flash: try a godox tt685 ($110)

On a $200 total budget, I'd actually say a $65 TT600 is a better option, which will let you get a decent air-cushioned lightstand, or two flashes for the price of the TT685. :)

I would highly recommend the TT685 over the TT600, though, if you think you want to use the flash for both on and off-camera flash, since TTL is very useful for event run'n'gun.

>trigger... x1t ($45)

But $60 X2T or $70 XPro would be much much nicer. Again, another reason the TT600 might not be a bad place to start.

>lightstand: just get some cheap amazon one ($15)

No, I'd say look for a $40 cheap one that's air-cushioned. Slammed lights down on my fingers too many times with the super-cheapies. :)

>try try an umbrella soft box thing ($26)

Those slit-through the bottom octas don't tilt much at all. You want one that attaches to a speedring. It'll be more expensive ($45). So, actually, starting with a convertible umbrella ($20-25) might be a better first choice.

>speedlight holder thing that holds an umbrella]

Or, instead of an umbrella swivel, get an S-type bracket ($20) which can be used to hold the speedlight closer to the center of an umbrella, as well as attach Bowen S speedringed modifiers bayonet to the face of it.

A compact umbrella swivel, though can be a lot smaller in your lighting bag. The issue is whether the modifier you want to use works with one. The S-Bracket is more general purpose that way.

Thanks so much!

Someone else recommended these. Do you think they would work well? I like the fact that there are three, but will they look as good?

Also, someone recommended F&V Ring Lights. I love the fact that I can use batteries, but I can't find many reviews on them to see what they would look like.

1. I own Arri lights and looking to pick up a pair of Dedos in the future, but this kit from amazon is what I have shot the majority of my interviews on. It's cheap, but it get's the job done for an affordable price. Since the bulbs that come with it are daylight, they're also great to use if you want to also use nat light. You'll have some extra money to pick up a bag and maybe something for the bulbs (I have a pelican case but getting a softcase and keeping the boxes for each bulb will save you the money) They're flouresent so they don't get hot and uncomfortable for the talent, softboxes come with them so you retain a soft look, and they're relativity light for travel.
   
   
2. So are you going to be interviewing the couple on their wedding day? Have you done it before? Why not just place them next to a window? It'll be much faster and save you a lot of time and effort lugging the lights around.

Softboxes or umbrellas for food photography?

I have a social media/food instagram account that I created as part of a social media course. I create my own content, which makes the photo quality very important. I have a professional camera and received a recommendation for a tripod here—which I bought.

But I still find that the lighting is the most important thing. I created some good photos by creating very shoddy softboxes with desk lamps and some see-through/sheer fabric, but these broke recently; so I'm thinking of upgrading.

However, I've come across two different things: umbrellas and softboxes. I don't know which to get. What's your recommendation?

https://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Professional-Photography-Lighting-Portraits/dp/B017D7W57S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1538619759&sr=8-3&keywords=product+photography+light

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003WLY24O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1_1_1?smid=AYYB6OSI63NRK&psc=1

I have good audio. I do not have great lighting, but I plan on getting that separately. The set I'm looking at is $40: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DFP6M4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3JYLO6Z0YZFFZ&coliid=I1FE9EJ3314FIZ

These would improve the quality of your photos immensely: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047FHOWG/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_PNmGub0RG9GKD

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 bought mine on Amazon for $39 a piece. I have two if these https://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Photography-Continuous-Lighting-AGG702/dp/B005DFP6M4/

Are the cheap "studio lighting" kits with the CFL bulbs any good for a beginner?

Example

Good questions. (Warning Wall of text ahead)

TL:DR

• 1. Try some soft lights so they don't reflect off your wall
     
• 2. Pick times that work for you and stick with them. Will power is a muscle, Exercise it.
     
• 3. Decide if you want foot traffic (viewers that show up for a game) or viewers (followers that tune in for any game). Foot traffic only comes from games and visibility. Viewers come from foot traffic that you won over with your personality.
     
     

1. Now i've done very little with lighting my cast my info may just be a place to start looking.
   Lighting is always tricky, there are 2 ways you can go about it.
   First is using some propper defuse/soft lighting will work the best. Something like http://www.amazon.com/LimoStudio-Photography-Continuous-Lighting-AGG702/dp/B005DFP6M4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1451332880&sr=8-3&keywords=soft+lights Should light your face without bouncing off your red walls creating the miscolor.
   Second you may be able to go into your webcam controls and play with the saturation and remove some of the excess red color. As for exact settings i'm unsure but you should be able to get the picture to a more desirable asthetic.
   
   
2. Schedule is all up to you. As a student i've suffered the woes of having to change my schedule...A lot. But here are a few tips for picking the best times. If your work schedule changes a lot, Look for trends in the changes and pick times your work wont schedule you to work. That way you can always stream those times. As for your side job, you could incorporate that into your stream, and just stream working on the graphics. And finally whatever you decide, Remeber the channel is a show. If you pick times you're making a promise to your viewers that you'll be there rain or shine. Sometimes you'll be sick, Dead tired, or have real life stress distracting you. But if you truely want a consistent schedule its up to you to exorcise the will power to maintain whatever schedule you set.
   
3. There are so many different ideas and theories as to how to get more viewers. None of them confirmed, all of them believed. So why don't I just tell you what I've noticed working, and not working. First, There is a difference between foot traffic and viewers. Foot traffic are people that pop into your stream becuase they noticed you playing a game they are interested in watching. Viewers are the people that follow your channel and watch no matter what your playing. Some will argue its easier to influence your foot traffic, Others will say its easier to influence your viewers. I believe both camps have marret but I'm going to be frank, if you find a game that has good foot traffic, and the viewers to push you to the top ten of that game. Foot traffic will give you crazy numbers for your channel. BUT that doesnt mean you're gaining any viewers from that game. Its very often that you'll be experiencing one time spikes. That being said the only way to gain viewers is by having foot traffic and being a caster they like when they pop in. So what influences foot traffic? How active a games community is, How many streamers are broadcasting that game. Basically you have to find the combination of game you stream well, that people are looking for, and you show up at the top in. Example, I was one of the few people with a 3ds capture card when Pokemon X/Y came out, and I averaged 40 viewers and gained about 700 follows in a month. I stopped playing pokemon went back to 10 viewers and 50 follows a month. You've just got to find an audience to cast to. But you have to decide if you just want foot traffic or viewers.

You're biggest problem will not be the microphone, but what you're recording your audio onto. I found out really quick that the audio recording of a DSLR, regardless of microphone, is terrible in quality and with plenty of static noise. I use a Tascam DR-05 to record audio, in combination with either a RODE VideoMic or a lavalier (there are some really cheap ones that do an ok job for low budget productions). The Tascam DR-05 also has a pretty good mic built in , so you could probably start with just that. Remember to record the audio with your Tascam (or recorder) AND with your camera, so that you can easily sync them in post. Always remember to record a minute of silence in the room BEFORE filming so that you can have a room tone (or world tone, if outdoors) sample that can be for adding a more natural ambient sound for portions you may silence in the video.

I would also recommend you pick up:

a three point lighting kit for indoor shooting (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Lighting-Hairlight-Softbox-9004SB2/dp/B0047FHOWG/ref=sr_1_4?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1450430338&sr=1-4&keywords=three+point+lighting+kit),

a variable ND filter for outdoor shooting (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/58mm-Variable-NDX-Fader-Filter/dp/B00QVOQWM4/ref=sr_1_7?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1450430377&sr=1-7&keywords=variable+ND+filter)

a reflector, for bouncing off light outdoors... (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-43-inch-Collapsible-Multi-Disc-Reflector/dp/B002ZIMEMW/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1450430475&sr=1-1&keywords=reflector)

Extra batteries of course.

You'll find these tools useful for getting higher quality audio and picture, there are lots and lots of tutorials on YouTube that will help you learn very quickly how to use your equipment. On a final note, I don't think the Rebel SL1 was a good choice of camera. If I had to pick a Rebel camera for video, and was limited in buget, I would have gone for a Rebel T4i or T5i, in combination with magic lantern. Another important thing to remember, is make sure your SD is AT LEAST class 10 (I recommend Sandisk Extreme pro 95/mbps 32 or 64gb), and NEVER use a mini sd card with an adapter (I've had bad experiences with this).

Best of luck to you, and happy filming!

What would you recommend for the ceiling light versus the desk lamps?

I've never used real light diffusers before.

EDIT: What do you think about cutting and fitting this over each desk lamp?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5s1wybG8V5D88

I was a streamer, i have also been in the TV broadcasting industry for 10 years now, when we want to soften a light we either turn it slightly away from our on-air talent, or we add diffuser paper... This is what I used on the lamp I had when I streamed... It's incredibly heat resistant.

ALZO Diffusion Fabric Nylon Silk White, 1 Yard Long 60 Inches Wide, Un-Finished Edges, Scissor-Cut https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XPUV1XM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_cN1sybHA3CYG1

hijacking your thread to ask a question of my own, but about softboxes. I'm looking for a cheap softbox to use with speedlights.

I think that softboxes are supposed to have 2 layers of diffusers, on inside the softbox. Most cheap softboxes don't seem to have that 2nd diffuser. some have the speedlight aiming at the diffuser others [at the back of the softbox](http://www.amazon.ca/Neewer-Octagonal-Speedlite-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I6I/ref=sr_1_14?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1453247944&sr=1-14&keywords=softbox
)


Which type is better?

Edit: I suck at formatting links.

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

I'm considering dipping my toe into the waters of flash photography, and have been reading the Strobist articles. I've looked at the suggested gear, but unfortunately most of it is unavailable here in the UK. Could someone take a look at my list and make any suggestions on additions/alternatives?

Strobist kit: http://strobist.blogspot.sg/2006/03/lighting-101-traveling-light.html

My List:
Neweer light box https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PIM3I6I/
3m Stand https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MOM61AA/
Yongnuo YN-560 IV https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PIIRO1C/
Yongnuo YN-560 TX https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00M1BVYYM/
Stand head https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006VTJQT0/

This is the setup I got and it's been amazing for me. It includes everything you'll need for a standard setup + extras like different colored backdrops and extra lights.

The optimal setup for lighting (not trained in this just what my research told me Kappa) would be four lights. Two in front of you separated by about 6 feet aimed directly at you and one on each side of you aimed between where you sit and your green screen. The two in front are just your base lighting for you and the screen, the two at you sides are to keep the green screen from reflecting onto your clothes and to keep shadows off the screen.

Again not trained but from what I've read it's best to use softboxes for lighting. Personally using that kit I have the two softboxes in front of me and the two umbrella lights to my sides.

I'm not sure about material honestly.

Also if there's any photographers or trained professionals feel free to roast me because I'd also like to know in case I'm doing something terribly wrong.

On a budget, you might look into lighting options instead. My DSLR/Photoshop always give the best results but sometimes I’m just way too lazy for that lol. I can get pretty good results on my iPhone 6 with good lighting and the Afterlight app, and I’m sure a newer phone would be even better.

I have these soft boxes and have been happy with them (and they’re on sale for Black Friday currently) link

This little ring light is an inexpensive option. There’s probably better ones out there, but it’s like $10 and good for a quick pop of light or balancing out a shadow link

Unanswered question from the previous megathread

Author /u/OnlineDegen - (Permalink)

I'm setting up a studio primarily for photography, but also will be shooting video occasionally. Going to also try doing some chromakey video.

I'm currently looking at softboxes and have my eye on this kit to get me started.

My question: I'd like to be able to use the same softboxes for speedlights and continuous lighting both. From the pictures of the softboxes, I can't think of an easy way to swap out the continuous light heads and use a speedlight instead. Any tricks?

https://www.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Professional-Digital-Continuous-Lighting/dp/B0050K3DW2/ref=sr_1_14?s=electronics&ie=UTF8

That is the exact kit

I'm setting up a studio primarily for photography, but also will be shooting video occasionally. Going to also try doing some chromakey video.

I'm currently looking at softboxes and have my eye on this kit to get me started.

My question: I'd like to be able to use the same softboxes for speedlights and continuous lighting both. From the pictures of the softboxes, I can't think of an easy way to swap out the continuous light heads and use a speedlight instead. Any tricks?

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. :-)

unfortunately i only have time to make video at night.

Clamp light like this one ?

For the light bulb, how many wattage do i need for a small room (10 feet x 9 feet)?

I think i can buy one cheap diffuser, but i don't know the differences between the one that looks like umbrella, or softbox

If i can only buy one, which 1 is better?

Thanks

Hello,
I have this softbox light set I use for Streaming. It came with (2)85W 5500K CFL Light Bulbs. I was wondering if there was an upgrade for these lights? CFL or LED. Thanks

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. )

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Photography-Centimeters-Lighting/dp/B017D7W57S

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

Two things to think about. Those stands will be great for a lot of things, but they're light and bendy, which means they're useless in ANY wind, and they're not going to like any modifiers heavier than those umbrellas. That's not saying DON'T get them - I have two in the trunk because days when they're sufficient, they're perfect.

If I get out a soft box, or have any wind (or break out my 7' translucent umbrella) I'm very glad I've got something heavier. I carry two of these for those moments - https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Stainless-centimeters-Monolight-Photographic/dp/B074NY47J6/

And... make sure you really want umbrellas. To be honest, the difference in actual light quality that comes out of different modifiers of the same size is negligible enough to be ignored. See them side by side and you might know which is an umbrella and which is a softbox... MAYBE... but just see one or the other and all you'll care about is whether there was enough light and the source was big enough. BUT... softboxes have one big advantage - the fact that they're less obnoxious to people standing BEHIND them. If you think you'll throw them up around a dance floor or ceremony ever... it can be nice to direct the light where you want it and not send the rest flying off other directions. A couple of these would be fine - https://www.amazon.com/Godox-Umbrella-Reflector-Carrying-Speedlight/dp/B0132I34K4/

THe kit you've got listed is perfectly adequate! I'm not saying anything's wrong with it and I started with essentially the same, but those are the two things I'm most glad I've added going forward - heavier stands and softboxes!

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

Hello Everyone,

I am making this post about a Studio Continuous Lighting Kit by Fovitec I bought for use since I am a beginner. However while I intend to make good use of it I have some conerns. I knew what I was paying for, and understood it was a continuous lighting kit but I am a bit regretful I bought it before seeing the video that showed how it was assembled. I am not sure if I should work with it the best I can or sell it and get a better continuous lighting kit.

Here are my concerns,

• The Softboxes where hard to get on and I won't be removing them so they will stay on.
  
• There is a inner defuser that should I put on will touch the light bulbs used. I am concerned the fabric light burn because the bulbs will touch it.
  
• The Case itself opens on the side with the carrying handles on top, which is awkward.
  
• I may have to keep the soft boxes and lightbulbs attached when transporting, and just keep the stands, power cords and the hanging soft box with the hanging weight inside when transporting.
  
• It comes and used standard 45W photo fluorescent spiral daylight light bulbs. For those who have used this kit, what are some other lightbulbs to buy for it. Are there LED lights that would work with it?
  
• Has anyone used this for photography and had good success with it?

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.

My main job is creating educational videos, I work for a university creating all kinds of online content/course content (Engineering school so mostly math, science, etc), so I have a few ideas for what you can do. I do everything from just recording lectures to greenscreen + animations. The simplest and cheapest setup would be to use your phone on a tripod and a wired lav mic. If the lighting in your room is good (a big window or lots of lights in the room) that should be fine, but you can also get a [cheap lighting kit](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017D7W57S?ie=UTF8&tag=maxwell032-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B017D7W57S).

If you want to go a bit more interesting, you could try a light board (these are getting more popular). Sample Video here and How to build one. More money ($300-$1500 depending if you want to use a proper camera or your phone still) but the content can be more engaging and easier to use.

Another style that's becoming popular is to use a tablet while recording to superimpose writing overtop of video. I have also seen an overhead angle used to show a tabletop with paper to write on.

Let me know if you need any help! Happy to talk about this kind of stuff.

Links to store stuff are affiliate links

LimoStudio

These are my lights.

> 15 x 45 Watt Compact Fluorescent Perfect Daylight Balance Light Bulb (equals 3000 watt)

I have a Canon ELPH 300 HS I can use, but believe it or not I specifically bought the iPhone 6 due to the rave reviews the camera got. It's also nice to have such a huge screen to see what I'm filming. I'd really like to use the iPhone 6 and am just hoping I have something set wrong.

Soft-boxes are different than umbrellas. I used basic 60x60cm soft-boxes and they worked fine. It's smaller, which is good for stability and portability, but produces good results for portraiture.

Godox also makes umbrella style octaboxes. Those are a bit easier to pack and transport, but also a bit more fragile and fiddly to adjust. I like em, though. For those, get an umbrella adapter for the speedlight rather than the S-Bracket. It's difficult to install these over the godox s-bracket.

Normal umbrellas work fine with the S-Bracket. They are cheap and easy to use, but spill a lot of light.

Thank you. I shoot on the Sony a6400 with the kit lens.

I was using one these lights from Amazon.

I bought 2 of these lights on Amazon and am pretty pleased. I think there are some sets of 2 that end up being cheaper, but they have definitely made a difference in my listings!

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.

This is what I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MBVOIJU

In hindsight, I don't need 3 lights.. but it was not too expensive and had everything I wanted so I just did it.

That's a pretty vague question. I have one of these that I use a 430EX II in and it seems to do fine.

If it's very bright daylight or you're combating hard shadows, it needs to be closer, but I've never had an issue with it really.

Ok so I'm in the US so prices might be different but I found this softbox which has pretty good reviews. I'm not sure what the kit includes as I can't read German but it looks like what you are in search of.

Personally I had to buy my softbox, stand and ring for the speed light separately but I got everything off of amazon (USA site.) You can probably just do a search and find all the things you're looking for.

Edit: I'm not sure if the link is showing up for whatever reason but it was https://www.amazon.de/gp/aw/d/B00PIM3I6I/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?__mk_de_DE=ÅMÅZÕÑ&qid=1494424530&sr=8-15&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=softbox

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

New to photography. Apologies if this was discussed elsewhere on here but I could not find it for the life of me. I recently decided to try off camera flash and bought a Godox TT685N kit and a octo softbox to diffuse the light. I'm really enjoying shooting with it but I can't help but notice sometimes that I have shadows in places I don't want on my subject and was wondering is it a good idea to buy another flash or combine flash with continuous light or some kind of fill light to save a little money? So far the speedlight is the only lighting equipment I use and I primarily shoot indoors. I was looking at these to add to my lighting kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017D7W57S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for your great input. So I actually purchased this portable godox. Does this still require the Bowen's mount ring? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0132I34K4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DFP6M4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a cheap LED desk lamp as a fill

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:

• Studio Designs Swing Arm Lamp
  
• CowboyStudio 9-Inch Portable Quick Setup Speedlite Softbox
  
• Lutron Credenza Lamp Dimmer
  
  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 could set your self up pretty good with $500. I have a couple suggestions, but the first would be to get yourself a cheap prime lens first. Either a 50mm 1.8 or a 24mm pancake. Both are around $100 and would still leave quite a bit in your budget. So, saying you go ahead and do that:

• You could get a couple of Yongnuo 560 IV
  You could choose to fire then optically with your Canon speed lite or get one of these
  
• Grab a few of these to hold your flashes
  
• And a few of theseto stand them up
  
• In terms of modifiers you have a few options. You could go with cheap umbrellas which are fine. Or you could get some small soft boxes. I say just grab a huge modifier. As big as you can get. It's gonna really depends on how much space you have. check this out
  
  That's a decent, portable, and effective setup with two lenses for right about $500.
  
  Since your using someone else's studio lugging equipment is gonna be a pain. That's why I think speed lights is the way to go. But if you don't mind, look into a monolight kit. For your portraits I really do think you'll like what you get from a fast prime lens.

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-centimeters-Octagonal-Speedlight-Photography/dp/B00PIM3I6I

https://smile.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Premium-Shoot-Through-Translucent-Umbrella

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Universal-Speedlite-Umbrella/dp/B00JJJR7PY

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-centimeters-Portrait-Product-Photography/dp/B00L4YR0BS

https://smile.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Electronic-Flash-DSLR-Cameras/dp/B01I09WHLW

https://smile.amazon.com/Neewer-Wireless-Speedlite-Receiver-Universal/dp/B00A47U22U/

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHY PEEPS! Where you at?!


Hello guys! I’m an industrial design student, and am looking for a lens to do product photography, as well as continuous lighting. My budget is about $650.
I currently have a canon t5i, with the stock lens, with a tripod, memory card, batteries and all that Jazz.

I initially was looking at a Tonika macro lens. But the fine people at B&H suggested a 50 mm prime lens.

I don’t know which direction to go in regards to lenses and everywhere online says one thing is better than the other, so it’s confusing.

Next, I wanted some lighting, so I looked on amazon, and lo and behold, there’s something Chinese that looks too good to be true.
But it has good reviews, and ultimately I’m a beginner, so I feel this might be good enough for me? If you know other lights in this price range let me know.

And if you can, please recommend anything else I might need for studio photography (those little grey cards that do a thing, or whatever else).

I’d super appreciate it! Thanks guys and gals :)