Photography Setups

[Jim Young]

I've been using this white bed sheet clamped to the joists with no lightning. My pictures are nowhere near the quality of some of theose found here. I would like to improve on my "studio". I am interested in seeing what others are using to make their pictures look so good. I tried using my 500w halogen light to brighten up the pic but everything just turned yellow.

[Jim Becker]

Jim...the kind of lighting you use needs to be adjusted for in the camera (preferably) or at least in the sofware after the fact.

[Jay Drew]

If you use halogen lighting then you need to adjust the white balance in your camera. Some cameras have an incandescent setting that should adjust for the yellow tint to the light.

[pat warner]

Very easy to make too much of this. The issue is as easy or as complex as you'd like. Not a problem to spend 3 or 4K$ on lighting and lenses. But this picture (http://patwarner.com/images/index_trset.jpg) was shot with shop florescents, no flash, no tricks, average dig cam.
What to do? Shoot all day and test until your batteries konk out and test some more.
There is no silver bullet. There are 10 or 20 great digital camera shooting books, check the library and camera shop for starters.

[Rob Millard]

Jim,
I use dedicated photo flood lights, but any high intensity light will work. One light is not really enough; you’ll need at least two and better yet three, to get even lighting. It takes a surprising amount of light to produce a good photo.

On the digital cameras I use ( a Nikon D-70 & a D-100) the white balance can be set to produce a true color with any lighting source. I think this is a pretty common feature on digital cameras. If you are using film cameras, then you’ll have to buy tungsten lights and tungsten balanced film to get a true color.

My photography use to stink. The biggest improvement I made was switching from using a sheet for the backdrop, and purchasing a roll of photographic background paper. This paper comes in slew of colors and in several widths. I bought mine from B&H Photo, in the focus gray color, which allows for easy color corrections in Nikons RAW editing softeware (the paper is made by a company called Savage). The other improvement came from using a polarizing filter. This will eliminate or substantially reduce the reflections on the highly polished surfaces of furniture. The effect of the filter is truly amazing.
Rob Millard

[John Lucas]

I have about 40 years in photography and the digital cameras have made it so much easier. I sold all my absolutely correct lights...thinking I wouldn't need them...and I don't. I have set up my shop with 10 - 500 watt work lights..the $14 ones at Home Depot. The are halogen and very warm...yellow pictures but I don't bother to correct in camera. Too easy to do in paint program. I don't use all ten lights at once. I have them hanging from the over head so I dot trip over tripods. I turn on 3 or 4 at a time and they are set up so that these areas are properly lighted: router table, table saw, Festool work area. I also keep a 300 watt work light on an arm off the camera stand.
The one thing not mentioned, the lights are harsh. Go to fabric store and look for white tissue like fabric. It is used for under garments or something. I get a couple of yards and cut into 8" strips and about 12" long. I fasten it to each of the flood lights so that it curves in front of the light...that keeps it from getting to hot.
It will cut the light output but it gives a softer lighting. I would use any shop light without those "scrims" in front of the light.

[Christopher Stahl]

A very simple fix for white balance would be a grey card.

Lighting is a technique and requires practice. Best thing would be to buy a book and read a bit about lighting techniques. I personally use a couple of off camera flashes, Nikon SB-800's. It's all wireless which makes it quite simple to use and setup. I set the D200 in commander mode and use TTL, I'm set. For portraits, I use umbrellas and some bounce lighting from the flashes.

There is quite a bit to learn and you may not want to go that far, but you may want to buy a book and get some basics. They will go a long way in helping you take better photos.

[Hoa Dinh]

I use a big flashgun bounced off (in order of preference) (1) a corner of the ceiling and a wall, (2) a corner of 2 walls, (3) off the ceiling, or (4) off a wall.

You camera has to have a hot shoe, or you need to have some sort of slave flash setup.

[Dennis Peacock]

Excellent thread here folks....keep up the educating here. Many of us need to learn and understand how to take better photo's of our work.

[Richard Neel]

Lots of good advice but maybe I can sum up one important point. A BIG difference in getting a more professional quality shot is to avoid your on-camera/built-in flashes. Photos made using on-camera/built-in flashes usually have that "shapshot" look to them. If you have a point-n-shoot digital, this may not be possible but many have an option to use an external flash via a flash sync connection. Check your camera's owners manual for more information.

[Russ Cass]

A very simple fix for white balance would be a grey card.

Lighting is a technique and requires practice. Best thing would be to buy a book and read a bit about lighting techniques. I personally use a couple of off camera flashes, Nikon SB-800's. It's all wireless which makes it quite simple to use and setup. I set the D200 in commander mode and use TTL, I'm set. For portraits, I use umbrellas and some bounce lighting from the flashes.

There is quite a bit to learn and you may not want to go that far, but you may want to buy a book and get some basics. They will go a long way in helping you take better photos.I'll second what Chris said.
I use the exact same setup, a D200 and two SB800 off camera flashes.

You can also use a couple of fill lights to help in focusing and setup. The TTL flash metering will balance the necessary flash strength.

A correct white balance can make the world of difference in a shot looking more "natural".

Russ

[Bill Arnold]

I bought seamless 'artic white' paper from a photographic supply house, a couple of 'shop lights' from the BORG in which I installed 'daylight' fluorsecent bulbs and set this up in my garage when I'm ready to photograph an item. Total cost was no more than $100. I can manipulate the color in software and completely eliminate the backdrop, if desired.

[Ron Coleman]

A typical set used when I shoot photos. First you need a Unisaw with the long table and a roll of seamless white background paper and some cheapy reflectors from Lowes or Homers. ;)

The picture shows my setup with a sheet of black acrylic I sometimes use for special effects.

Still working on the photos but they keep getting better.

Ron

http://mrcol.freeyellow.com/box-shoot.jpg
(http://mrcol.freeyellow.com/box-shoot.jpg)

[Marcus Carr]

Wait...your tripod doesn't have a camera?!? ;)

[Rick Levine]

You don't need a lot of fancy lighting if you practice technique. I did this shot with a 35mm camera, a tripod, a seemless background and a small electronic flash to fill in the shadows. All in broad daylight.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a75/ricklevine/carichardlevine.jpg