Lighting on a budget

[Dan Fleming]

Hi!


I am looking for a continuous light type lighting kit. I would prefer two lights and whatever accessories are recommended (stands, umbrella, softbox etc). I have three requested recommendations: The lowest kit that will provide decent results. Recommendations on a $500 budget. Recommendations on a $1000 budget. I know (almost) nothing about lighting/strobism, so any pointers would be welcome!





Thanks


DF

[Chuck Lee]

I know (almost) nothing about lighting/strobism, so any pointers would be welcome!


Here's a primer from our resident expert Sean Setters: http://community.the-digital-picture.com/forums/t/2081.aspx ("http://community.the-digital-picture.com/forums/t/2081.aspx)


You are also going to want to get cozy with Dave Hoobby at www.strobist.com ("http://www.strobist.com). Read Lighting 101 and 102 as often as possible.


You will want more than two lights. I highly recommend four. Vivitar 285HV or similar manually adjustable. Old Nikon SB's and Canon EX's are good if you can get them at a resonable price. Refresh rates on the N & Cs are very fast.


Good light stands, shoot through white umbrellas with black backing. 42 and 60 inch.


Gels for warming and cooling the flash output. The greatest tip ever given for good flash photography. Dave H. will fill you in on at strobist.com.


Radio flash triggers from Radio Popper or Paul C. Buff. Wireless is the way to go.


All of that can be easily had and produce professional results for under 500 USD.

[Dan Fleming]

Thanks!


I have read the TDP post you linked and am working my way through some strobist articles! All of the information is excellent.


Would anyone know anything about continuous (ambient) lighting? I work for an IT/AV university department where we are usually shooting video footage at the same time we want pictures. The events are fairly formal, so I can't fire off a flash. However I could light up the scene using continuous lighting, Getting even a 1/2 a stop more light would be wonderful, but harsh shadows would ruin the videos. Any suggestions on that end?

[Sean Setters]

hehe....my work is done.


Keep in mind that Chuck is referencing a strobist solution which uses flashes and not continuous light. It's a much better solution than continuous light. It takes some practice to master, but the use of off-camera flash will open up many more doors than continuous lighting will.

[Sean Setters]

Ok, now that I've seen his reply to Chuck I'll have to rethink this...


How do you plan on supporting the continuous lights? I'm also guessing you've already worked out how you're going to be powering them...

[Dan Fleming]

All the work I do that would require continuous lighting is done indoors with plenty of accessible wall power. As for supporting I was figuring on some medium height stands as long as they were not too obtrusive. I could get away with it if I could show how much better pictures and video came out using them. I would like to get lights that had a decent throw (15 or more feet) so that I could get them out of the way of the audience.


The room layout is one of the two following: A raised stage (about 18" up) with the subject standing behind a small lectern. There are stage lights mounted about 20 or so feet in the air about 35 or so feet in a straight line from the subject. The auditorium holds about 500 people sitting in chairs mostly directly in front of the speaker. Ceiling is a pyramid made of wood, no good for bouncing light off of.


The second room we do things in is slightly more informal, but there is still awesome university decorum! The room holds about 100 people sitting around round tables. The subject is in the front of the room in the center. The room is only about 30' in depth and about 60' wide (may be bigger I suck at guessing distances, especially from memory like I am doing) the walls and ceiling are all white so I could bounce lighting in this room and use a filler near the ground or some such. Ceiling is about 15-18 feet.

[Sean Setters]

I have some ideas, but most of them wouldn't be called "unobtrusive." To be honest, I think you need to do some research in theatrical lighting. I'm not sure any of my ideas would work for you.

[Graydon]

I might be able to help (I do a bit of television production) but I am curious as you mention that they also shoot video at the events that you would like to shoot stills. Do they not have enough foot candles of stage lighting to capture a good video? I shoot stills on set and get great images based on the lighting for the video (or film) alone. I understand about the flash being unacceptable but think that you could approach the lighting person (do you have a person in charge of the lights you mention above) and see if they can work with you to set levels acceptable to everyone. That includes the audience, the video camera operator and yourself. Of course the audience and people on stage will always complain about the levels being a bit "hot"...


Often times the levels of the stage lighting can be set but be careful of your white balance. I assume they are using standard quartz lamps and the color temperature will shift quite a bit as they are dimmed from 100%. Also inquire if they have used gels on the lights as that will also alter the color temp a bit.


There are several small lighting packages available that might suit your needs but I hesitate to send you off in that direction if you could work with the venue and get the existing lights to work with you. The biggest problem you will have is getting enough "pop" from the smaller portable lights to cover the width of area on each stage. If you set them up so you got coverage it would no doubt be "cross lighting" form the sides and that will create unwanted shadows (based on the severe angle of the throw and the low height of the stands). You would also need to add some backlighting but that may be difficult to do as you would see the stands behind the people on stage. Ideally strive for a 45 degree angle of the light to the person - if you are 12' back you need to be 12' tall. Going that tall means heavy duty stands and sandbags to keep them from tipping.


How large a group are the focus on stage? Lighting one person is much easier than a panel discussion of 12 people wide at banquet tables. Give me some common set ups and let's see what we can do. In the mean while google Stanley McCandless stage lighting theory. It's a great starting point.