jamadophotography
New member
I would bounce it off the wall to diffuse it. Also the shadow that is created by her nose is a bit much. Good luck!
Is this harsh lighting?
- Thread starter Kias
- Start date
I picked up a CowboyStudio kit for simple, easy eBay-type shots. One of the lights was inop out of the box. One phone call and a replacement was delivered in just days. They didn't ask for the broken one to be returned, so I pulled apart the switch and fixed it.
As long as one understands the limitations of the equipment, it can be made to work.
As Inspector Callahan said, "A man has to know his limitations."
As long as one understands the limitations of the equipment, it can be made to work.
As Inspector Callahan said, "A man has to know his limitations."
Kias
Senior Member
I definitely listen to what he says. I've thoroughly cyber-stalked his websites and posts here and hold his critiques and help way up there on the 'who to listen to' scale. I took all of his suggestions, and everyone else's on this thread and came up with much better photos the next time I tried! For that, I thank all of you!
Robert,
I have to explain myself a little better I think. When you walk into my lab at work, there's a huge sign that says, "All warranties will be voided in this room!" Yeah, I'm that guy. My $600 cell phone? The warranty was voided within 10 minutes of pulling it out of the box. When the USB port went bad in it a few months ago, I just ordered an $18.00 usb circuit board from Hong Kong, took the phone apart and put the new one in. Good as new. Total time: 15 mins. Would've been free under warranty had I not voided it. Not to mention two weeks without the phone. It would've been $200 to send it to someone to fix and still two weeks. It's just what I do, and I actually have fun fixing stuff! Warranties and customer service is something I rarely use.
Now, on the flip side of that. I don't like buying crap to start with. So... If cowboy has crap, I'm avoiding it. It's that simple. It was just something I was looking at.
My budget will probably be something like $500 to $1000, so if you point me in the right direction I would much appreciate it, as I'm in an unknown land right now. I think I want a backdrop of some sorts or two, and the basic three light setup. I think...
I'm also thinking I may want to head in the direction of flash, as opposed to the continuous lighting I was thinking about, as I really enjoy taking photos of fast moving objects, like water drops and such also.
So lost here. But I do over-research everything before I buy it. So I'm probably several months before I put my final decision in. Just starting my OCD research now.
Thanks!
Robert Mitchell
Senior Member
Hi Klas.
I totally understand where you're coming from and if that's the way you view warranties and customer service then I certainly won't try to change your way of thinking. I do, however, think that it's unwise to purchase gear from a company that has a track record and reputation for poor customer service and lousy products. I realize that some people will give a positive review and that's bound to happen with any brand or product but it's wise to look at the big picture and see beyond the few people that like and use the products without issues. With electrical products that need to meet code and can potentially catch fire, causing damage or potentially kill someone, then I think you need to look at it a bit differently. Just my 2 cents, of course.
In terms of buying strobes and learning how to control and use light, I think it's very important to start small and simple. A 2 or 3 light kit is great but it should be noted that a 1 light setup is amazingly powerful and many photographers that can use and do own many lights will still choose to use 1 or 2 lights at most.
Overlighting and poor lighting placement is a mess and doesn't teach you anything, nor does it produce pleasing images.
1 light and a reflector or 2 lights and a reflector is a great way to start and there are a few manufacturers that make affordable entry level strobes.
I've been shooting with Elinchrom strobes for a while but I'm shooting with the RX series, which are not inexpensive. The entry level Elinchrom strobes are quite good but if you're in the US, I personally think that the E640 from Paul Buff is a great choice. It's hard to beat the performance and feature set offered, especially at that price point.
If you're not into Paul Buff products then you can go with Elinchrom but what you give up in the entry level Elinchrom's is the wide range in power control. They have a 5 stop range compared to the 9 stop range in the E640. This holds true with many of the other brands that offer affordable lighting. Limited power range, low power modeling lights without full control. Some lights that have analog controls have extremely inaccurate controls and it's hard to recreate exact setups with a variable power knob or slider. Digital controls are more desirable but also come at a price.
The Adorama Flashpoint strobes are nice and I believe they are a rebranded Interfit strobe, which are also nice.
Another reason why I think you should look at the E640 is because you mentioned that you want to shoot action. Shooting moving objects with strobes isn't always easy because typically, inexpensive strobes have a relatively slow (long) flash duration and the ability to stop motion isn't that great. The only way to get super fast flash durations is to step up to lights that are very expensive and buying one light would blow your entire budget or not even get you one light.
That brings me back to the E640. Buff has engineered a strobe that has a very fast flash duration and is capable of stopping fast moving objects.
Just so you know, I don't own or use Paul Buff lights and I don't work for him, review his products or endorse him in any way. I'm being completely objective and I recognize that he is making an outstanding product. I don't think you can get as much from a strobe as you can with the E640.
I totally understand where you're coming from and if that's the way you view warranties and customer service then I certainly won't try to change your way of thinking. I do, however, think that it's unwise to purchase gear from a company that has a track record and reputation for poor customer service and lousy products. I realize that some people will give a positive review and that's bound to happen with any brand or product but it's wise to look at the big picture and see beyond the few people that like and use the products without issues. With electrical products that need to meet code and can potentially catch fire, causing damage or potentially kill someone, then I think you need to look at it a bit differently. Just my 2 cents, of course.
In terms of buying strobes and learning how to control and use light, I think it's very important to start small and simple. A 2 or 3 light kit is great but it should be noted that a 1 light setup is amazingly powerful and many photographers that can use and do own many lights will still choose to use 1 or 2 lights at most.
Overlighting and poor lighting placement is a mess and doesn't teach you anything, nor does it produce pleasing images.
1 light and a reflector or 2 lights and a reflector is a great way to start and there are a few manufacturers that make affordable entry level strobes.
I've been shooting with Elinchrom strobes for a while but I'm shooting with the RX series, which are not inexpensive. The entry level Elinchrom strobes are quite good but if you're in the US, I personally think that the E640 from Paul Buff is a great choice. It's hard to beat the performance and feature set offered, especially at that price point.
If you're not into Paul Buff products then you can go with Elinchrom but what you give up in the entry level Elinchrom's is the wide range in power control. They have a 5 stop range compared to the 9 stop range in the E640. This holds true with many of the other brands that offer affordable lighting. Limited power range, low power modeling lights without full control. Some lights that have analog controls have extremely inaccurate controls and it's hard to recreate exact setups with a variable power knob or slider. Digital controls are more desirable but also come at a price.
The Adorama Flashpoint strobes are nice and I believe they are a rebranded Interfit strobe, which are also nice.
Another reason why I think you should look at the E640 is because you mentioned that you want to shoot action. Shooting moving objects with strobes isn't always easy because typically, inexpensive strobes have a relatively slow (long) flash duration and the ability to stop motion isn't that great. The only way to get super fast flash durations is to step up to lights that are very expensive and buying one light would blow your entire budget or not even get you one light.
That brings me back to the E640. Buff has engineered a strobe that has a very fast flash duration and is capable of stopping fast moving objects.
Just so you know, I don't own or use Paul Buff lights and I don't work for him, review his products or endorse him in any way. I'm being completely objective and I recognize that he is making an outstanding product. I don't think you can get as much from a strobe as you can with the E640.
Last edited:
Kias
Senior Member
Thanks for pointing me at Paul Buff, I've never even seen that before. After reading your advice and a bunch of other stuff I found on lighting, I think I am going to move in that direction.
Just a couple more questions if I could pick your brain for a second. Having never seen these, I was just wondering if these are true and correct.
This is the stud I need to mount the light. Do I need the 1/4 (looks like a -20) thread on top? What's that used for?
...and the turn down portion on that stud is used for the lock screw on the light here, correct?
The reason I'm wondering is the ever need to be cheap. I mean save money. I have two tripods, rated for 110ish pounds, that aren't getting much use around here anymore. I just need to get the top connector right to mount the light.
Thanks again for all your help!
Just a couple more questions if I could pick your brain for a second. Having never seen these, I was just wondering if these are true and correct.
This is the stud I need to mount the light. Do I need the 1/4 (looks like a -20) thread on top? What's that used for?
...and the turn down portion on that stud is used for the lock screw on the light here, correct?
The reason I'm wondering is the ever need to be cheap. I mean save money. I have two tripods, rated for 110ish pounds, that aren't getting much use around here anymore. I just need to get the top connector right to mount the light.
Thanks again for all your help!
This is the spud that's used to mount the strobe flash on, or an umbrella/flash mount. Some have a 1/4 - 20 stud on them. Doesn't matter. That 1/4 - 20 stud is for screwing into the bottom of your camera. I hope this will make some sense for you. If not, I'll try to clarify.
Robert Mitchell
Senior Member
Almost all current spigots and studs use a 5/8" mount. Some lights use a 3/8" mount but that's not common at all. The 1/4"-20 threaded mount and 3/8"-16 are found on many spigots and studs and can be adapted, converted and used in many ways.
Light stands have a 5/8" mount that can accommodate any strobe and the strobe's tilt/swivel mounts to the stud and is tightened down with the side mounted turn-down.
I've got drawers full of grip gear and once you discover the world of grippy goodness it's like a disease. You can't stop buying the stuff.
Many people use tripods as light stands. You can use the brass stud that Jack is showing or any of numerous components to mount a light. I'm sure you realize it but height adjustment on a tripod is not as convenient or fast and has a height limitation, whereas even a small, lightweight light stand will usually extend to 6 or 7 feet.
Light stands have a 5/8" mount that can accommodate any strobe and the strobe's tilt/swivel mounts to the stud and is tightened down with the side mounted turn-down.
I've got drawers full of grip gear and once you discover the world of grippy goodness it's like a disease. You can't stop buying the stuff.
Many people use tripods as light stands. You can use the brass stud that Jack is showing or any of numerous components to mount a light. I'm sure you realize it but height adjustment on a tripod is not as convenient or fast and has a height limitation, whereas even a small, lightweight light stand will usually extend to 6 or 7 feet.
Kias
Senior Member
Thanks for the explanation!
The tripods I have are for large speakers, adjust from 4 to 7 feet by pulling out the safety pin, turning the knob and raise or lower it. Takes all of 5 seconds. Well, unless you have speakers on them. You have to take them off the tripod first.
It's rather easy to mount whatever I need on the top.
Thanks again!
Time to start saving those pennies again!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
The tripods I have are for large speakers, adjust from 4 to 7 feet by pulling out the safety pin, turning the knob and raise or lower it. Takes all of 5 seconds. Well, unless you have speakers on them. You have to take them off the tripod first.
It's rather easy to mount whatever I need on the top.
Thanks again!
Time to start saving those pennies again!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus