Portable studio lighting

rob shearing

Senior Member
Hi, apologies if I have placed this thread in the incorrect section!
I have been asked by a few friends if I would shoot individual/family portraits at their homes. The portable back drop is not an issue, what is giving me a headache is the source of lighting, having recently purchsed a new camera and lens my budget is limited.
I have read numerous articles on "budget" products and narrowed it down to the following fluorescent, strobe and LED products; https://www.jessops.com/p/interfit/f5-2-head-fluorescent-lighting-kit-97451, https://www.wexphotovideo.com/interfit-f121-200w-twin-head-softbox-kit-1632474/, LED Supersoftbox Octagonal Lighting Kit for Digital and Video - Smick.co.uk.
Would anyone be kind enough to offer any thoughts/advice on these items, or any alternatives?
Thanks
Rob
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
You can buy a cheap light stand for $20 and mount your speedlite on it for a single light source... google "single light source portraits"... and add a $10 folding umbrella... the stand and umbrella fold up and fit in a small carrying bag, and/or just a strap...
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
Of your options, I would suggest the unit with the strobes. Constant light is great, but you need ALLOT of light and these discount kits just aren't going to do it. Strobes are going to give you a punch that you can't get with the constant unless you spend more bucks.

Recently I did a Santa Clause shoot to which I KNEW there would be poorly behaved kids and oh yeah, people wanting their dogs pictured with Santa meaning a running dog on one end with a person on the other and a leash at the ready to plow down my lighting. I have two light setups, first is my Elinchrom really nice lights and my second is a pair of $150 inexpensive lights that are available for sacrifice. They came with small softboxes that are not ideal for groups.

Soft boxes are not intended to be backed up to get enough spread, although it is done too often. By going back you create a smaller light source with greater distance and have to crank up the power resulting in harder shadows. Closer and relatively bigger light source give you softer light which is easier on the wrinkles.

What I did was use the cheap strobes and buy the largest (5 foot diameter) umbrellas I could work with. Turned the strobe heads away from the subject and bounced the light off of the umbrellas. The umbrellas were placed close to the subject to maintain soft light and the lighting turned out gorgeous.

Fred mentioned using your flash. If you are shooting in small confined areas and it's not going to be shot after shot (battery consumption) then I would go his suggested route. If you are in a set location with room and it will be shot after shot then I would go with the strobes.

On a side note, I did not need to have 10 total feet of umbrella, but this was an investment to my gear. You could certainly go smaller.
 
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rob shearing

Senior Member
Thank you for the speedy replies.
I have already had some attempts with my speedlites and a few modifiers, but wasn't entirly happy with the results. Basically I found it really time consuming having to constantly guess where to place the lights when the subject moved, whereas if a had a continuous/modelling light I feel the whole process would flow much smoother? As a personal preference I prefer the light from a softbox to the umbrella and probably wouldn't get enough output with a speedlight/softbox combo?
 

RocketCowboy

Senior Member
Thank you for the speedy replies.
I have already had some attempts with my speedlites and a few modifiers, but wasn't entirly happy with the results. Basically I found it really time consuming having to constantly guess where to place the lights when the subject moved, whereas if a had a continuous/modelling light I feel the whole process would flow much smoother? As a personal preference I prefer the light from a softbox to the umbrella and probably wouldn't get enough output with a speedlight/softbox combo?

You should be able to get a pretty good bit of light out of the SB700. I don't know the SB600 as well, but with the SB700 as your key and the SB600 as fill/hair, I think you would do good.

It should be the same on the D7200, but I believe you have a button that will trigger a rapid pulse from your speedlight as a modeling light. It doesn't need to stay on constantly, as is typically done with strobes, but to aid in getting the light set right and still benefiting from the higher output that comes from a flash (compared to continuous lighting) ... I think the trade off is worth it.
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
I use Godox lighting and it works for me.

Just added a AD200 to my lighting kit.
WITSTRO AD200 (NEW) - WISTRO - Products | Godox Official UK Distributor
AD200.jpg


There is also a bigger version - the AD360 if the AD200 is not powerful enough. For indoors the 200 will be more than enough.

When i want to use a softbox then a "S Type" bowens bracket lets you mount any softbox you want.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bracket-St...363&sr=8-2&keywords=PRO+S-Type+Bracket+Bowens


I shoot staff headshots at work, with turn over in the childcare business this is turning into a routine monthly shooting of about half dozen new staff. My portable kit for those head shots is two V860's speedlights. They have lithium batteries which lasts a long time and have very fast recycle time. I have small round soft boxes that work for that. It is a variation of the f-stopper disk.
iLux? V860N (Nikon-Dedicated) SpeedLite Kit | Godox Official UK Distributor



I would not buy anything you need to plug in. Too much trouble. Too great a chance of tripping over cords.
 
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Fortkentdad

Senior Member
RE: Enough light - I have the SB600 and SB700 - they rarely see the light of day anymore. The speedlight I use is akin to the SB900 (V860) and the AD200 and AD360 are more than twice that. I have used the SB700 in a softbox and it is OK. Are you shooting in manual mode or TTL? TTL for me has worked poorly inside a softbox.
 

rob shearing

Senior Member
That Strobist site is amazing! It's almost like having your own tutor and has convinced me to have another go with what I already have (speedlights and umbrellas).
Thanks for all the input guys.
Rob
 

Fortkentdad

Senior Member
That Strobist site is amazing! It's almost like having your own tutor and has convinced me to have another go with what I already have (speedlights and umbrellas).
Thanks for all the input guys.
Rob

Lots to learn at that site.

RE: I have pondered getting an continuous portable battery operated LED lighting system - but so far have not pulled the trigger, seems they are fine for videography but opinions vary on their use for photography.
 
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