Setting up a small studio at home?

Zascar

I recently got the opportunity to take some studio shots recently where there was a couple of different lighting and backdrop setups and some models. I really enjoyed it. I had always wanted to give it a go and even though I only had a few minutes I was very pleased with the photos I took – quite amazed the difference it makes having some simple lights, reflectors and backdrops etc.

So, I’ve been thinking I’d like buy a few things to set up a very small basic studio at home. Maybe just a backdrop with black and white, a couple of flashes and some umberellas or softboxes or something. The basics to try to experiment. I’m wondering has anyone else done this and what would you recommend to buy? Now I only live in an apartment so it would have to be a very small compact setup I can put up and take down each time. There was a thread a while back about “What would you buy with a £100 Amazon voucher” and I was amazed at some of the stuff you can get pretty cheap such as backdrops, stands, flashes, umbrellas & triggers etc.

I have some good lenses but I think I’d use them more if I had some stuff like this to experiment with. I do not have a flash and I had been thinking about buying one but not sure what route to go. I have heard good things about some Yongnuo and Nissin ones which are a fraction of the price of the Cannons. I’m fairly clueless about the whole flash setup thing – there are so many options around off camera flash, master & slave, triggers, ttl etc so I’ll have to do some homework.

Anyway if someone can give me some advice on setup and gear I would appreciate it.
Thanks

Kenny Logins

Canon? Not sure what system that is but Nikon has the CLS (Creative Lighting System) that allows you to control groups of flashes from the pop-up flash (or a separate on-camera unit). There are some great videos on Youtube showing how to get started with very basic single flash, right up to the full job with softboxes, reflectors and other modifiers etc. Getting started with this would require very little expense (Yongnuo jobs are ~€100 or something?) and build as you learn.

dwayned

Hi Zascar,

I'm in the same situation, want to get more studio experience with portraiture and am trying to practice at home in a spare room.

I have 2 Yongnuo flashes which are great to get started. I have a YN-460 II and bought a YN-565EX last week. I have a remote trigger attached to the 565 and the 460 set to slave mode.

I have been using these through umbrellas and have been getting good enough results so far.

I bought the all my kit on ebay and although its prob not the best quality it is ok for me for the time being, if i decided to get studio lights etc in the future i would prob buy better quality stands;

YN-460 II - £35
YN-565 EX - ~£77
Stands - 2 x ~£13
Umbrella/Clip - 2 x £11
Reflector - £14

NB: postage is crazy for the 460, i got free postage when i bought it.

I have also ordered a snoot from the same supplier to experiment a bit more.

The good thing is that this all folds down to carry or store away, as i had to bring it all out with me for the last couple of weekends.

Give me a shout if you wanna see any of the pics using the gear and i can pm you a link to some.

Dwayne

Zascar

Thanks Dwayne that's very helpful. I still have many (stupid) questions so I hope someone can elaborate for me:

What is the difference between the two flashes and why not have two of the better one? I've seen many other Yongnuo's and I'm not sure what features I need etc. On the ones you linked above, one has TTL and one doesn't?
I'm still unsure as to how the whole multi flash & trigger thing works. Are these worth getting? Or do I need a set for multiple flashes?
Is there a major difference in using umbrellas to softboxes?
Did you get backdrop? There are many of Amazon but some with not great reviews.

If anyone can advice I'd appreciate it

Kenny Logins

I have a very similar setup (560II, 565EX and 568EX). Flashes were bought by weighing up required features and price (560 is manual only, and costs half as much as a the TTL models - 568 has high speed sync, 565 doesn't). 565 is a great all-rounder.

I wouldn't bother with wireless triggers yet - you don't need the range, and you won't have direct sun light to contend with.

Kenny Logins

Here's a great video showing a basic setup in operation (Nikon CLS).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH59MX5WlRU

Zascar

Thanks lads that's very helpful. I think I'll start by buying a 565EX as recommended. A basic set of wireless triggers is only €15 which would be good for experimenting with off camera flash.

So a friend told me I should look into buying a Flash Lighting Kit - with lamps rather than flashes. He sent me this site: http://www.linkdelight.com/ loads of great stuff here and they have a huge section for Studio Lighting Kits - seems in a kit you can get a load of stuff for not a huge amount of money. Also nice to know as its in a kit its all been designed to work together etc:
There are also many on ebay and Amazon also. Loads of options, just which one to choose!

Kenny Logins

A flash will be a hell of a lot more powerful than a basic continuous light, and a lot easier to control I think.

Have a read here - http://strobist.blogspot.ie/2006/03/lighting-101.html

Reviews - http://speedlights.net/

Kenny Logins

What camera BTW? Have a look at the flash menu and see what controller options it has. I had wireless triggers but sold them as the pop-up has more control - full TTL and two groups on my D7000. No extra links in the chain, and batteries to charge etc.
The pop-up only fires a signal that can be read by the off camera jobs, and does not affect the actual exposure (unless you want it to).

Zascar

Ah right ok, thats something to think about. I have a Canon 600D. So two flashes and some umbrellas will work better than lamps and softboxes?

Ben D Bus

Does TTL have any real advantage in a studio setup?

Meter (or chimp) adjust power then shoot. It also allows for more creative (or crappy!) decision making than TTL I would have thought.

BTW, my setup involves 1 or 2 (usually just the 1) YN468II flashes, an umbrella (which can be set to shoot through or reflector), and a Dunnes Stores collapsible wash basket as a softbox Backdrop is a plain wall. I also have a 5-in-1 reflector which I occasionally use. I use a Hahnel remote combi TF trigger which can also be used as a remote shutter.

Kaislee

This is the set up I'm operating with at the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zZBD6EMB1k

I'm also looking into constructing this constant light set up as an alternative of dropping stupid money on a kinoflo system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBPDSBCoN2c

pixbyjohn

Have a look here for Studio accessories backdrops etc. He is in Swords, Co. Dublin
http://www.twinflash.com/

Wabbit Ears

He needs to proof read his website something awfull. IF the lastolite hi-lite he has on the site is the one I think it is (measurements dont match up to any on amazon) then thats a great price he has.

Zascar

So I just bought the 565EX - looking forward to trying it this weekend as I'm doing a portrait workshop - hoping to learn loads!

Can anyone tell me if this will work wirelessly using the built in trigger system on my 600D, or does that only work with Canon Cameras? Do i need a set of triggers?

dwayned

Zascar wrote: »

So I just bought the 565EX - looking forward to trying it this weekend as I'm doing a portrait workshop - hoping to learn loads!

Can anyone tell me if this will work wirelessly using the built in trigger system on my 600D, or does that only work with Canon Cameras? Do i need a set of triggers?

Im not 100% sure as i have a 400d and it doesn't have that ability but from what i understand it should work like that, see the "Dedicated Remote TTL Slave Mode (Canon and Nikon)" section in the url below.

http://speedlights.net/2011/08/28/yongnuo-yn-565-ex-flash-review/#Remote-Slave-Mode

Kenny Logins

Zascar wrote: »

So I just bought the 565EX - looking forward to trying it this weekend as I'm doing a portrait workshop - hoping to learn loads!

Can anyone tell me if this will work wirelessly using the built in trigger system on my 600D, or does that only work with Canon Cameras? Do i need a set of triggers?

Yes it can. Triggers will only be an advantage in daylight, over longer range, or if it can't pick up the signal from the pop-up for whatever reason. Shouldn't be an issue in a small studio set up.

Get some Eneloops too (7dayshop have them at a good price) http://www.7dayshop.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=eneloop

If you need batteries sooner, Supervalu have energizers with a charger for a little over a tenner now.

Zascar

Thanks for that. Am I right in saying I can buy one of the cheaper Yongnuo flashes to act as a slave?

Kenny Logins

Yep. Manual. (560s are cheap now, I was selling mine until I saw the price of them, didn't make sense to sell it).

dwayned

yeah that's similar to my setup,

wireless trigger attached to the YN-565EX and the YN-460 II set to S1(slave mode)