When the Nikon D7100 is launched, many new owners will want to test their new body in a studio setting. Of course it is always preferable to use available light if you can, when shooting portraits or still-life pictures.If that isn't possible, the built-in flash will be more than adequate for fill-in work, or you could use a remotely fired flash gun. A little practise can get you some excellent results. But what if you want to go one step further? Setting up a home studios is not as expensive - or inconvenient - as it once was.
If you are setting up your studio at home, the ideal scenario is to have a room specifically put aside for your photography. It should have plenty of space, a high ceiling and be at least 5 meters long. Paint the walls a color that doesn't reflect too much - black is ideal, but if you have to share the room, then gray would be OK. Cover the windows with blackout material to ensure that the light can't get in and also cover the doors to prevent further contamination. Ideally you only want to have the light that is under your control to be effecting your images. You will also need a good supply of electrical sockets.
Having closed out all external light sources, you can decide what lighting you want to have in your studio. Lighting falls into two categories - continuous or strobe. Continuous also has two options, either tungsten or fluorescent. Tungsten is very popular for portraiture because it gives good skin tones. It is naturally a 'warm' light, both in light and temperature (this can be a problem, if you make your subject sit under them for a long time). You would also want to use tungstens if you were shooting video.
Fluorescent lights are considered 'colder' because they have a blueish color to them that make them ideal for stock shots and inanimate objects. Of course, both types of lighting can be used for either live or stock shots, it's just a matter of what the photographer is trying to achieve. You will be able to set the white balance in the D7100 for either light source, but remember you want to have the lighting working for you rather than against you. You don't want to have to be compensating against it all the time. Sooner or later you will forget to do it and then have to catch up in your editing software.
The one great advantage of continuous lighting is that you can actually see how the subject will appear in the picture in real-time. This means that you get the lighting right and can then confidently address other variables like content and composition. With the strobe, you are sometimes not sure if the flash fired or not. In many ways continuous lighting is a lot easier, and I would recommend that you start with this. However, when you need to photograph something or someone and give the impression of movement, or freeze them in action, you will have to use strobe lighting.
Strobe lighting can offer much more flexibility. You can adjust the intensity of your light to suit your needs, which means that you have more control over your shutter speeds. However, because of the blast that comes out of the strobes, they do take a short time to recharge, which can be frustrating.
When using two lights as a home studio, I would use the softbox as my main light and use the other light to light the background, you might be wise to get a set of inexpensive barn doors to use on your background light as this will stop the light from spilling onto your subject. Set up your trigger on one of your lights and make sure you have a trigger for both of the lights so they fire in sync, the more expensive flash systems have built in slaves. Be sure to keep your main light at least 6ft away from subject so you dont burn out any details and about 3ft away from background so you can get a nice even spread of light.
I usually begin a shoot on a standard 1/125 at f8 with an ISO set at 200. This gives me enough flexibility to change things around gradually if I need to. Most studio lenses operate comfortably at f8 and the shutter speed will catch most fluid movement. If you find the lighting a bit flat, move the soft box out wide to get some more definition and shadow, but always be aware that more shadow can be very unflattering, particularly if the subject has an angular face or large nose. I always start by getting the standard shots done - the full length, half-length and then move in tighter for head and shoulders or portrait. By the time you want to try something more interesting your model will have relaxed and you will have become more confident in the equipment and you abilities.
If you are setting up your studio at home, the ideal scenario is to have a room specifically put aside for your photography. It should have plenty of space, a high ceiling and be at least 5 meters long. Paint the walls a color that doesn't reflect too much - black is ideal, but if you have to share the room, then gray would be OK. Cover the windows with blackout material to ensure that the light can't get in and also cover the doors to prevent further contamination. Ideally you only want to have the light that is under your control to be effecting your images. You will also need a good supply of electrical sockets.
Having closed out all external light sources, you can decide what lighting you want to have in your studio. Lighting falls into two categories - continuous or strobe. Continuous also has two options, either tungsten or fluorescent. Tungsten is very popular for portraiture because it gives good skin tones. It is naturally a 'warm' light, both in light and temperature (this can be a problem, if you make your subject sit under them for a long time). You would also want to use tungstens if you were shooting video.
Fluorescent lights are considered 'colder' because they have a blueish color to them that make them ideal for stock shots and inanimate objects. Of course, both types of lighting can be used for either live or stock shots, it's just a matter of what the photographer is trying to achieve. You will be able to set the white balance in the D7100 for either light source, but remember you want to have the lighting working for you rather than against you. You don't want to have to be compensating against it all the time. Sooner or later you will forget to do it and then have to catch up in your editing software.
The one great advantage of continuous lighting is that you can actually see how the subject will appear in the picture in real-time. This means that you get the lighting right and can then confidently address other variables like content and composition. With the strobe, you are sometimes not sure if the flash fired or not. In many ways continuous lighting is a lot easier, and I would recommend that you start with this. However, when you need to photograph something or someone and give the impression of movement, or freeze them in action, you will have to use strobe lighting.
Strobe lighting can offer much more flexibility. You can adjust the intensity of your light to suit your needs, which means that you have more control over your shutter speeds. However, because of the blast that comes out of the strobes, they do take a short time to recharge, which can be frustrating.
When using two lights as a home studio, I would use the softbox as my main light and use the other light to light the background, you might be wise to get a set of inexpensive barn doors to use on your background light as this will stop the light from spilling onto your subject. Set up your trigger on one of your lights and make sure you have a trigger for both of the lights so they fire in sync, the more expensive flash systems have built in slaves. Be sure to keep your main light at least 6ft away from subject so you dont burn out any details and about 3ft away from background so you can get a nice even spread of light.
I usually begin a shoot on a standard 1/125 at f8 with an ISO set at 200. This gives me enough flexibility to change things around gradually if I need to. Most studio lenses operate comfortably at f8 and the shutter speed will catch most fluid movement. If you find the lighting a bit flat, move the soft box out wide to get some more definition and shadow, but always be aware that more shadow can be very unflattering, particularly if the subject has an angular face or large nose. I always start by getting the standard shots done - the full length, half-length and then move in tighter for head and shoulders or portrait. By the time you want to try something more interesting your model will have relaxed and you will have become more confident in the equipment and you abilities.
About the Author:
Jeremy Bayston has worked in the photographic industry for over twenty years. He has a particular interest in digital cameras and photography. Learn more about the new Nikon D7100 and its launch date from his website. Regularly updated with news and advice, it can help you get better pictures from your D7100.
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