1. Studio equipment. Types of light sources.
Studio equipment can be divided into two types: pulsed and constant light sources.
Pulsed and constant light sources are equally used in photography, studio and location shooting. Also, in filming practice, photographers use combined light (pulsed and constant at the same time).
On pulsed light lighting devices, constant light lamps (pilot light) are additionally installed. Constant (pilot) light lamps are used to illuminate an object, improve focusing, make a preliminary visual assessment of the lighting of the subject, and analyze the cut-off pattern.
One of the greatest benefits of using constant light is the visual representation of the image before shooting. The advantages of pulsed light are: high energy of the light beam, low energy consumption.
1.2. Lighting devices
Let us distinguish two types of pulsed light devices:
Monoblock is a type of pulse flash in which the lighting device and the control compartment are located in one block. Monoblocks are easy to transport, have small dimensions, and operate on mains or battery power.
Generator – consists of two components: a generator (control unit) and a paw block. The generator can be installed on the floor or attached to a tripod. The generator has a number of advantages over a monoblock system, but has increased dimensions and weight.
1.2.1 Characteristics of light pulse devices. Setting up the camera before shooting based on the characteristics of the lighting devices.
Lighting devices used in the studio have a number of characteristics that should be taken into account when organizing the filming process and setting up the camera. Let's highlight some of them:
Colorful temperature. It is measured in degrees Kelvin (̊ K) and usually varies between 5500 – 5600 ̊ K. Color temperature is directly related to the concept of White Balance (WB). When setting the camera parameter, you should select one of the white balance modes:
- by flash
- on a white sheet
- sunlight
- 5600 ̊ K
It should be taken into account that the presence of a powerful constant light (pilot) to illuminate the object can produce additional color overlays due to the difference in the color temperature of constant (3200 ̊ K) and pulsed (5600 ̊ K) light. Therefore, in some pulsed devices, when the pulsed light is triggered, the constant (pilot) light is automatically turned off.
Pulse energy. It is measured in Joules (J) and usually in small studios has a value from 100 to 1000 J. The power of the pulse energy can be determined from the labeling of the light device. For example, Hensel Expert D 1000 has a pulse energy of 1000 J.
Availability of constant light (pilot) from 60 – 1000 W depending on the power of the lighting device.
- Pulse duration. Flash lamp duration. Declared in the technical characteristics of the flash. Typically, studio flashes have a flash duration of 1/800 of a second. To “freeze” objects, flashes with a short pulse (from 1/2500 sec) are used. The higher the flash pulse energy, the longer the flash pulse.
- Reload time. Taken into account when shooting dynamic objects.
- Bayonet – place for attaching light attachments to the flash. There are standardized fasteners (Bowens, Hensel, etc.). Certain attachments are suitable for certain brands of lighting fixtures.
1.3. Attachments for lighting devices
The presence of additional attachments for lighting devices expands the possibilities of using pulsed and continuous light sources. Depending on the nozzle used, you can obtain a soft or hard light beam, diffused (filling) or directed. The correct selection of light attachments will allow you to get the desired result in shooting.
List of the most common light attachments with a soft light beam of directional and diffuse action:
Softbox– the most common light attachment is square or rectangular in shape. It includes a frame made of rods onto which a special material is stretched. The front part is covered with fabric, which acts as a screen that diffuses the light flux. The inner surface of the softbox has a reflective layer. As a rule, a silver metalized or simply white coating is applied to the inner surface, while the outer part is usually black.
Octobox– octagonal circular nozzle. It is made according to the softbox principle. Creates soft diffused light with fill action. Often used in Beauty photography to obtain uniform lighting, with a weak light-shadow pattern.
Strip box– a source of soft, directional light. The design resembles a softbox, but in size it has an elongated shape with a width of up to 30-40 cm. Strip boxes are mainly used for making full-length portraits.
Umbrellas– used for soft distribution of light. Very faint shadows. There are two types of umbrellas, transmissive and reflective. Translucent umbrellas have low reflectivity due to the translucency of the fabric and are used when it is necessary to simultaneously reduce the influence of pulsed light and create fill lighting. Reflective umbrellas have a dense surface with high reflective abilities. They are easy to use and are the simplest and most convenient light attachment. The disadvantage is the inability to form a narrowly directed beam of light.
Also, there are light attachments with a hard light beam of directional and diffuse action. Their main advantage is that they can be used either independently or in combination with other attachments (with umbrellas, filters, etc.). Such attachments form a directed beam of light.
“Beauty Dish”. Thanks to the design feature of the “beauty dish,” the light is both concentrated and soft. This is one of the most popular attachments for fashion photography.
Background reflectors. To illuminate the background, specially shaped reflectors are used, which not only distribute the light evenly, but also help prevent unwanted light from entering the camera lens.
Tube– This is an attachment to a conical reflector to create a dense and narrowly focused beam of light. Tubes are used to highlight details on an object or background. The tubes can be used in parallel with honeycombs (the honeycomb is an additional attachment to the tube), which gives the output almost parallel rays of light.
Curtains- to adjust the light flux and represent a nozzle with 4 movable scenes. Curtains are used to illuminate the background and control backlight.
Additional elements and accessories:
Color filters. Change the color of the light beam. Unlike lens filters, which affect the entire frame, attachments are installed on individual lamps and allow you to precisely change the color of the lighting.
Synchronizing devices. Synchronizing devices are used to communicate between the camera and the pulsed light source. They come in several types: radio and infrared synchronizers, sync cable. Also in the studio, if there is no synchronizer, it is possible to synchronize using an external flash, which is installed in M mode.
Radio synchronizers are the most convenient to operate and, therefore, the most popular in photo studios. A radio channel is used to transmit the control signal.
Infrared synchronizers perform synchronization using an infrared communication channel. The disadvantages include the short range of such devices.
Sync cable is a cable that connects the camera and the light source. Not all cameras have a jack for connecting a sync cable.
Quite often, a photographer has to work in a studio. Recently, the practice of renting out studios has become very common. It looks like this. If the studio is rented, and usually on Internet sites where such a service is indicated, you call the studio and agree with the administrator for a certain time, if it is free. Then make an advance payment, come at the appointed time and rent for the allotted amount of time. Payment for a studio, for example, in Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg or Moscow ranges from three hundred rubles per hour and more. Prices may vary in other cities.
So, you have come to the studio and you need to briefly get acquainted with the equipment that is in it. Understand why it is needed and how to use it.
What should be the first thing in the studio? The first and main thing, of course, is the light sources. These sources come in continuous light and pulsed light.
Constant light sources- These are ordinary spotlights, incandescent lamps.
Pulsed light sources are powerful studio flashes. For example, a flash with an umbrella attached. A large umbrella gives a soft, wide stream of light. It is mounted on a rail system attached to the ceiling and is easy to move from place to place.
Another common source is softbox. More precisely, it is not a source, but a nozzle.
Softboxes come in different shapes, but their purpose is the same - to soften and direct the flow of light in the desired direction.
Studio flashes need to be controlled somehow. What is used for this? The camera just won't light the flash. To do this, a special device is used, which is installed in the hot shoe of the camera and is called a synchronizer.
Synchronizers There are different types: infrared and radio synchronizers.
When you press the shutter release, the infrared synchronizer gives a pulse of invisible radiation, to which the light traps of the flashes react.
Radio synchronizers work differently. A special radio transmitter attachment is placed on the camera, and a receiver is installed on the flash, which gives an impulse to fire the flash.
The advantage of a radio synchronizer is that it operates at a long distance. The range of the infrared flash is limited.
In addition, the studio must have backgrounds. They are different, there are fabric and also paper.
Fabric backdrops are more durable. They can be washed and reused. But paper backgrounds are much smoother and if you highlight them, you get a smooth surface. The same cannot be said about fabric backgrounds. They need to be tightened tightly or additional means are used. Or process it in a graphics editor so that the background looks even.
The background can be a wall painted neutral gray. Backgrounds can be given any color.
In addition, the studio uses various stands and fasteners. And screens and curtains to direct the light in one direction or another.
About the camera for professionals
Without any doubt, the camera must be a SLR. The leaders of the modern professional photographic equipment market currently offer a very large range of cameras. But they consider only SLR cameras to be cameras intended for professional photographers.
Conclusion: there is no point in being interested in the number of pixels in a camera for professional photography! The number of pixels matters only if the actual size of the matrix in millimeters is also known. You should not inquire about the zoom, since it is determined not by the camera, but by the lens. There is no need to worry about the rate of fire. For example, professional photographers who photograph corporate events, parties, and weddings must be able to “catch” the splashes of champagne. For this, you need not 28 frames per second, as many people think, but a good fast lens and a sense of the moment for the photographer himself!
So, the simplest SLR camera has all the necessary set of parameters that we mentioned above. In order to get high-quality professional photographs, you need to purchase a “DSLR” and not a digital camera, even a very “advanced” one.
But one high-quality SLR camera from a leading manufacturer is not enough. For professional photography, you also need a set of a professional photographer.
A set of lenses - solving various problems
The equipment of a professional photographer must necessarily include a lens screwed to the camera. Very often, the quality of pictures is determined by the lens, not the camera. Moreover, a professional photographer will never limit himself to one type of lens. He needs a whole set consisting of several “glasses”, each of which serves its own specific purpose.
Currently, a huge number of lenses are offered to customers. But it is absolutely impossible for a person who is far from professional photography to understand this issue.
Let's look at just a few points. What do professional photographers shoot with?
If you analyze the different but equal options, you should pay attention to premium lenses. These lenses provide the best picture quality. A good lens can also be distinguished from a budget lens by its aperture ratio.
It is important to know that all high-quality optics from global manufacturers currently offered on the market have a high aperture ratio that is constant throughout the entire zoom range. Expensive high-quality lenses, as a rule, always have a constant aperture ratio.
Flash - guarantee of illumination
A professional photographer's equipment should include a flash. Moreover, a professional’s arsenal requires not only a built-in flash. Photographic equipment manufacturers add this kind of flash “just in case of fire.” But this is not enough. You also need to have an external flash. This is the only way to solve the problem of insufficient lighting. Often, in pursuit of the required level of illumination, the problem is solved by increasing the light sensitivity of the matrix (ISO number). What's the result? Reduced image quality, that is, an increase in the noise level in the photo.
About a professional monitor for a photographer
Only a professional monitor meets the necessary parameters. What does a professional monitor provide?
- Ideally even illumination of the entire area;
- maximum viewing angle. There are no shadows, which are most noticeable at the edges;
- wide range of color gamut in dynamics;
- the most accurate color rendition. There is a possibility of calibration;
- ability to display uniform black color of great depth. The matrix backlight should not be visible through it.
The last criterion is the most important.
Important: there is a myth that only professionals can notice the difference between a professional and budget monitor. It's a delusion! Even a non-professional will see the difference in shooting.
Conclusion: professional monitors have high-quality matrices that can display more saturated colors and reproduce colors much more accurately. In addition, a professional monitor is capable of reproducing the deepest blacks.
Tripod - a steadfast assistant
A professional photographer differs from an amateur in that he has a tripod in his equipment. To a non-professional, it seems that a tripod is a device that you can completely do without. However, a professional photographer does not need a tripod for the sake of appearance! A professional photographer takes photographs from a tripod to improve image clarity even in excellent lighting conditions.
Why do you need a tripod? The purpose of a tripod is to provide reliable support and fix the camera in a stationary position. Using a tripod reduces vibration when shooting at long shutter speeds and in low light. You need to take a serious approach to choosing a tripod so that this accessory can last for many years.
About umbrella and softbox: what to choose?
Umbrellas provide shelter not only from rain and sun rays. For a professional photographer, an umbrella is a very valuable accessory that is used for portrait and product photography, both in the studio and in open areas.
Why do you need an umbrella? The fact is that the light from the flash is quite hard. In order to soften it, professionals use various diffusers, for example, a softbox. However, a softbox is a rather expensive accessory. But an umbrella is quite accessible to everyone. Interestingly, an umbrella can give almost the same result as a softbox. The umbrella perfectly reflects the light from the flash. The light scatters, becoming softer. The subject is evenly covered, and hard shadows and highlights are neutralized.
Editorial advice: an umbrella should only be chosen by a beginning professional photographer. An umbrella simplifies mistakes in setting the light, which are inevitable at first. Once experience is gained, it will become necessary to implement more complex lighting schemes that require complete control over the light.
As soon as the photographer becomes a real professional, he will need a softbox. It seems that there is no difference in shooting when using a softbox and an umbrella. But this is only at first glance.
An interesting point is that the light scattered through an umbrella can highlight the mystery of a woman’s face, giving her mystery and charm. And to create male portraits, a more characteristic light pattern is required. All these nuances of the creative profession of a photographer come with growing experience.
Let's summarize. What should be included in a professional photographer’s kit, and what can be sacrificed? A DSLR camera, a set of lenses, a professional monitor - things you can’t do without. An external flash is an important criterion for good quality photos. It's up to you to decide. A tripod is very desirable, but its absence is not critical for you. A softbox should be in the arsenal of an experienced professional photographer, but an inexperienced master can easily get by with an umbrella.
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In the modern world, photographer is considered one of the most popular professions. , you can earn good money. After all, these types of services are now in great demand. But to build a thriving business, you need to open your own. Start by purchasing special lighting equipment for your photography studio.
The quality of photographs depends on photographic equipment and proper lighting. In addition, thanks to lighting devices, you can refresh your complexion, hide dark circles under the eyes, and other imperfections.
Purpose, types and lighting schemes
Studio photography is becoming more and more popular. This can be explained by the fact that it will not be affected by any natural phenomena: neither rain, nor wind, nor cloudy weather is scary.
But the correct lighting is very important. A variety of light and shadow equipment allows you to get interesting photo effects.
Select equipment for a photo studio taking into account the lighting schemes you will be working with:
- scheme with one light source: a flash and a reflector are required at a great distance from the subject;
- butterfly: a second light source behind the model is required;
- triangle: lighting equipment is installed on the side;
- Beauty: lighting is directed from both sides through clear zones, reflectors are also needed.
First steps in studio photography
Studio light
Divided into 2 types:
- constant;
- impulsive.
Studio lighting equipment catalog
Constant lighting is provided. But now this equipment is rarely used, as it has several disadvantages:
- generate a lot of heat;
- I require a lot of electricity;
- their brightness irritates the photographer's eyes.
Constant lighting sources:
| Characteristics / Model | QL-500BW | DS-500 | YN-600 LED | Fresnel 300 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Falcon Eyes | Falcon Eyes | Yongnuo | GreenBean |
| Illuminator type | halogen | halogen | LED | halogen |
| Output power, W | 500 | 500 | 36 | 300 |
| Power adjustment | smooth | fixed | smooth | smooth |
| Cost, rub. | 7 400 | 4 300 | 8 500 | 13 480 |
Therefore, it is more preferable to include it in a set of equipment for a photo studio. Which are not only economical, but also better recognize and convey the shade of light. Soffits give a yellowish color, requiring additional correction of photographs; with flashes there is no such need.
Lighting solutions for portrait photography
Pulsed light sources:
| Characteristics / Model | D-Lite RX ONE | GY-150 | TE-1200BW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Elinchrom | NiceFoto | Falcon Eyes |
| Light source type | compact flash | compact flash | monoblock |
| Max. power, J | 100 | 150 | 1 200 |
| Power adjustment | 6 -1 00 J | smooth | smooth |
| Cost, rub. | 9 250 | 5 000 | 25 480 |
Studio flashes
Monoblock flashes are usually used as equipment for a photo studio - a strong pulse flash of 100 - 1,000 J with an additional halogen or regular incandescent lamp, which allows you to simulate lighting and works independently of others.
A modern camera requires a flash of up to 500 J. For some types of photography, 300 J is a lot. That’s why professional flashes have a pulse energy regulator.
Reflector or reflector– equipment that reduces light scattering and creates a directed flow.
Nozzle with honeycomb filter allows you to get sharp shadows. The honeycomb creates directional beams that mimic sunlight. A nozzle with parallel stripes creates a “blinds” effect. These attachments prevent glare from reaching the lens and eliminate the need for curtains.
Using 2 - 4 monoblock lighting equipment for a photo studio with different attachments, you can get a large number of different effects. But the main thing is to arrange them correctly.
To do this, you can use several arrangement options:
- painting light;
- back;
- modeling;
- background.
Light diffusers
Umbrella– affordable and compact diffuser. Thanks to it, you can get soft, even light with the ability to control it (the distance from the umbrella to the light source is adjusted)
There are 2 types of umbrellas:
- translucent: made of white fabric, light passing through it is weakened by 2 times;
- reflective: the inside of the umbrella is white or with gold or silver coating, the outside is black; reflection promotes dispersion and creates a more contrasting image, adds sharpness in light parts, and reduces it in dark parts.
– a popular diffuser that has the shape of a quadrangular reflector. The inner walls are coated with a metallized composition. Light reflects off the walls and passes through the white material.
Softboxes can be square or rectangular. Used for portrait photography.
| Characteristics / Model | Rotalux | Recta | Rotalux Octa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Elinchrom | Elinchrom | Elinchrom |
| Softbox shape | square | rectangular | octabox |
| Softbox size, cm | 70x70 | 90x110 | 175 |
| Soft box depth, cm | 32 | 42 | 50 |
| Cost, rub. | 13 140 | 15 580 | 26 210 |
Stripboxes- the same softboxes, but in them the length is much greater than the width. Used for full-length photography. They give large glares on the background.
– an octagonal-shaped softbox, used to get an artistic highlight on glossy surfaces, and also to imitate light from a window in the model’s eyes.
Lightbox– equipment that serves to obtain uniform lighting and prevents the appearance of unwanted shadows and glare. Used in subject photography. It is made in the shape of a box, the walls are made of white material that transmits light. The object is placed inside the box. The photo turns out to be of very high quality and requires almost no further processing.
Curtains– equipment that regulates the luminous flux of the flash. Regulation occurs by opening and closing the door. Used to illuminate the background. Sometimes color filters are used. With their help, they change the background color and create unusual transitions.
Tripods or stands– equipment with which studio flashes are fixed in the right place, at the right height. When choosing a rack, pay attention to its load capacity and stability, because monoblocks are quite heavy (3 – 7 kg).