Hi all,******* White walls. Will be great reflector for you and lights with colored gels infront and you can create colorings! You can put slave on floor behind model (model blocks view of flash unit) and have it on slave eye and fire a color at the wall!
I've got this spare room around 4 x 2.7 meters (ca 13 x 9 feet) (yes Stan - in case you're reading, the one you used for a guest room) and I was thinking of trying to use it for some sort of a portrait studio (or maybe for shooting smaller products, in case there will be a demand for it).
Later on I'm planning to also (or instead) use (part of) my garage for a studio.
I will probably put up new wall paper with shooting pictures in mind. I plan to attach some "holders" for backgrounds to a few a the walls.
Initially I will simply try it out shooting some models, using and "calibrating" whatever flashes I have.
(I have the MZ5 (autofocus doesn't work), a Chinon K-body and a bunch of lenses. (Yes some very old cheap MF cameras too that I might have a play with). Probably I will buy the Canon 300D digital soon.)
I've got the Pentax 500FTZ, as well as some five-six small basic flashes, another slave trigger as well as a number of tripods.
I am sure that quite a few of you have had some experience in trying something similar and I've got a few questions for you.
1. Choosing wall paper - texture and color. Any good ideas - things that work, things that won't?
(I thought about repainting but figured any paint will still be prone to cause reflections when using flash.)
2. Will I be able to find wall fitted photo background "holders" (is there another word for them?) ?
*******Thumb tacks? Curtain rod? Normal background holders will all work.
3. How far will I be able to get using flashes only? When (photographically speaking) will I find some sort studio lights a necessity?
(Don't even remember the various types of them)
*******As long as something is adjustable! Whether by putting things in front (umbrellas, ect, diffusers) . A handheld light/flash meter is the critial item you need to see how lighting is hitting your subject (or a digital preview, used like a polaroid to see what you are getting) Farhter than you think, as long as you can angle and point your flash units
4. (I don't want big stuff, and I don't have much money). What would be a low budget, but still useable, (type of) studio light(ing) to start off with?
********The ALIEN BEE serious might be good for you then!
5. The thought of using and mastering multi-flash set ups is intriguing. However how tricky will it be to learn, and to use it in practical shooting? Is there any obvious way to go about achieving this? (Types of flashes, slaves, connectors, cables or IR remotes etc.)
******** 1 cabled and one slave. Thats all you really need. Many will tell you a good reflector can take place of slave! Multitude of books out there!
Thanks for any input on any of my questions, or on things and aspects I may have overlooked.
(Or should I join the local photo club and start using their studio?)
****** That's a good one for source of used equipment, brain picking and possibly even free models! Clubs are the best resources for photographers!
Lasse
