From: Bruce Walker
On Fri, Mar 16, 2012 at 11:11 PM, John Sessoms <[email protected]> wrote:
I guess I'm a "fan of studio photography". Just don't have the money to
build the studio. And even if I had the money, I don't have the space.
John, I don't have a "studio", nor space for one, but I don't let that
stop me. I have two hotshoe flashes, although I mostly use one and a
cheap convertible reflector. I don't have a background stand, I just
use a white wall. If I need a black background, I just position the
subject in a doorway to put a dark hallway behind them. If I need a
blown-out white background, that's what the 2nd flash is for.
If you buy stuff from Fancierstudio on Amazon, $50 will get you a
couple of stands and umbrellas. Get one or two Vivitar flashes, put
'em on manual and you're good to go. Pick up one of the cheapie
wireless triggers, and slave any additional flash(es) to the triggered
one. (Since I got Pentax flashes, I use the optical triggering, but
I'm starting to reconsider radio now.)
Then there's the "use somebody else's studio" approach. I have
partnered with a guy who has an extensive studio in his print-biz
shop. I trade work for time. In that pinup shoot I did, I did all the
up-front design work, a lot of organizing legwork (getting props,
models) and in total that shoot cost me $15 for my share of lunch.
Everyone there was working on a TF (trade-for) basis.
And for workshops all you need to bring is your camera and lenses. The
cost is higher, of course, but still quite affordable and a great
learning experience. And you get to work with agency models and
higher-end lighting.
Go for it John. Stretch a bit. Treat yourself.
I've got the lights, stands, background cloths ... what I don't have
right now is a physical space to set them up. I'm currently looking for
someone in my area to partner with who has space & needs equipment.
I know one photographer who has expressed an interest, but she's even
crazier than my EX-wife & I just don't want to get involved.
I've got a set of plans for a free-standing 2-car garage that I could
build out in the back of my lot. But I don't have money right now to
build it. Plus it's going to require a lot of cosmetic work on the house
before I will feel that I can bring prospective clients to my
prospective backyard studio - which is what I work on right now since I
don't have any paying work at present.
In the mean time, spring is sprung & I've got several public gardens I
can use, and I'm looking at offering "on location" studio photography -
set it up at the client's house.
But, first I gotta find some work if I'm going to afford anything.
I *am* looking.
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