Tips To Achieve Amazing Photo Quality and Basic Photography Lighting Equipment

A great deal of information about the photo lighting equipment subject is already known by photography school students and avid photographers, but not really by those that might be hoping to enter the field from the beginning. These tools can be used to further enhance a picture beyond what is otherwise possible with only editing software (and a good camera, of course). Combining all of these factors together can create truly astonishing photos of amazing quality, but this all begins with proper photo lighting equipment.

An all-new level of quality is easily achieved by those with either the wallet to buy new items, or those with the mind to buy used photo lighting equipment items. Either way, once the items are acquired, you must then learn how to use them. The first thing you should learn to use is the external photo lighting (or a photo lighting kit). This allows you to highlight the subject of the photo, whether it’s a product or a person, and also to manipulate the light in such a way as to capture an image of the subject’s best features.

Photo lighting equipment typically comes in two varieties. Strobe lighting, or camera flash, is the more technologically advanced of the variations and requires complex synchronization. Once the shutter and strobe light are synchronized, the picture can be taken safely. This is advantageous because it doesn’t provide a constant bright light that can cause squinting. The other type of lighting is continuous lighting, or “hot lights”. These provide a constant stream of high-quality light for repeated shots, and are usually advantageous for objects (or other subjects that are unaffected by bright lights).

Continuous lights can be further broken down into two categories: halogen and florescent. Halogen is usually the more popular of the two because of the amount of brightness it can produce, but raises the temperature of the studio while in use. It is also far less energy efficient. Florescent photo lighting equipment is usually much cheaper and more efficient because it consumes less electricity. It generates almost no heat and is used to simulate more natural lighting (ie. the sun). Florescent photography bulbs also last a lot longer, maxing out at around ten thousand hours.

Lights are some of the most important tools photographers use in the creation of their final products. Here’s a look at some of the most basic photography lighting equipment, as it relates to studio strobe lighting. Choose the right tools, and you’ll get a better result, every time. While you may occasionally be able to get good results with the wrong equipment, most of the time you won’t. There’s a slim chance that a photo taken with a bare flash head will work out. However, rather than take that chance, it’s a better idea to find the equipment to help you do a really professional job.

Bare bulbs are just a strobe head with no reflector, allowing the light to go wherever it wants to. They’re only really effective as a portrait background light in a small space. They can also be used inside light boxes. However, for pretty much every other use, you’ll want a reflector or diffuser of some sort. Small reflectors are sometimes built into the light head, and work well with umbrellas, as well as for bouncing off of walls and ceilings. Stick with a neutral colour wall if you’ll be bouncing light off of it, however.

Larger reflectors are a kind of photography lighting equipment that doesn’t work as well with umbrellas, since they block part of them. However, they’re much better for bouncing light onto ceilings and walls. They project more light, using fewer watt seconds. For commercial photography, this will save you money on photography lighting equipment.

Umbrellas are used by most portrait photographers, but not everyone cares for them. They spread relatively soft light over a large area, but have poor control. An alternative is a soft box, which creates a square catch light. If you do prefer an umbrella, make sure you get the biggest one you can. After all, a large umbrella can be positioned closer to the subject to give the effect of a smaller one, but a small one can’t act like a large one.

Another piece of basic photography lighting equipment is the grid spot. Shaped a bit like a metal honeycomb that goes over the reflector, it keeps the light from spreading, making multiple columns of light close together. This creates a spot light. Larger grid spots are more efficient, but they also take up more space. They work well for background lighting, however. You’ll also want to look at light boxes. These are a simple frame holding open a five sided box (some are also round). They offer a lot of control, and can work well for fill lighting.

We shouldn’t forget about strip lights, either. These long, thin light boxes can help you do some interesting experimental effects. Another very important and key component in a pro photography lighting equipment setup is a backdrop. From product photographs to glamour shoots, a dependable background support and backdrop is always needed. Utilizing a high quality, all cotton muslin backdrop to shoot against will assist photographers in creating stunning images on a consistent basis.

For photographers looking for the best shots and attaining them with a great degree of consistency. Making the best use of photography lighting equipment and accessories will greatly assist them in producing incredible photographs routinely. In the extremely popular photography world, the quality of your shots matter a great deal for everything between shooting product photos for your business or eBay store all the way to complete glamour shoots.

All You Need to Know About Studio Lighting Equipment

All professional photographers seek studio lighting that is high quality at a low cost. Light is such an important element in professional photography, the right lighting equipment is essential for all photographers to have. Some basics needed are lamps, reflectors, cooling fans, light tens, beauty dishes, and generators. Different types of studio lights are used based on the type of camera and settings available. If two cameras took a picture of the same scene, they would each need different lighting to create identical pictures. Therefore, you need to keep your camera in mind while shopping for studio lighting equipment.

If you have a DSLR camera, you will need to purchase a type of studio lights that will effectively light the subject but not diminish the quality of the picture. The only way to find this out completely is trial and error and practice. Although Hedler brand offers a clear advantage as they come with cooling fans. This way, you can touch the back of the lights without burning yourself, as they are self-cooling. Usually regular studio lighting lamps are not as hot because cameras can be sensitive to extreme temperatures.

It is also very important that the lights are not subject to any type of fluctuation in power so there is a constant amount of light. Voltage stabilizers are effective, like the SOLA constant Voltage power conditioner, which takes care of the instability in the electrical systems. Remember you will be taking this equipment with you, so it must be portable. You will need to invest in a variety of backdrops and many different light stands.

Florescent lights in studios are preferred to help preserve the coolness of the light. One brand that works well is the BALCAR florescent brand; they have the best reflective systems and are of high quality. Other trustworthy brands are Grigull and Videssence as well as north light. If you use a combination of florescent lights with halogen tungsten lights, you may get the best light balance.

Light filters may also be used to help put a coolness towards the photos. You will be able to get your desired effect easily by using a light filter. They can either be color correction or color conversion filters. The type you choose depends entirely on yoru camera and the look you are going for.

3 Digital Camera Accessories Every Photographer Needs.

There is a misnomer that digital photography is its own form of photography, quite untrue. The digital part of photography is just the method of recording so what applies to photography applies to digital as well. So let’s take a look at the three accessories I think that every photographer needs.

These aren’t listed in any particular order and I don’t think in any order of importance either although if you were to push me for an answer I would place a tripod as my number one accessory. It will also depend on what type of photography you are pursuing as to which one will be number one to you. They are, however, accessories that I would list as essential to a photographer’s gear bag.

1. A tripod

If you don’t already have a tripod then get yourself one. Buy the most expensive one you can afford. A good solid tripod is essential to the kit of a photographer. There are many occasions when light conditions aren’t good and the extra stability helps you create crisp, sharp images. Just a little camera shake will cause blurring to some degree in the final photo. A tripod is especially useful when shooting close-ups of flowers and small creatures and helps you to have complete control of your images.

2. Remote shutter release

This is coupled with the tripod and is essential when avoiding camera shake. Even when your camera is mounted on the tripod, the simplest action like pushing the shutter button can still cause camera shake and prevent you from taking the sharpest images. It works very simply either connected by a cable to the camera or using an infrared connection to activate the shutter.

3. A good circular polarising filter

A polarising filter cuts down glare and reflections off shiny surfaces. Those of you who have ever owned or used a pair of polaroid sunglasses will know the effect that it has on shiny and reflective surfaces. This includes foliage as well. When using polaroid sunglasses while looking at water you are able to see below the surface if the water is clear. The sky becomes bluer and the green vegetation greener. If you are landscape photographer you will really benefit from a polariser. I consider this essential. One tip though is that you should always use one that has the equivalent or higher quality of your lens. There is no point in putting bad glass in front of good glass.

Remember that these are my three top choices of accessories in no particular order. You need to choose which ones will serve your particular needs the best. I use all three equally but maybe if my photography changed slightly I would add another one or two to my list. Happy shooting!

Do you want to learn more about photography in a digital world? I’ve just completed a brand new e-course delivered by e-mail. Download it here for free by clicking here: http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/ To learn how you can take your photography from ordinary to outstanding click here – http://www.21steps2perfectphotos.com/21steps.htm

Wayne Turner has been teaching photography for 25 years and has written three books on photography.
The coolness factor can also be manipulated by using light filters. A light filter is a very necessary piece of studio lighting equipment as it helps the photographer greatly in creating a desired effect. Filters can be color conversion filters or color correction filters. The type of filters also depends on the type of camera used and the ideal ambience that is looked for in the scene. You may also want to look for a portrait photography lighting to help you set up

Now that you have taken the time to read this post, take the time and read my many other posts, am sure you will find what you need.

admin | datetime January 17, 2011 11:56 am

7 Comments

Other Links to this Post

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI

Leave a comment

WordPress Themes

Subscribe to our Newsletter