Photographic lighting…?
Hey all!
Basically i have been taking photographs for the last couple of years. I have a nikon D80 Digital SLR and i am wanting to learn the basics in photographic lighting for a studio situation. I have tried looking for courses and what not but i cant seem to find a thing about lighting.
Is there another way to get the basics of lighting down without doing a course? I know experimenting is the best thing but i need a bit of knowledge of different kinds of lights ect.
If anyone has any ideas or advice please let me know, i would be very greatful!
Thanks, Kyle.
Try your local library. They will have books on photography, including lighting. Many libraries also acccept “purchase requests” if you see a book about lighting you cannot afford – ask the library to buy it for their collection- so you can read it free. Libraries also carry magazines…like Popular Photography, Shutterbug, etc. some even let you request magazine suscriptions, as with books.
Another source is your local bookstore. Many bookstores now have a coffeeshop. So get a magazine or photo book, sit down and read for an hour or so. Take notes, then go use what you learned.
However, the best advice? GO play!
Set things up, and take pictures. Adjust your angles, shoot again.
Hey, you have a very nice digital camera. It doesn’t even cost you to develop any film!!! Get spare batteries, and get shooting! If you have trouble remembering what you did last shot, make a sketch, and number it. Put a small or large ‘number board’ in the picture. Now you can refer back to the sketch, as well as the library book.
Instead of buying half a dozen Expensive Nikon flashes, get some cheapies on Ebay and buy slave triggers. Now your camera flash will set them off too. Then you can decide if you want to go the complete Nikon way. For your main flash, I suggest a top model from Nikon – mostly for the set of features. But also look into the top Sigma unit. Be sure you research the features of both. You would be very sad to discover that the Sigma did not trigger your remote NIKON flashes. I do not know for sure…check your local camera store, or order from a place that accept returns. Any flash will trigger slave units attached to flashes, unless you cover up the light sensor.
Some cameras use a coded flash that tell the remote to shut down. Nikon main flash and Nikon remotes-current models- will work great together. Electronically controlled by the in-camera light sensor. Not sure if a Sigma main would send out the exact signal.
If you use the cheapie flashes, then the only control you have is -when- the remotes fire. The flash settings and distances from the subject or background cloth, are all up to you and your best guess. Again, Go play!!! That’s how you lean!!!
After all, you got Digital!!!!!
Oh, don’t forget. Use some of the…ok, use as many as you can get..of the free photo programs on the internet for adjusting light levels, croppping, etc. Look up Picasa, Kodak, and more, for adjustments after you take the pictures.
But go take the pictures! You will learn from your goodies as well as your mistakes.
How to set up studio lighting
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