# Lighting for beginning photographer



## kitkatdubs (Jan 29, 2016)

I am just touching the surface of photography and need some advice regarding lighting.  I will be taking some newborn photos for a friend and want to know the best lighting to buy for this?  I have pretty decent light in my living room, which is where I will be taking them, but on dull, rainy days, it gets pretty dark.  I want something inexpensive since I'm just starting out.  Also don't want something that flashes every time I click my button.  Does that make sense?  What would be something that would be good for a beginner that is just learning the ropes?  My husband also has a business and would like to use this light for product photography.  Any good suggestions???  TIA


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## Designer (Jan 29, 2016)

kitkatdubs said:


> Also don't want something that flashes every time I click my button.


Learn flash and learn for a lifetime. 

Your husband's product photography is not so critical, and can be done with continuous lighting, but for portraiture, you really need to learn flash. 

Window light might seem ideal at first, but then you wish you could lighten the shadows in the eye sockets, and if the sky is overcast, I guess you'll just have to reschedule.

Electronic flash can be as simple as a speedlight on a stand shooting through a white umbrella, or as spendy as three studio flash with high-end modifiers.


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## tirediron (Jan 29, 2016)

Yep... what Designer said.  $150 will get you a Yongnuo speedlight, stand, umbrella and trigger set.  That will be a great starting point, and if used in conjunction with a reflector (as simple as a piece of white card) will allow you to create great images (with a little practice).


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## cherylynne1 (Jan 29, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Yep... what Designer said.  $150 will get you a Yongnuo speedlight, stand, umbrella and trigger set.  That will be a great starting point, and if used in conjunction with a reflector (as simple as a piece of white card) will allow you to create great images (with a little practice).



Yep, that's exactly how I got started. I purchased the set-up recommended by the Strobist blog with a Yongnuo flash. I eventually upgraded to a flash that was fully compatible with my camera. Definitely get some practice with it before the baby gets there. It takes a lot of practice to get it right.


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## kitkatdubs (Jan 29, 2016)

This is all sounds like a foreign language to me haha!  So the Yongnuo flash.. Can that we used indoors and outdoors?  Can I use it alone with nothing else?  So I use the flash and the afternoon light in my living room and I'm good?  That's it?


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## kitkatdubs (Jan 29, 2016)

Do I have to purchase the trio -speed lite flasj


tirediron said:


> Yep... what Designer said.  $150 will get you a Yongnuo speedlight, stand, umbrella and trigger set.



Do I need to purchase the set?  Like all four of those things or can I get away with just using the speed lite by itself maybe with a reflector too?


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## kitkatdubs (Jan 29, 2016)

Does anyone know anything about the Alien Bee 400? My photographer friend recommended that...


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## Trever1t (Jan 30, 2016)

Yes Alien Bee is what I sue although if you're going to buy at least get the AB800. 

NOW with that said, I'd say this: Learn the gear you already own before complicating everything with artificial lighting.


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## Designer (Jan 30, 2016)

kitkatdubs said:


> This is all sounds like a foreign language to me haha!  So the Yongnuo flash.. Can that we used indoors and outdoors?  Can I use it alone with nothing else?  So I use the flash and the afternoon light in my living room and I'm good?  That's it?


The Yongnuo that someone recommended is a "speedlight", although that is Nikon's name for a portable flash attachment.  A portable flash attachment is powered by batteries (such as 4 AA) so they can be used anywhere, inside, outside, at the beach, or anywhere.  

The un-modified (no modifier in front of the flash) can be fairly harsh, but no more so that the built-in flash that is already on your camera.  The key to using flash effectively is to get it off the top of your camera.  by mounting the flash on a light stand ($50) and placing it a couple of feet to one side greatly improves the quality of light on your subject.

Mixing light types and colors will probably lead to other problems, so just cut down on the ambient light (the window light) and point the flash at a large white surface, such as a wall or ceiling.  Or reflector (nothing to $25).  Or shoot through a white umbrella ($30).


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## Designer (Jan 30, 2016)

kitkatdubs said:


> Do I have to purchase the trio -speed lite flasj
> 
> 
> tirediron said:
> ...


I missed what the "trio-speed" lite is, but my answer is no, you don't have to purchase an "all-in-one" kit.  Most people (I think ) purchase a speedlight, get some practice, then order a light stand and umbrella, and possibly a set of radio-frequency transceivers at some other time.


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## Designer (Jan 30, 2016)

kitkatdubs said:


> Does anyone know anything about the Alien Bee 400? My photographer friend recommended that...


I have no direct experience, but I've done quite a bit of reading about them when I was considering such a purchase.

They work.  They are relatively low cost.  Some people like them and their whole family, but they're not the only or best choice.  I decided to purchase a Flashpoint cheapie from Adorama.  It also works, and cost only $50.  

So now I own a Nikon SB-910 Speedlight and the Flashpoint thing.


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## kitkatdubs (Jan 30, 2016)

Designer said:


> kitkatdubs said:
> 
> 
> > Does anyone know anything about the Alien Bee 400? My photographer friend recommended that...
> ...



So basically what I do is buy the yongnuo flash and a white umbrella and just place it behind the white umbrella?  Is there an option to just keep the flash on continuously?  It's crazy bc I've never heard of this method before- sounds great tho.


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## tirediron (Jan 30, 2016)

START by reading this before you buy ANYTHING.


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## spiralout462 (Jan 30, 2016)

A "flash" is not continuous.   The window light is you continuous light.


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## tirediron (Jan 30, 2016)

Once you've read the Lighting 101, and maybe watched a few dozen YouTube videos on subjects such as "speedlight portraits" and "single speedlight portraits" and "simple speedlighting", you will want to buy the following:

The speedlight; 
this is the light source for the image

the trigger
this sends the signal from the camera to the flash to fire at the right time

the speedight bracket; 
this allows you to mount the flash, and the umbrella on to the light stand

the umbrella; and
this diffuses the light from the speedlight so that it's softer

the light stand
this holds the speedlight, trigger & umbrella off the ground, angled how you want them.

I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THESE SPECIFIC PRODUCTS OR VENDORS, rather just providing an illustrative list of what has been discussed.  Feel free to ask about items that will suit your budget and needs.


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## Designer (Jan 30, 2016)

kitkatdubs said:


> I've never heard of this method before- sounds great tho.


Yes, it is great.  What we're suggesting is that you learn flash by getting it off your camera.  

Yes, it will work on top of your camera just like any old-timey kind of flash attachment, but when the flash comes from the direction of the camera, the light will be "flat", meaning it will not "model" (show contours) of your subject.  

When the viewer can see faces and all parts of the faces (nose, cheeks, eye contours, etc.) the photograph looks more natural, just as we see it in real life.  

There must be some kind of connection between your camera and the flash, either by a cable, or RF transceivers, or if the flash is in "slave mode".  Personally, I like to use RF transceivers because it doesn't matter where I am, or how I'm holding the camera, the transceivers will fire the flash at the correct time.  

Tirediron has listed some typical accessories that you can use to get the flash off the camera and still make it go. His selections are mostly from the lower end of the price range because beginner photographers are aghast at how much the top end components will cost, and often just forget doing any of it.  By purchasing the lower end, you're not completely shocked, and when (if) you find some limitations with the cheaper gear (I dunno, wear out, maybe?) then you can start looking at more expensive gear.

The light stand holds the bracket.  The bracket holds both the flash and an umbrella.  The transceivers make it go.


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## decyjohn (Feb 14, 2016)

Many beginning photographers believe that studio-quality lighting kits are only necessary or affordable for professional photographers. Fortunately, with recent developments in production and manufacture, that belief is simply not true. Now, even amateur photographers can buy a basic studio lighting kit for relatively little money, which helps increase the quality of all shots. In addition, portable kits are also available so photographers never have to lose control over a photo’s lighting.


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## Village Idiot (Feb 14, 2016)

Bees are expensive for what you get. The Einstein is a better purchase for the money, but I'd imagine that even a B800 might be much for shooting a newborn. You'll probably have to crank it way down. That makes a speedlight type flash more ideal since it is lower power, but then you have the disadvantages of running on batteries, not modeling light, and different attachments.


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## nf1 (Feb 16, 2016)

The first thing as @tirediron pointed out is to learn light and especially one light setup. For this you usually need light stand, umbrella / softbox, bracket (either for the umbrella or the softbox), you also need a background support system and a backdrop. You can check my post for Home Studio Setup where I go in more details about what you need and why you need it.


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