# Fog/shop lights?



## Sunnylee (Aug 25, 2009)

Hey I am not a professional photographer. I just want to get some lights so I can take better pictures. I was thinking that I could just buy some fog or shop lights, think that would work ok? Any other ideas?

I really don't even know what to search for when looking online. Is there a special name or would I just type in professional photography lights? 

Any advice is much appreciated, I want to be a suicide girl so I need to start practicing taking picture sets, although I will probably hire a pro when I am ready.


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## brettmc (Aug 25, 2009)

From my experience I bought some shop lights just to use as some backdrop lighting.  The problem that I ran into is that they are extremely yellow.  If using a flash this develops into a problem since its difficult to make the transition of the "flash" light and the shop light.

I'm not for sure what you have for equipment, but I would definitely rec. off camera flash if it is possible.  You should definitely check out the strobist for some great direction on lighting.  Hope that helps.


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## thenikonguy (Aug 25, 2009)

the other BIG problem with shop lights, is they are damn hot,  i tried them for 1 shoot, and my model just ended up sweating a LOT.. the yellow is also very annoying


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## Sunnylee (Aug 25, 2009)

Flashes bug me alot, and since this is just for personal use I don't wanna spend alot of money. I've been reading other forums trying to learn what I can. If it wouldn't cost too much I would like to find a small lighting setup on  amazon or something.


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## Stormin (Aug 25, 2009)

Do you have an idea for a budget? That might help some people point you in the right direction.

"Wouldn't cost TO MUCH" is different for everyone.


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## Sunnylee (Aug 26, 2009)

I would say under $500, 100-200 even better.


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## Samanax (Aug 26, 2009)

*Studio Lighting On A Budget*

*Studio Lighting*

*Photography And Studio Lighting*

*Lighting Resource Center*

*Putting Together a Budget DIY Lighting System*

*Studio Lighting On The Cheap*

*Strobist: Lighting 101*

*Strobist: Lighting 102*


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## KmH (Aug 26, 2009)

Sunnylee said:


> I want to be a suicide girl so I need to start practicing taking picture sets, although I will probably hire a pro when I am ready.


What? Is a suicide girl?


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## Village Idiot (Aug 26, 2009)

Sunnylee said:


> Flashes bug me alot, and since this is just for personal use I don't wanna spend alot of money. I've been reading other forums trying to learn what I can. If it wouldn't cost too much I would like to find a small lighting setup on amazon or something.


 
Why? Because you don't know how to use them?

Strobist: Lighting 101


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## Village Idiot (Aug 26, 2009)

KmH said:


> Sunnylee said:
> 
> 
> > I want to be a suicide girl so I need to start practicing taking picture sets, although I will probably hire a pro when I am ready.
> ...


 
Model. Photogs have to be nearly retarded to shoot for the company as you sign a contract saying you won't shoot for the competition for a certain length of time, not describing what the competition is. I believe they got sued over that.


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## Derrel (Aug 26, 2009)

What is a suicide girl????
Urbandictionary.com is your friend!

1.a webcommunity started by Missy Suicide, as a haven for the women of subcult to do artsy pin-ups. Peirced, tatooed, dyed and otherwise subculture girls coming together to take nude pictures. Recognized by playboy, Rolling Stones, and high end celebraties, its becoming a (somewhat) underground phenomena. 


and also Definition 3:Suicide Girls
SuicideGirls is a website that features erotica and text profiles of goth, punk, and emo -styled young women who themselves are known as the "SuicideGirls". It also functions as an online community with member profiles and message boards, and features interviews with major figures in popular and alternative culture. Access to most of the site requires a paid membership. Many similarly themed websites have since appeared elsewhere on the world wide web. 
Missy Suicide was the founder.

And yo the original poster: it's too bad flashes "bug you", because hot lights are a tremendous,tremendous PITA to use for people photography. Hot, heavy, fire hazards, their color temperature does not mix well with window light or daylight,and their output is so low that shutter speeds are often fairly slow unless you have a TON of continuous light. Look into Adorama's Flash Point 320 model monolight flashes....they are sold very affordably, and are FAR better than the cheap junk sold under no-name brands on eBay or Amazon. You will want modeling lights to help you focus and to see what your lights are actually doing.


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## KmH (Aug 26, 2009)

Thank you gentlemen. :thumbup:


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## Sunnylee (Aug 26, 2009)

Flashes bug me because my eyes are just very sensitive to light, but off camera flashes might not be so bad. 
I know about the contract but that doesn't concern me, I don't want to be a professional model, just a suicide girl as a personal and fun goal to acheive.
Thanks to everyone for the input


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## Village Idiot (Aug 27, 2009)

Sunnylee said:


> *Flashes bug me because my eyes are just very sensitive to light*, but off camera flashes might not be so bad.
> I know about the contract but that doesn't concern me, I don't want to be a professional model, just a suicide girl as a personal and fun goal to acheive.
> Thanks to everyone for the input


 
AKA, you don't know how to use them. Light makes photos. Hot lights makes crappy photos (normally), strobes make great photos (always).


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## Sunnylee (Aug 28, 2009)

I bought some shop lights just for the hell of it, they were only 20 bucks. The ones I got were not yellow at all, at least I didn't think so. I wasn't sure what to get at first, I just went to Zombie mart and looked in the car section, they had a few choices like LED lights and what not but then if you go into the lighting section they have those long tube lights and they are specifically called shop lights so that is what I got. 
I'm sure they are crappy compared to proessional lighting but I think with just one more I can really open up my photo taking possibities.


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## Derrel (Aug 28, 2009)

Sunnylee,
   Well, if you want to use shop lights, I would suggest the quartz-halogen type that are often yellow,and have a metal grid in front of them to prevent fires when they tip over. Did you buy fluorescent tube lights???

    Anyway, if you do buy some "shop lights" of the quart-halogen variety, their light output will be rather yellow compared to daylight or sunlight, at least to the camera's sensor; human eyes can easily adapt to light of many different color temperatures. To effectively diffuse and use shop lights, it helps to have some large panels made of either wood, window screening frames, or PVC pipe rectangular frames; the frames are fitted with white, semi-transparent rip-stop nylon fabric,and the lights are projected through the panels, which are known as "panels" or "scrims". if you got fluorescent,long-tube lights, I would immediately return them for a refund.

    When shooting with any artificial light, it pays to set the camera's white balance,so that JPEG images don;t come out looking bad.

No offense, but LED lights, and fluorescent tube lights, and quart-halogen shop lights are REALLY poor tools for a beginner to start out with. If you want to make good photographs, it's very easy to just spend $100 for an Adorama FlashPoint 320 monolight and $20 for a light stand and $20 for an umbrella and get something that will actually work well, and work easily,and which will actually accept something called light modifiers--like an umbrella, a softbox, or a beauty dish. The "light" source is only one aspect of photography...you need to be able to modify and deliver the light so it looks good,and that is why people here are trying to point you in the direction of off-camera monolight flashes. I am specifically pointing you to the Adorama FlashPoint 320 because of the low cost,the free shipping,and the ability to use umbrella/softbox/beauty dish modifiers,all on a very low budget.


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## Sunnylee (Aug 28, 2009)

ya fluorescent tube lights is what I got. I almost bought the Halogens. Thanks for the advice, I will buy some real lights eventually, I just like to do alot of research before making my purchases. I don't just wanna get what is cheap, only the best bang for my buck.


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## Derrel (Aug 28, 2009)

To actually light a person, the main light must be positioned, usually at a distance equal to or above the subject's eye level. That is difficult to do with a burning-hot halogen lamp that weighs six to eight pounds and which has an incredibly harsh light output that needs to be modified both to soften the light and to avoid blinding your subject.

Work lights do not accept umbrellas,softboxes, beauty dishes, parabolic reflectors, honeycomb grids, snoots, barn doors, or snap-on diffusers. Even though halogen work lights might seem like a good deal, they really are simply not suitable for a beginner at lighting.

If you're serious about learning how to photograph people, there's already been over a hundred years' worth of development of lighting equipment based upon electricity,and the research has already been done by the manufacturers of studio flash equipment. Westscott,Plume, Chimera, Photo Flex, Lastolite all make great light modifiers; Photogenic, Speedotron, Paul C. Buff, Elinchrom,DynaLite, ProFoto, Balcar, Broncolor...all those flash systems have the output and accessories needed to light people and to give professional results. Home Depot lights are to light up shops and barns to work on cars and trucks and do woodworking.


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