What lighting equipment do you use?

That question is for those who shoot mostly digital pics


I've shot with the ordinary 500W photofloods and now, I've made myself 750W halogen 3200K floods to be used with a silver umbrella.

I've also considered building myself 400W metal halide high frequency ballast lamps, but they would cost me approx 1000 CND a pop. While it's significantly cheaper than the 2500-5000USD a pop for ready made units, I still don't have time to experiment with them yet (and my machine shop is in shambles at the moment, my metal lathe is dismantled for repairs).

What lighting system are you using? Do you use gels to change color temperature ?

Are you bothering with more formal / technical lighting or are you just flooding the scene, TV-style, with as much light as you can afford ?

Anybody using photoflex-type reflectors ?

Who's shooting with an assistant and who's shooting alone ?

In short, I want to know your modus operandi.

Personally, I prefer to have an assistant, but absent a good one, I prefer to shoot alone.

In the past, I flooded the scene with even lighting, but I plan to change that.

I prefer to shoot unhurried, make less images but increase the quality.

OK I guess it. Nobody uses lighting equipment.



During the day, when there's too much light, I bet you're using black lights to compensate...

[cdsmith]

I have two 500W halogens on a stand. I bounce that light off the ceiling of my photo room.

Daytime - I try to use natural light from the window to backlight the model, and I have a second lamp directed behind her from the other side.

Night - I have 2 lamps, one on either side of the model (out of the way) to backlight her, and again the halogen light is bounced off the ceiling. Shadows are reduced, and the model's features come out looking much better too.


I tend to keep out at a distance and use the zoom to get in close, which reduces the fishbowl look that a lot of photos have.


That's about it I guess. Cheers.

[cdsmith]

Oh yeah, I mostly shoot alone, although I usually have a lot of offers from guys that want to *help* me.

It's usually just me and the model (or models), for now anyway. I'm not a fan of any sort of distractions or extra bodies, and the privacy helps the girls as well... since most of them are amatuer models that are quite new to the biz.

Originally posted by cdsmith
Oh yeah, I mostly shoot alone, although I usually have a lot of offers from guys that want to *help* me.

It's usually just me and the model (or models), for now anyway. I'm not a fan of any sort of distractions or extra bodies, and the privacy helps the girls as well... since most of them are amatuer models that are quite new to the biz.

My old outfit had the policy, for legal reasons, to never have only one person alone with the model, and doubly so if there was a chaperon with the model (BF or friend). I never looked into the matter more in details.

OTOH, I like to have an assistant on stage. A unconspicuous gofer is very handy to move a light, to empty the datacards, to fetch batteries, to help for changing the decor between sets, etc.

A peculiarity: one third of girls openly admit to hate it when another woman (bystander, not a model herself) is present during the shoot. It seems that they don't like the judgmental attitude of other women.

When you keep your distances and use the zoom, you always end up with shots that are straight and square, you never get odd angles.

I like to shoot the angles and side views. That way, the girl can take a more natural pose, moves less and more at her own ease, and thus, you can get better body language.

The downside is that you risk creating shadows because you shoot from nearer, and you have to move more. That produces less frames per per unit time, increases the risks of tripping a lamp stand, etc.

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Shooting the angles is my personal preference. Mind you, I won't bust a gut by shooting straight, square and center...

Distortion should be eliminated with a good quality lens.

Shooting in wide angle can increase the proportion of certain body parts, which could be interesting IMO.

As for guys who kindly offer to help you, the rule is:
if they offer you, refuse them. Hire only the reluctant ones.

[cdsmith]

I forgot to mention... I shoot no hardcore. Bikini, lingerie and some nude shots only. No female masterbation stuff or insertions either. Just straight-up amateur models posing.


Outdoor shoots are fun with a digital too.


Certainly having a gopher is great for doing all that stuff, and I've considered getting someone to do all that for me, but I don't shoot often enough right now to warrant it, and most of the models I've worked with lately have been new. I find that most new girls tend to be a bit nervous and unsure of themselves at first, and prefer having the least amount of eyes on them possible.

I haven't shot with virgin amateurs much, mostly with pro or semi-pro adult models and I was not the one directing the shootings, as the outfit I was with was ran along the lines of military hierarchy. It made me go nuts too.

Now that I run my own show, I always meet the girl for a chat, coffee or lunch before the first (test) shooting. Most of the time, I often don't even take pictures of her at this first meeting. Just chatting.

Originally posted by cdsmith
I forgot to mention... I shoot no hardcore. Bikini, lingerie and some nude shots only. No female masterbation stuff or insertions either. Just straight-up amateur models posing.


Outdoor shoots are fun with a digital too.


Certainly having a gopher is great for doing all that stuff, and I've considered getting someone to do all that for me, but I don't shoot often enough right now to warrant it, and most of the models I've worked with lately have been new. I find that most new girls tend to be a bit nervous and unsure of themselves at first, and prefer having the least amount of eyes on them possible.

[gunner]

one of the best lights to have, IMO, for all around versatility is the Lowell Tota-light. It's definitely geared more as an on-the-go/location style lighting solution, but can be used in a studio set-up as well.

[cdsmith]

Originally posted by Feynman
Now that I run my own show, I always meet the girl for a chat, coffee or lunch before the first (test) shooting. Most of the time, I often don't even take pictures of her at this first meeting. Just chatting.

Absolutely. I have rarely...very rarely ever... shot a girl on the first meeting, with the exception of when I was doing audition shoots for other producters. Then I would do 10 to 15 test shots of each applicant right away.


My usual method is to meet with each girl first, talk to her and allow her to get to know me a bit, which usually puts most of them at ease. I've always found that having a professional attitude helps greatly, because I think this is what most nervous newbs want to see... they want to see professionalism, not an amateur idiot that seems like he is just playing around or playing them.

I usually then set up a first shoot if that first meeting goes well. At the first shoot the paperwork, model release forms and I.D. check are squared away, and usually about a 3 hour shoot commences. In 3 hours I can get usually around 250 to 350 shots, if it's just a straigh modeling shoot.