Hello out there!

I'm fairly new to this board, I've been snooping around a bit and have gotten some great tips. Thanks to all of you. I have a question about lighting. I just bought a black muslin backdrop and would like to get into some poartraits with it, however, I don't have any money left over for lighting!! I'm a true hobbyist turned amateur and hopefully aspiring pro, but have limited funds for my passion right now.

Does any one have suggestions for "creative" lighting sources? Besides the obvious available lighting, I've had ideas about buying spotlights from HomeDepot and doctoring them up some how. Any direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again, Dawn Geo

-- Dawn Geoffroy (geoffroyhome@yahoo.com), April 19, 2001

Answers

A window, second floor,large, with translucent (sheer) curtains. Or first floor.

-- Jeff Polaski (polaski@acm.org), April 20, 2001.

If you have any kind of strobes (Vivitar 283 or 285), you can make some diffusion flats out of PVC piping and material you can get from a fabric store. Make them 3 to 5'. You can also use them with Hot lights but becareful... you don't want to have a fire. Just a thought. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), April 20, 2001.

i've seen quartz lights on substantial tripod stands available from places like Target. They're sold for construction lighting but are great for studio portraits as well.

R.

-- (ricardo_spanks@yahoo.com), May 02, 2001.

The quartz lights used for work lamps get quite hot. I suggest pointing them away from your subject, and "bouncing" the light off a large white (or warm white) surface that is not too close to the light source (flames may prove distracting to your portrait subjects). You'll have to crank up the AC, due to the heat these units produce. You may be able to put a really big photo umbrella on the stands these lights come with, but be VERY careful that they don't heat up and cause pre combustion sort of problems (smoking or producing noxious vapors), or actual flames.

I have make some very pretty light by bouncing 1000 watt Tota lights (quartz) out of the corner of two walls and the ceiling. You may want to place black fabric on the side of your subject that is opposite the light, if you're working in a small (soon to be hot) room with white walls and ceiling. The light bonces off all the surfaces and tends to completely fill the shadows, producing flat and boring light that lends no shape to your subject.

Another alternative might be to build a frame (of electrical conduit or pvc waterpipe) the same size as a fitted sheet (queen, king, twin... whatever). It would work nicely as a scrim in full sun outside. You'll have to rig some poles to hold one side up (one pole behind your black background and one behind your camera) and avoid windy days.

This is all pretty hippy rigged stuff not at all easy to work with... I have bought Totalights on ebay for about $80 and light stands and umbrellas aren't that expensive (under $100 easily). This is what I really recommend... t

-- tom meyer (twm@mindspring.com), May 24, 2001.