Light Setup For A Family Formal Shoot

[ThreeM]

Hi planning to shoot a Formal Family Photo at home...
Problem is i'm not sure what lighting i should go for...

There's those studio lights and Speedlights with umbrella...
I'm going HK this coming week probably if i can see some shops to hoot those, i'll do it there..

Family around 15 members...

What Light should i go for? and any suggestion for the direction i should direct the light at?

I have a budget with me though... Hope you guy may be of help~

Thanks!

 

[daredevil123]

Hi planning to shoot a Formal Family Photo at home...
Problem is i'm not sure what lighting i should go for...

There's those studio lights and Speedlights with umbrella...
I'm going HK this coming week probably if i can see some shops to hoot those, i'll do it there..

Family around 15 members...

What Light should i go for? and any suggestion for the direction i should direct the light at?

I have a budget with me though... Hope you guy may be of help~

Thanks!

Sounds like you have no idea about lighting and have never done this before.

Before thinking about the type of strobes and modifiers, you need to think of the quality of light you want.

hope this video can help you.

[video=youtube;M9JYvlq3xhk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9JYvlq3xhk[/video]

 

[catchlights]

if your house is not very big, and want to do a group shot of 15pax, you won't able to get any directional lighting and yet evenly lit,
you can try use two flash with umbrellas fire from the front, but unlikely your ceiling is high enough for you to rise the light to avoid any reflections from eye glasses,

to keep it simple, just use get two flash and bounce off the ceiling.

 

[JasonB]

TS said formal photo so I assume his got a proper room set up to look good.

Front row sit 8 pax
Rear row stand 7 pax
Or thereabouts

I support the 2 flash bounce idea. It does not sound like TS know enough about lights and lighting to use flash adeptly.

Just make sure the ceiling not some weird color.

 

[ThreeM]

Yea man... Very new to such lightings...

Hmm... Watched the video... Looks liek Octagon softbox with a studio light seem a good place to start at... should i?

 

[catchlights]

Yea man... Very new to such lightings...

Hmm... Watched the video... Looks liek Octagon softbox with a studio light seem a good place to start at... should i?

let me do some simple calculation for you,

if go strobist style;

two MIC flash unit, $200.00

two mini light stands, $75.00

two umbrellas, $75.00

you can use your built in flash to trigger off camera flash, $0.00

total spending: $350.00


if get studio flash;

one set MIC 500w two light set up kit set, $750.00

one MIC Octagon softbox, $150.00

total spending: $900.00



anyway, I don't see why is there a need to buy such lighting set up if only for one time usage,
you can rent a studio kit set for about $120.00 a day.

 

[ThreeM]

let me do some simple calculation for you,

if go strobist style;

two MIC flash unit, $200.00

two mini light stands, $75.00

two umbrellas, $75.00

you can use your built in flash to trigger off camera flash, $0.00

total spending: $350.00


if get studio flash;

one set MIC 500w two light set up kit set, $750.00

one MIC Octagon softbox, $150.00

total spending: $900.00



anyway, I don't see why is there a need to buy such lighting set up if only for one time usage,
you can rent a studio kit set for about $120.00 a day.

Buy then can slowly experiment and use it for future use mah.... Learn in the process....

Studio light so expensive.. Oh my....

Guess i go with the flash gun setup will do... Hmm...

What am i looking for in the flash im buying? And the MIC lightstand is there an adapter i need to look for?

 

[JasonB]

You can go to the strobist website to read the strobist101 he explains it better than we do. The info is all there.

After reading if still not clear you can ask here we will help you.

 

[catchlights]

oh yes, forget to add umbrellas adaptors, add another $50.00 for a pair.


btw, studio is not that expensive, for the strobist way, after adding all the this things that things, it can cost as same as the basic studio kit.

 

[Rashkae]

Or just look at the many "studio for rent" ads. They're fully equipped, just do the shoot there.

 

[shierwin]

Hi planning to shoot a Formal Family Photo at home...
Problem is i'm not sure what lighting i should go for...

There's those studio lights and Speedlights with umbrella...
I'm going HK this coming week probably if i can see some shops to hoot those, i'll do it there..

Family around 15 members...

What Light should i go for? and any suggestion for the direction i should direct the light at?

I have a budget with me though... Hope you guy may be of help~

Thanks!

Since you're doing the formal shoot at home, why not try out your setup at the part of the house you intend to use.
Get some family members spread out to cover the floor space that will be used, vary the lightings and do a few shots for each setting...
There you're, all prepared and ready on the big day........

If you have a nice garden that will make the outcome much better

 

[pinholecam]

Keep it simple.

One or two strobes, bounced off the ceiling; off the wall behind the camera or use a large white panel (eg. white cloth draped over a board).

 

[ThreeM]

Since you're doing the formal shoot at home, why not try out your setup at the part of the house you intend to use.
Get some family members spread out to cover the floor space that will be used, vary the lightings and do a few shots for each setting...
There you're, all prepared and ready on the big day........

If you have a nice garden that will make the outcome much better

yea i know... imma try out at home before actually getting them all here... haha~

 

[ThreeM]

oh yes, forget to add umbrellas adaptors, add another $50.00 for a pair.


btw, studio is not that expensive, for the strobist way, after adding all the this things that things, it can cost as same as the basic studio kit.

ur basic studio kit referring to those studio lights?