[YJD]

I'm looking for my Christmas Gift and I don't have enough money for a new camera so I though I could get a photo studio kit, the one with the umbrella.

Money wise I'm thinking around $70. I would be using it once in a while for family event and I might use it to some short video interview.

Cowboy Studio has a kit for $60 which I'm sure I would have to replace the bulb at some point for better light.

Later on, I will get a backdrop support and muslin.

Is it something worse going into for that price or not?

Thank you for your input.
Yael

[Ratmagiclady]

I'm looking for my Christmas Gift and I don't have enough money for a new camera so I though I could get a photo studio kit, the one with the umbrella.

Money wise I'm thinking around $70. I would be using it once in a while for family event and I might use it to some short video interview.

Cowboy Studio has a kit for $60 which I'm sure I would have to replace the bulb at some point for better light.

Later on, I will get a backdrop support and muslin.

Is it something worse going into for that price or not?

Thank you for your input.
Yael

Hrm, well, depending on how much the money is to you, it's probably OK. You'll doubtless want to upgrade most of such stuff down the road, but you can probably get your money's worth learning on it, and an extra light stand or two, even cheapies, can come in handy long after you've gotten better stuff, if you get serious about your studio lighting.

[YJD]

Thanks.

Would a kit SP2700 Professional Photo Umbrella by Square Perfect be better, I mean quality wise? The bulb looks better too.

I'm not planning to get too serious at first, I want to take family and friends pictures but who knows if I like it, I'll by the something extra. I'm of a nature landscape picture guy, I'm trying to get into portrait.

Do the white umbrella are really good or is the silver ones really brings you more light?

[Ratmagiclady]

Thanks.

Would a kit SP2700 Professional Photo Umbrella by Square Perfect be better, I mean quality wise? The bulb looks better too.

I'm not planning to get too serious at first, I want to take family and friends pictures but who knows if I like it, I'll by the something extra. I'm of a nature landscape picture guy, I'm trying to get into portrait.

Do the white umbrella are really good or is the silver ones really brings you more light?

I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the various offerings in lighting kits, particularly not by name. Prices can kind of vary a lot for more or less the same stuff, but if you know something's nicer, you probably won't regret spending a little more for it, as long as you don't decide the studio lighting idea's a total wash, anyway. A bit more quality can prove just less frustrating to handle. Tippy and rickety and slippy things won't help your confidence much but can still be useful later if you get nicer big light stands and such.


Like I said, if you get serious, you'll probably be wanting to upgrade some things or get something different, anyway, so you don't really need to stress.

White umbrellas will be a little more versatile, but the silver'll give a different quality to the light, is really the biggest thing.

One thing you can do to see some of this stuff is just get yourself a handy reflector, they even make some that fold up like those sun-shields people sometimes put in their parked cars. (I used to actually just use the very things from my truck. ) ...some kits come with most of the different kinds of surfaces on there, so you can see for yourself what they do. (I happen to be very fond of doing portraits with natural light and just some 'help' from a reflector: I'm kind of a lighting minimalist, myself, and I think it might help you learn to try some of that, yourself: you can put your camera on a tripod and sort of walk around with a remote release and a reflector, maybe try it with a volunteer subject, and see what you get.)

[YJD]

I do have that portable reflector and I do use it. I would like to play with the shadows on portrait and I think that umbrella could be a good solution for that. Also it will help fill the subject with light when needed.

Do you if those 45W 5500k bulb will bring enough light in a room that doesn't have that much light to start with? I know that it depends a lot of what I have and what I call enough light. I'm just wondering if those bulb are enough to start with or if that are just cheap and give with the kit.

[YJD]

Actually I went with that $60 kit.. looked online and found some pictures taken with it.

A 105W bulb is $16, so not too much to replace the one from the kit.

Thanks for the info.

[MrPetkus]

White umbrellas are for shoot-through yielding a soft, diffused look. Silver is cooler, about 1/2 stop brighter, and used for bounce (reflected) lighting.

If you are just beginning and want to take pics of the family, get the white umbrella.

Thanks.

Would a kit SP2700 Professional Photo Umbrella by Square Perfect be better, I mean quality wise? The bulb looks better too.

I'm not planning to get too serious at first, I want to take family and friends pictures but who knows if I like it, I'll by the something extra. I'm of a nature landscape picture guy, I'm trying to get into portrait.

Do the white umbrella are really good or is the silver ones really brings you more light?

[YJD]

Thank you for your comment, I should receive my white umbrella tonight!

[MadAmos]

Check out DIYPhotography.net | Photography and Studio Lighting

Lots of good ways to expand your studio options without breaking the bank. I used their info on making my own muslin. Works fairly well.

[YJD]

That website is great, I just need to starting making those things that they show... lack of time mix with a bit of laziness, though the reminder should help me be more motivated.