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Home studio advice | Forum |
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Forums: Techniques: Home studio advice
| Showing 1 - 8 of 8 posts. |
  WheelybirdPosted: 28th Feb 2008 Time: 7:52 PM |
Hello. I would like to do portraits in my own every now and then. It doesn't seem like too hard a task, but so far it has eluded me because of limited space, lighting and backgrounds. Does anyone have any tips on how to set up a small studio indoors in a tiny space on a tiny budget (ideally not spending a single penny)? |
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Tioadli Posted: 4th Mar 2008 Time: 5:58 PM |
Not quite without spending a single penny, but close.
Lighting - Use natural light from window if you can -diffused with net curtains if necessary. I used to use some old kitchen cupboard doors as reflectors believe it or not. They did a satisfactory job. I tried an old fridge door I got from a dump once aswell, bit too big though. The important thing with reflectors is that you really want them to be as rigid as possible. For backgrounds you need to get yourself round the charity shops and jumble sales and start looking for second hand curtains. If you are lucky you will find full length velvet ones you can hang on a wall next to the window. Blankets and sheets can both be used aswell I suppose. |
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Harlequin Posted: 5th Mar 2008 Time: 5:06 PM |
Lighting:
Make an A4 or A3 size square/rectangular frame from any old bits of wood you have lying around. Cover the frame with grease proof paper and use in front of a lamp / torch for a really great, even gold coloured light. Try doubling the paper up for an even more diffused effect. Scrunch some tinfoil up and then flatten it out over a piece of cork board/card for a makeshift reflector. Echo Tioaldi's points about backgrounds. Also you can get very large, extremely cheap pieces of sugar paper (the rubbish coloured paper you used in primary school) for next to nothing that can also be used as a background in a pinch. |
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Tino Posted: 2nd Jun 2008 Time: 6:26 PM |
I do a lot of artistic glamour (not the naughty stuff) and have spent a small fortune on tungsten lights,stands,soft boxes etc. I'm not so keen on flash as i like to see where the lights hitting b4 i take the shot,problem is when you do this kind of photography you like to move the equipment around to get different results. This is hard,very hot work with fragile bulbs and wires running all over your livingroom.
Best thing i ever bought was 3 of those bedside lamps with the spring clips and bought various wattage screw in bulbs. These clip on everywhere and don't melt the model,i've just recently started using reflectors and found this to be the best bit of kit i ever used. As tioadli say's though they gorra be rigid,backdrops use dust sheets 3 for £10 at b&q,keep 1 white and dye the other 2 in the bath these can go big or small and make sure you get some gaffer tape (rip tape) essential stuff! hope this helps and keep us informed Wheely...Tino! |
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Wheelybird Posted: 3rd Jun 2008 Time: 11:20 AM |
Dust sheets!
I think that these might well be the answer to everything. Everything! |
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CanonCaliber Posted: 4th Jun 2008 Time: 4:11 PM |
Try several backcloths of different uniform colours (usually one green ,one blue ,one black),dont illuminate them and choose the cloth whose colour is not present in the subject. Then remove the colour from the image(chroma keying ) using "photoshop" or similar and superimpose it onto any photo background you want |
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Tino Posted: 5th Jun 2008 Time: 2:36 AM Updated:5th Jun 2008 7:17 PM |
Anyone using Adobe photoshop 6,i've been using 5 forever just wanna know if theres much difference. |
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Luvto Posted: 5th Jun 2008 Time: 9:03 PM |
For backdrops, go to a local hardware store and pick up some canvas painters drop cloths. Can be had in an assortment of sizes. Get the biggest you can afford and pick up some fabric dye in what ever color you want to use. Works great. Experiment with lighting. You would be surprised at the results you can get with some cheap halogens and a few pieces of aluminum foil.
M, on the Photoshop question...I'm using CS now. You can download a thirty day trail and see the difference. Well worth the upgrade. |
| Showing 1 - 8 of 8 posts. |
