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08/16/2006 03:52:23 PM · #1 |
I am slowly building a basic lighting setup and I have a question about snoots and barndoors - how many of them should I buy if I am buying 4 lights? Does anyone use multiple sets of these at the same time?
I will be using the setup for still-life, portraits, and product photography.
Thanks,
Robert Pomerenk
Message edited by author 2006-08-16 15:53:56. |
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08/16/2006 04:12:13 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by robpom:
I am slowly building a basic lighting setup and I have a question about snoots and barndoors - how many of them should I buy if I am buying 4 lights? Does anyone use multiple sets of these at the same time?
I will be using the setup for still-life, portraits, and product photography. |
you can build a snoot w/ a flash and two pieces of printer paper...
ask me how well it works after the challenge is over... ;)
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08/16/2006 04:23:48 PM · #3 |
One of each should be enough for a basic lighting setup. Only one snoot definitely, maybe two barn doors.
Four light setup for portraits would include:
Main Light, usually either an umbrella or barndoors, sometimes a softbox
Fill light - umbrella or softbox
Background light - barndoors most of the time, sometimes a snoot for effect
Hair light - most always a snoot
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08/16/2006 05:43:40 PM · #4 |
I use all kinds of stuff and continue to add. I've got a couple barndoors and snoots. I like to use combs, too. You can improvise barndoors pretty easily with thick enough black fabric if you want to come up with a way to hang the stuff or you can even use black foam-core board instead of barndoors but again you have the problem of holding it in place (an air-cushioned stand and arm can cost from $50-150 depending on where you buy it). There is no standard that you need as part of the magic of finding your own style will be you using different light modifiers to craft the light the way you want it in the scene.
EDIT: not to say I'm disagreeing with Leroy's comments about a 4-light setup. Those are probably the very things I got to start my studio work.
Another comment is that sometimes when I'm experimenting with lighting I'll hose the unholy crap outta a set and just have to keep the images to remind myself of how bad a setup can be so that I don't make the same mistake. If you can't afford all the stuff you see, you can pickup cheaper versions of it from Wal-Mart or Lowes or Home Depot and still take control of the light since that's the real goal when you get indoors (or maybe thats just one of the goals but its a pretty cool one).
Message edited by author 2006-08-16 17:47:01.
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08/16/2006 06:02:43 PM · #5 |
| And since I actually took the time today to read it (someone pointed me to it in a thread yesterday), I'll pass along Strobist which discusses Snoots and Barndoors here |
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08/16/2006 07:11:09 PM · #6 |
Make sure you get the 4 door barndoors and not the 2 door. I bought a couple that only had two flappers and though I could narrow the light down by bringing the two together, I couldn't really control it the way I wanted. So I bought a couple of 4 door ones and I have a lot more control. I can close the flappers down so that there is a small hole (simulates a snoot real well) or I can almost block the light. So get the ones with 4 flappers on them rather than the 2.
With a snoot you have to be careful and not leave your modeling light on with it. The snoot fits pretty tight over the light and flash tube and if the modeling light is on, it can get pretty darn hot real quick. I usually use the modeling light to position it and then turn it off while I'm shooting. I also don't flash the flash as fast as I would normally because of the heat build up inside the snoot.
I have used my snoot a number of times for really narrow light when lighting flowers. I usually don't use the honeycomb grid that comes with though. If I need more control, I'll make a cone out of aluminum foil to put over the front of the snoot and poke a hole in it for the exact size I need to let out the right amount of light and the exact shape.
Between the two, I'd get barndoors first and then the snoot as I find the barndoors more usefull.
Mike
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08/16/2006 07:52:08 PM · #7 |
| I like grids better, but that's me. |
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