Easy studio lighting at home

If you don’t have a big space to turn in to a photo studio…it’s ok; hardly any photographer starts out with a big professional fully kitted studio. Actually, it can be beneficial to no have all the gear and facilities from the beginning…you get to improvise, be inventive and learn to adapt your lights, set up and poses to the present conditions.

 

Here’s an example of a simple studio set up taken in a home environment. Silvia, a dance teacher and performer showed up at my home in Milan (I haven’t got my own photo studio here yet) desperate to get some photos for her Burlesque classes that were about to start soon. As I was busy with other things I could only give her an hour, I had to find an easy light solution that would do the trick.

I decided to use my Quuantum trio flashes with battery packs and wireless control. http://www.qtm.com/ They are small, easy to place, powerful and fast…with numerous light shaping possibilities. I have had them for less then a year and I just keep appreciating them more and more and finding new ways to use them all the time.  I worked with the standard round diffuser with filters (one red and one blue) on two flash heads and a small square soft box on a third flash.

If you have other flashes you could buy gels and attach them on to your flash to get the same effect.

 

I used the Manfrotto Event Kit  ( DIY03KIT) but in a slightly different way from what it is intended. I added a Manfrotto heavy duty flex arm ( 237 HD ) to the reflector holder (which can hold up to a 122cm diameter reflector) , which is included in the event kit; to add some hight. I used a  sunfire reflector from Lastolite

The left flash was supplied with a deep blue filter (part of the quuntum filter kit)  and clamped on to a chair with the Manfrotto spring clamp with flash shoe ( 175F ) pointing at the reflector.The spring clamp has become a favourite; it’s ideal for photographing small spaces and interiors where a normal light support would be in the way. You can clamp in on to curtain rods, tables, doors, trees, windows etc.

The middle light is fitted on to an  Manfrotto 233B bracket with the 026 swivel that can rotate and move  the flash unit away up to 45 cm, which in turn is fitted on a Manfrotto black alu air cushioned mini compact stand (can be bought separate or in a 3 pack).

I used the quuantum foldable softbox for the midle light, without any coloured filters or gels.

For my third light I used my Gitzo ocean traveller with a mounted Manfrotto project/monitor holder 183, which I fitted a red light to. I pointed it through the frosted glass which made the light more pink in the tone.

I moved the middle light from right to the left depending on the pose of the model, making sure that it was always pointing at her face.