Startup Studio Photography

longboy

longboy

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Hi, I've recently planned to open up a studio for photoshoots.

Can any of you experienced guys give me advice on what SLR Camera/Lens and type of Lighting to use? I want something with decent image quality and sharp, crisp images with no blur and multiple focus points.


Thanking you in advance.
 
Shaun108 said:
Hi, I've recently planned to open up a studio for photoshoots.

Can any of you experienced guys give me advice on what SLR Camera/Lens and type of Lighting to use? I want something with decent image quality and sharp, crisp images with no blur and multiple focus points.


Thanking you in advance.
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Go on a course before wasting money.
 
Shaun108 said:
Hi, I've recently planned to open up a studio for photoshoots.

Can any of you experienced guys give me advice on what SLR Camera/Lens and type of Lighting to use? I want something with decent image quality and sharp, crisp images with no blur and multiple focus points.


Thanking you in advance.
Click to expand...

Your best bet is to ask here - www.outdoorphoto.co.za
 
Shaun108 said:
Hi, I've recently planned to open up a studio for photoshoots.

Can any of you experienced guys give me advice on what SLR Camera/Lens and type of Lighting to use? I want something with decent image quality and sharp, crisp images with no blur and multiple focus points.


Thanking you in advance.
Click to expand...
What sort of equipment do you currently have? How big is the proposed studio space available? How much studio experience do you have? What sort of studio work are you wanting to do?

Most importantly - how much money ya got?
 
Last studio I went to for a mugshot used Hasselblad H-Systems with digital backs.

Do people still rate the Fujifilm FinePix S-series dSLRs for studio work, they were all the rage a few years back for studio work?
 
No offense, but what are you thinking? Do you want to take ID photos? Seriously, I'm a noob, but from your questions I gather you are an ultra-super-extreme-noob...It's like asking which scissors are the sharpest, I want to open a hair salon.

As I said, no offense, but it doesn't make sense at all.

:confused:
 
from the title of this thread, I was like "yay" and was looking forward to a great read to enrich my knowledge... but alas... another FAIL thread!!! :(
 
Thank you bwana, I'm getting models from my brothers agency (International) based in Paris. They stop over in SA every few months, and he kindly asked me to do some shots and stuff. I'm not a complete noob to DSLR photography, my last camera was a Canon EOS 350D with a 70-300mm lens kit. The reason i posted here is that i want good quality, i have about ~R30k to spend on equipment. The studio is a loft with lots of natural light and its painted white. I have never done studio shots before, my hobby was nature photography.
 
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I think that's cutting it a bit fine. You could start with a R15,000 DSLR, but that would leave you with very little for decent lenses, considering that a good 35mm prime could cost R4,000, a tripod and head around R5,000 and you'd need lighting (flashes, reflectors). What about furniture, software plus a computer? I'd look at at least 50K+ to start off with for the basics
 
EDIT: Actually, since you have never done studio work. I really recommend you do a course before buying anything. That way you can learn exactly what you need without having to buy twice.

I also think that 30k is a bit tight. I am going to use Canon for most examples - even though I use Nikon :) Canon is going to work out a bit cheaper here... I wouldn't spend 15k on a body though - for portraiture on a budget a cheaper body would suffice. Something like the 500D for about R7k. Good glass is more important than the body - you need something fast like a 85mm/105mm. Pro portraiture photographers generally prefer something longer than 35/50 to avoid distortion by moving to close and to give the model a bit of breathing space. I watched an interview session a while ago, and most of the togs preferred a fast 70-200 type zoom. This will set you back between R7k - R25k. A 85mm f/1.8 prime is around R4k for Canon, a bit more expensive for Nikon. Then as mentioned you need a proper tripod and head, another R5k at least (good legs go for around R5k on their own). So a relatively basic body, 85mm prime and studio level tripod totals to around R16k.

Proper lighting also don't come cheap: R3k - R6 each for the sort of soft boxes you would need. Modifiers for other lights (background etc) like snoots/grids/barndoors are around R1k-R2k each. Then you need the reflectors/backdrops/flags/pocket wizards etc for probably around R5k. In a studio environment a separate light meter is important, the entry level Sekonics are about R3k. So a simple 3 light setup could easily cost (without getting quotes :) ) around R25k. That said, you do get basic Elinchrom Studio To Go kits (containing the softboxes, umbrelles and lights) that might work out a bit cheaper...

Then the software, Lightroom 3 retails for about R3k and I guess you have the computer already. So that is around R44k for a basic setup, which is pretty much what flarkit also said. Since your brother's studio sounds pretty important I guess they will be expecting professional results? If so, you definitely need to go on a studio course, especially since you are used to nature photography.

Good luck - hope this helps :)
 
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Camera - you can get away with a XXXD, certainly to start off with. That 1.6x crop also means you can comfortably use the inexpensive 50mm (80mm) f/1.8 (or f/1.4 if you have some cash lying around). The 70-200 f/4 L is a great lens as is the 24-70 if you need to go wider but it's going to cost.

Backdrop - visit you local fabric merchant and pick up some heavy weight bull denim. I think I paid r30 a metre. To hang it google "Stick in a can" and save yourself another bundle. :)

Here's a pic of a small stick in a can supporting a DIY diffuser (made out of PVC piping and shower curtain material). http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=3320. There is a lot of stuff you can easily DIY and save a bundle.

Lights are going to cost you. Since I mainly do non studio work I'm a big fan of strobes (just because I get more use out of them in the field) and hot lights but I think you might want to invest in some real lighting.

Light meter? Wouldnt bother right now, use the spot metering on your camera. Sticks? Ditto, wait until you know you need them. Save your money for glass and lights. :)

Your camera should come with DPP which does a great job for the price (free).

But, even before you start spending a lot of Rs, take a course. :)
 
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Bwana, I agree with your comments with regards to the DIY and I should have mentioned it. The client sounds important (international models and all that), so I just though PVC/sticks-in-a-can would not set the BEST first impressions :)

Some of my own equipment for basic indoor shots involve some PVC pipes and cheap cloth :)

And again to the OP: First step - find somewhere in KZN to do a studio course.
 
synapseZA said:
Bwana, I agree with your comments with regards to the DIY and I should have mentioned it. The client sounds important (international models and all that), so I just though PVC/sticks-in-a-can would not set the BEST first impressions :)
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Isn't that why they invented black spray paint? :D
 
Reading these prices make me want to back out of photography before I've even started ;)
 
Dolby said:
Reading these prices make me want to back out of photography before I've even started ;)
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Or at least stay away from studio work. You also need to have a big space available which in itself is often a stumbling block. I happened to have the space so now that I've got the basics - and I did that on the cheap whenever I could - I can gradually build it up.
 
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