Studio Lights

[nofishfisherman]

I'm wondering if anyone here has a photo studio that they have set up. The reason I ask is that I am looking to replace the studio lights at my studio at work and I am looking for suggestions.

I sort of became the default product photographer when I was hired and have spent the last 2+ years figuring it all out as I go along. I don't have a lot of training in the area so it has been a lot of trial and error.

The lights I am replacing are Lowell Omni lamps with tungsten bulbs. I had 3 of them when I started but they have all burned themselves out one by one over the last 2 years. I spoke with the company and apparently they are prone to buring themselves out due to arching around the bulb contact points. They won't replace them or fix them and basically said I was out of luck. Because I've had such poor luck with them I am not looking to replacing with new Omni lights.

I also have one additional overhead light that uses photo studio grade CFL bulbs. This light has been pretty good for me and produces a softer light with a light blue tint that seems to photograph better and produce softer highlights (I photograph some highly refelective products at times).

I am looking at a Smith-Victor light kit that includes 3 of these CFl lamps. Each lamp uses 3 CFL bulbs. I am wonder if anyone has experience using CFL lamps for product photography or really any photography at all.

I like the fact that these bulbs are supposed to last up to 10,000 hours versus 200 hours for the tungsten and they also produce little to no heat where as the tungsten are incredibly hot and are miserable to use in a small studio like I have.

I'd apprecaite any insight people might have.

[Dbl]

First off a few things. When buying into a light system there are a number of things to consider. Price, color consistency, power source, modifiers available, triggering system, how much light needed. I have set up a studio....for outdoors, indoors, etc. I need studio lighting that I can use on location in all types of conditions.

To address I think a few things you are looking at. You are in a fixed location shooting product. That narrows down considerably the types of lights you might consider. Light consistency, both power and color is likely not to be as important as a portrait shooter. Portability will be further down the list. The types of modifiers you can use is not all that important since you are shooting product which doesn’t require a number of different set ups. Price is always a consideration!!!

I would stick with the major players because they have been around and will continue to be around. Parts are available, service is available and generally speaking you get what you pay for. Buy the cheap Chinese knockoffs and you will likely pay for it in many ways down the road.

Elinchrom, Profoto, Dynalite, Paul C Buff or just more flashes, all players that have their own strengths and weaknesses. My needs were portability then price, everything else was behind that. I ended up with a Paul C Buff (PCB)system based on those requirements. I light individuals outdoors and indoors, groups as large as 120 people indoors and out, whole gyms and other sporting venues. In short I need a system that does it all.

I currently run 3 Alien Bee (AB)800's and supplement with flash. All triggered by Pocket Wizard's. I have a number of modifiers based on location shooting ranging from umbrellas, softboxes, beauty dishes and more. I power the whole system with a portable lithium battery system or just plug into AC. I don't need the color consistency a studio portrait shooter does nor would you with product work. The most talked about problem to the PCB AB lights are a small hard to see inconstancy in color shifts. Most would never notice and my clients don't for sure.

I have run this system for over 7 years and I am currently in the process of slowing down my photo business, but if I was going full strength I would look to the PCB Einstiens. Wonderful lights that do a lot more than the AB's in almost all areas!

It might be that multiple flashes will do what you need, you will have to make those choices. Ask away, I will help if I can.

[nofishfisherman]

I'll have to spend some time looking up some of the suggested companies you mentioned. I'm not all that well versed in photography especially in setting up a studio with all that it entails.

Let me tell you a little about what kind of a set up I have and what I am hoping to accomplish.

Right now I have a table top studio set up in an area that is roughly 10x12. It is surrounded on 2 sides by light colored walls and on 2 sides by blackout curtains that go floor to ceiling. The ceiling is white tiles.

Currently I have the table set up with lights on 2 sides and an overhead light. I have light diffusing cloth on both sides as well as over the table. The overhead light is an inexpensive CFL fixture that has worked well so far. I ended up going with it because the Tungsten lamps i had created too much heat and fire sprinkler installers were concerned about the heat triggering the sprinkler.

On both sides of the table I had been using the Lowell Omni Tungsten lamps but like I said both burned out on me.

What I need are 2-3 lights that provide a soft light with or without the diffusing cloth. I am shooting 100% on a white background so I also plan to get a photo cube with white background. Portability is not an issue as all the photography is done in this one location and is left set up all the time.

I just need something that will allow me to shoot shinny/reflective products without harsh highlight/reflections, provide fairly accurate color (doesn't need to be 100% perfect but close), and allow for a nice white background without having to spend a ton of time in photoshop.

The company is paying the bill for whatever I purchase but cost is still a concern. The light kit I found is right around $500 but if something is going to be significantly better I could probably get the green light to spend more.

I appreciate the help.

[Dbl]

The added info helps. Let me suggest you buy a copy of the book "Light, Science and Magic". Take a look on Amazon its around $30 to $35. Believe me when I say it will be the best investment you can make for your situation. That will help answer almost any question you might have on lighting anything! I believe my copy is version 3, they are on 4 right now.

I am on the road and don't have it in front of me but it will certainly help you with lighting your products and how BEST to light them. It will give you some good recommendations on the lights to best use as well. It will beat any advice I or most can give you.

My inclination based on your area would be to paint the whole room a flat white with as close to neutral white as you can. Many whites have a color cast. I would likely then use 3 strobes minimum to bounce the light off the white walls and diffuse the light. The book I mentioned will give you some great ideas and recommendations. When I get home tomorrow I will glance at it and see what it says.