Lighting umbrellas......

ACooper

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#1
Kevin ordered me some for Christmas! HOORAY! Now I just need to learn to use them :p I really am interested in learning to use my camera and any/all accessories to the fullest.

These:


Anybody have advice, or a "crash course" on getting the best results with these and indoor lighting in general? TIA
 

Zoom

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#3
Holy crap, is this "come out of the rafters" day on chaz or something?! First Danegirl and now you RHD? :D

I don't have any advice...I just tend to use natural light or bounced flash. I'd like to have umbrellas though. I think I'll start with a lighting box though.
 

Chewbecca

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OK, AC, I have no idea what camera you are shooting with or which external flash.

I'm going to assume those umbrellas work as a light stand as well (as in, it has a place to connect your flash to as well)?
If so, try facing the head of the flash towards the umbrella, maybe up at an angle, and bounce the flash forward to your subject.
 

ACooper

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#5
REDHOTBABE! It's good to see you :D

I guess I'll just have to read up on them and experiment! I like natural lighting too zoom, but my house is like a CAVE most of the time, LOL, so for decent indoor pictures I wanted to try some indoor lighting.

They are surprisingly CHEAP! Check Ebay and even Amazon.........I do believe Kevin got a two umbrella, stands, bulbs, and case for LESS than a hundred!!

EDIT: BECCA! I was hoping you'd pop in with some advice........you do such a good job with lighting and pictures :D

I don't think these hook to my camera, they are continuous?? (I think that's right) I just have a Nikon D40 at the moment :p
 

Chewbecca

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#6
Holy crap, is this "come out of the rafters" day on chaz or something?! First Danegirl and now you RHD? :D

I don't have any advice...I just tend to use natural light or bounced flash. I'd like to have umbrellas though. I think I'll start with a lighting box though.

What size light box are you looking for? What are you wanting to take pictures of?

If it's something little like jewelry or a gecko, I can tell you a VERY simple way of making a light box that does NOT include cutting this or that and pasting this or that.
It's VERY simple.

I bought about a 2' long, clear sterilite bin. I place it on its side, and I bow a piece of white or black poster board in there (do not bend it or you'll see gross creases).
Use your external flash and bounce the flash upwards.
You'll most likely have to mess with color balance and curves in a post processing program, but this is what I do, and I get shots like these:






 

bubbatd

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#7
LOL !! I read that as " lightning umbrellas " and thought WHAT !!
 

ACooper

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#8
LOL !! I read that as " lightning umbrellas " and thought WHAT !!
LOL Grammy...........definitely don't need THOSE around here unless they DEFLECT the lightening instead of attracting it! :lol-sign:
 

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