staceycanada Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I would like to take some portrait shots of my family. How can I create a photo studio on the cheap. Do you know of any good web sites that tell you how to make light reflectors etc. This is only for some family shots but I would like to take some better ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Try these links - might give you some ideas! [url="http://www.ehow.com/how_1358_set-photo-studio.html"]http://www.ehow.com/how_1358_set-photo-studio.html[/url] [url="http://nslog.com/2006/12/27/mini_home_photography_studio/"]http://nslog.com/2006/12/27/mini_home_photography_studio/[/url] [url="http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/diylighting"]http://www.shuttertalk.com/articles/diylighting[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teresa P Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 without spending a dime, open window light is your best friend in adding depth and improving your photos!!! I use alien bees for lights, they are insanely reasonable and fantastic! For reflectors if you want to only do one light, you can use foam core board that is a few bucks cheap. Have fun! Teresa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinny Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 another really inexpensive and compact reflector is a collapsable windshield shade. one of the silvery ones that will twist and fold into a circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momentousangel Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 I've use plain sheets or large canvas cloths as backdrops, the thicker the sheet the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betsy Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Oh - for backdrops - sheets are inexpensive and easy. I got two yards of black felt that was pretty cheap (half the price of fleece) and looks AWESOME! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sharebear57 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Yes, I use white sheets or light-colored blankets as a background, too. Neat tip about using the windshield shade as a reflector. This is a great thread. Thanks, Stacey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceycanada Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 Thank you all so much. These are ideas are going to help alot. I new there had to be other ways of doing it then investing thousands for all the real equipment. I am going to start using these right away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momentousangel Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 As an added note, if you are lucky enough to have a lot of different photo studios in your area, often when they use paper backdrops and when they no longer are actually using them, they sometimes will sell them pretty cheap. Just thought you may also want to keep that in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceycanada Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share Posted January 8, 2007 [quote name='momentousangel' post='82041' date='Jan 8 2007, 05:32 AM']As an added note, if you are lucky enough to have a lot of different photo studios in your area, often when they use paper backdrops and when they no longer are actually using them, they sometimes will sell them pretty cheap. Just thought you may also want to keep that in mind.[/quote] Oh what a neat idea. Sometimes it pays off that businesses are so wasteful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinny Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 if you need a small white backdrop... vinyl roll-up window shades inexpensive and very portable. great if you need to shoot a paper layout or project. Another tip for the felt, velvet or other cloth backdrop... Keep them rolled up. You can get cardboard tubes from fabric stores. Folds in a backdrop don't always make for a nice photo background. If you do get creases, iron them really well. Unless of course is is totally wrinkled and that is the look your going for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Neff Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 These are great tips - thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceycanada Posted January 9, 2007 Author Share Posted January 9, 2007 You guys are really helpful. I knew if I posted here I would get the answers I need and did I ever. Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions. Now I just need a new camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momentousangel Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 So glad the information everyone has been posting has helped answer your question. There is a lot of great information here in this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC from AZ Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Good ideas was thinking about this also so glad for the info. question? Therea wrote "I use alien bees for lights, they are insanely reasonable and fantastic!" forgive me what are alien bees ??? Thanks CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terebinthtree Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Alien Bees is a company that sells lighting equipment. We have some of their products. (Part of dh's Christmas presents were from Alien Bees!) They are highly recommended! [url="http://www.alienbees.com/"]http://www.alienbees.com/[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teresa P Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 What Laura said There website is a little wacky because they are just fun! Their lights really are fantastic though!!! I would not think of buying any other lights, even those more expensive... just love love love my AlienBees. In case anyone is considering them... I have 2 AB800s... with digital, I have never had them above half power so I could have made it fine with the AB400s. Teresa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerbaby1981 Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Those are really great tips. i was wonder how to make one also.. Alien bees looks like a neat website.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becca Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Great tips! I've done this in the past, too! I'm so picky when it comes to family portraits, and with kids, it's just so hard to have them in the right frame of mind when your appointment is scheduled. I did both my girls' Holiday portraits this year at home. I used a white textured blanket as a backdrop for one, and a dark navy blue sheet for the other. I've had better luck using dark navy than black for a backdrop. Here's the one of my younger DD... [attachment=3028:nov2006.jpg] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kitiekat4U Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 here is a tutorial i made. see if this helps. [url="http://donnamurillo.googlepages.com/MicrosoftWord-HowtoLightaSubject.pdf"]http://donnamurillo.googlepages.com/Micros...ghtaSubject.pdf[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scrappin_chic Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Thanks for the tutorial kitiekat4u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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