Lighting Questions

Hello!

I am planning on photographing 40 of my acrylic paintings in my garage that I will be needing 2 lights set up at 45 degree angles. I have some concerns before purchasing the lights.

1. Should I get Tungsten/Halogen or Florescent?

2. Will I need something like umbrellas, etc. to diffuse the light? I've seen some tutorial videos where they did not use them.

3. Considering that the largest painting that I'll be shooting is 36 X 28, how much wattage should each light bulb have?

Thanks!
-Dave Zippi

Dave, it would help to know what type of camera you plan on using. If it's a DSLR with manual controls and especially adjustable White Balance, then the color temperature is not that important. Just make sure each light is the same.

As for umbrellas, using them will soften (diffuse) the light. This may be important if you use any kind of glaze in or over your paint. Glaze will produce highlights and maybe "hot spots", and for a painter, having them in the shot can be maddening. The more diffused the light, the less likely that will be a problem.

Your painting are relatively small, so, if you have a manually adjustable camera and a tripod, even small-wattage lights should be ok. You may simply have to use a longer exposure time.

Thanks for responding. I have a Nikon D5000 with the 18-55mm lense.