Studio Lighting

[Easternbikes]

Ok I have a question I am trying to do all the photos for our catalog and website myself. I have read a few things about using flourescents for lighing with digital camera since they have white balancing built in. What I would like to do is use some flourescents 8' length that I have(3) and some 4'(2) for lighting for taking studio shots of bikes and components the photos turn out good for small items but I haven't shot any large items like the bikes. Is there a certain bulb to use or is this even a good idea. I have an extra room approximately 10 by 14 that I would like to set it up in and leave it this way I can just take the camera and product in and cut on the lights and shoot. I will be using a D100 and Cannon S50.

[dsl712]

For the shot to be successful, you will want a very large lightsource that is even and doesn't cause harsh specular reflections.

Here's my recommendations with the equipment you listed. Use the two 8 ft. lights directly over the bike. You will need to soften the light. So use a white sheet, or something, in between the lights and bike to make the light even and large.

Next use the smaller lights on either side of the bike in front. Finally, if you are shooting on a white background you will need to use the other 8 ft. light, at a higher output, near the background to make sure it goes white.

Good Luck

Dennis

[Easternbikes]

OK thanks for the info. Couple of other things is there one type of sheet that would be better than another? Also is there any certain bulb I should use or just the hottest I can get.

THANKS AGAIN

[dsl712]

Use the whitest sheet you can find for both the top and side lights. Also doesn't really matter what temp lights with digital as long as they are all the same.

Dennis

[another view]

Also doesn't really matter what temp lights with digital as long as they are all the same.

This is true, but...

Standard cool-white fluorescent (CW) tubes are about 4100k and have that greenish cast to them. Set a custom white balance with your digital camera and that won't matter. The problem with these tubes is with the color rendering. Basically, color rendering is expressed as a number between 0 and 100, known as the color rendering index (CRI). Incandescent lights (including halogen) have a CRI of 100 because they render colors very accurately and are what other sources are measured against. As you can tell, CRI has nothing to do with color temperature.

Those yellow-ish lights you see on roadways are high pressure sodium, and have a CRI of about 20 for another example. Try to tell the difference between green, blue and purple - very difficult! You could probably correct for the yellowish cast with a custom WB on your camera, but the best possible case still isn't very good. I've never tried it and now I'm curious...

Problem with CW tubes is that their CRI is about 65. They're good with greens and blues but bad enough with reds and yellows that it drags their CRI value down. If you went with a better grade tube, you could get a CRI of about 90 or higher, but they're a little expensive (but still not much compared to buying studio lights!). Both Philips and GE have a "C50" lamp which is daylight colored and at least 90 CRI. With a high CRI like this, they'll render more colors more accurately than just the blues and greens with the CW tubes. Look for these at a specialty electrical distributor, they should make your images come out better.

[Easternbikes]

OK so it seems that the colors might not be that great with the fluorescents, what about using regular light bulbs. Like I said this room will only be used for these photos and I want to do it cheap. Could you possibly use a several bulbs such as a Reveal from GE they seem to do really well with the small items.

[another view]

OK so it seems that the colors might not be that great with the fluorescents, what about using regular light bulbs. Like I said this room will only be used for these photos and I want to do it cheap. Could you possibly use a several bulbs such as a Reveal from GE they seem to do really well with the small items.

Probably worth a try, but fluorescent is a linear source so the reflections should work out better. Look at car brochures - soft, even lighting. This is done with huge soft boxes, etc but a long skinny fluorescent tube should work pretty well with a long skinny subject (like a bike). With a point source (like an incandescent light bulb) you'll get bright spots as reflections instead of smooth lines. You could try to put a white sheet between the light bulbs and the bike to soften it though. (Disclaimer: I know about commercial lighting but I'm a studio lighting beginner! The equipment is different, but in many cases the goals are the same)

[Easternbikes]

OK today is the day I spend what money I need to. I appreciate the replys and knoweldge as at best I am a beginner. I am leaning toward the flourescents as there isn't as much to wire up and I already have the assemblies I just need to buy bulbs. Is it best to use the sheet with the flourescents as with regular bulbs or just experiment and find out?

[another view]

OK today is the day I spend what money I need to. I appreciate the replys and knoweldge as at best I am a beginner. I am leaning toward the flourescents as there isn't as much to wire up and I already have the assemblies I just need to buy bulbs. Is it best to use the sheet with the flourescents as with regular bulbs or just experiment and find out?

You'll get a different look with and without - I'd probably try both and see what you prefer. Post some examples when you're happy with the results and let us know what worked best.