Studio Lighting Set Up

When it comes to choosing what type of studio lighting is best for you, even with basic studio lighting set up, it is important that you understand the fundamentals; this includes understanding the difference between continuous light and flash; different power systems like power packs & monobloc lights; flash power and how to adjust it; and how flashes can be triggered.

There are various types of studio lighting include speedlites, studio lights, and continuous light. Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Studio Lighting Types –

Speedlites:

it is important to understand basic studio lighting.

Speedlites might be a good option if you are fairly new to studio lighting. These small flash units are particularly versatile, as they can be used on or off the camera. They are great for freezing motion, thanks to the duration of their fast flash. They are also fairly affordable. The downside to using a speedlite is that they don’t have a very high power output and are not as easily modified as studio lights.

Continuous lighting: continuous studio lighting

Continuous lighting, as the name suggests, offers a continuous light source that can be used for both photography and video. The advantage to using a continuous light source is that you can see how your lighting falls onto the subject in real-time. A lot of photographers who are new to studio lighting find continuos lighting easier to use and understand than studio flash. The downside is that continuous lighting does not offer the same level of power output as studio flash, and is not very well suited to freezing fast-moving subjects.

Studio flash lighting:control the light

While continuous lighting versus studio flash may be a hot topic right now, the reality is that many studio photographers still prefer to use studio flash lighting. This is because studio flash lighting offers a much higher power output and therefore greater creative flexibility. They also offer a much greater level of control, with some lights having the ability to change the power by as little as one-tenth of a stop. Fast flash duration is another benefit, particularly for photographers looking to freeze motion and photograph fast-moving subjects.

Choosing the right Studio Lighting Setup

To help you choose the right photography lighting for your style and subject related photography, there are a few questions you need to ask:

  • Are cameras and lens budgets more important than your lighting budget?
  • What budget can you actually stretch to?
  • How many lights do you really need?
  • What can you do with the light, what is the choice of modifiers?
  • Are your requirement liable to change a lot in the next few years?
  • How much ‘on location’ work do you think you will have? (post Covid)

How to control photography lighting in a small studio

Photography literally means ‘drawing with light‘ and studio photography is no different; it is all about light and controlling light to get the best results. This can be tricky at the best of times, but working in a small studio comes with its own unique challenges. To overcome these, there are three important considerations:

The inverse square law

The inverse square law is an important concept that you should really understand, regardless of the studio size.

One of the most common problems that photographers often encounter in smaller studio spaces, is light which reflects and bounces around inside the studio; this of course results in unwanted light in areas of the image where they really do not need or want it. When working in a small studio, lights placed too far away from the subject can cause this exact problem. However, if you place your lights too near it may cause harsh light and dark shadows; again this is not ideal.

Experiment with your studio lighting setup to get the light fall and shadow fall correct for the size space you are shooting in.

Studio Lighting – the best Modifiers to use in a small space

Softboxes in a small photography studiosmall studio lighting

First of all what is a modifier? A modifier does what you think it should and that is to change the light at source; much the same as putting a shade on a lamp in your home, the light becomes muted and softer, maybe diffused with a bigger spread.

Your choice of modifier will depend mostly on the subject you are shooting; products or people. Portrait photographers often use modifiers such as softboxes or parabolic reflectors, whereas product photographers often use scrims with additional modifiers such as reflectors or softboxes.

Whatever your subject, when you are working in a small studio then modifiers that contain the light are the best option to prevent unwanted light bounce.

Common modifiers for studio photography include:

Standard reflectors – These dish-like modifiers produce very hard, sparkly lighting and can be used with honeycomb grids for even tighter spots of light.

How to Set up a Home Photography Studio
Softboxes/Octaboxes – Softboxes are a common choice of modifier for many different types of photography. Available in a range of different shapes and sizes, grids can be attached to the front to further control the light.octabox light source
Umbrellas – Although not the best choice when working in small studios, umbrellas are still a popular modifier for studio photography. If you’re working in a small space but still want to use umbrellas, consider using reflective umbrellas instead of shoot-through umbrellas to control the light spill.umbrella light source
Snoots – Snoots create a very small, controlled patch of light with little to no light spill

photography lighting - snoot

Beauty dish – Beauty dishes are a popular choice for portraiture and beauty photography. However, they can be difficult to use in small spaces with a low ceiling as they’re commonly used from overhead.photography lighting - beauty dish
Scrims/diffusion material – A scrim is a DIY lighting modifier that is often used by product photographers to create gradient lighting. But why would you use scrims or diffusion material rather than softboxes? The key benefit of using a scrim over a softbox is that you have the ability to position it at different distances and angles from the light source and subject to create different gradient lighting effects while maintaining soft light. Best of all, they are an affordable lighting modifier that you can easily make yourself and use for many different types of photography.

studio lighting - scrim

Mirrors/reflectors – Having mirrors or pieces of white foam-board or card to use as reflectors can be used to add additional light without actually using another studio light, which can be a great way to save space when working in a small studio.reflectors
Flags – Flags can also be a great way to control light, so it can be useful to have a few pieces of black card or foamboard on hand to block light in certain areas of the shot.

studio lighting - flag

There are, of course, other types of studio lighting modifiers, including parabolic reflectors, but due to their size they are not practical to use in small studio spaces.

For those looking to start working commercially, a great selection of modifiers that cover a range of different types of photography include a large 120×180 softbox, an Octabox 150, a 30×120 softbox, a selection of standard reflectors with grids, and some scrims or diffusion material.

Wall colour in a photography studio

Not everyone wants to work in a dark box but dark grey walls are the best colour choice if you want to be able to control basic studio lighting in a small studio space.

One solution is to have white walls and ceiling which can be darkened when required. This could be blackout curtains or black foam board attached with Velcro.

Black material, (light absorbing velvet is best), can be laid on the floor to help control any unwanted light bounce back from the floor.

Having blackout curtains or blinds in front of the windows will also help reduce unwanted ambient light if you’re working in a studio that has windows.

Studio Lighting Set Up – other considerations

Do not forget storage space; is there enough to store all your lighting, equipment, backgrounds, and accessories or do you need a separate space?

Depending on what you’re shooting, there may also be additional features that could benefit your space. Portrait photographers often include dedicated spaces for makeup, and a separate changing room.

If you are not decided or have not got the budget to buy the space and the associated studio lighting and accessories, then renting a studio might be a better option.

As you can see, there are a number of crucial elements to consider when setting up a home photography studio. But do not get downhearted, try and find a space that works for you and then start building up from there.

Remember to always work with what you have and do not get discouraged if you don’t have everything you need right off the bat. When it comes to photography lighting, knowledge and creativity is far more important than mere equipment. As long as you have the right knowledge and creativity, you can produce stunning images in almost any space.

photography lighting

If you are looking to get started with Product photography then this article might help.