Photo studio equipment. Professional photographer's equipment

Photographer is one of the most popular professions in today's world. you can earn good money. Indeed, such services are in great demand now. But in order to build a thriving business, you need to open your own. Start by buying special lighting equipment for your photo studio.

The quality of photographs depends on the camera equipment and proper lighting. In addition, thanks to lighting devices, you can refresh the complexion, hide dark circles under the eyes, and other imperfections.

Purpose, types and lighting schemes

Studio shooting is becoming more and more popular. This can be explained by the fact that no natural phenomena will affect it: neither rain, nor wind, nor cloudy weather are terrible.

But the correct setting of lighting is very important. A variety of light and shadow equipment allows you to get interesting photo effects.

Choose equipment for a photo studio, taking into account what lighting schemes you will work with:

• scheme with a single source of illumination: a flash and a reflector are needed at a great distance from the object;
• butterfly: requires a second light source behind the model;
• triangle: lighting equipment is installed on the side;
• Beauty: lighting is directed from both sides through the translucent zones, reflectors are also needed.

First steps in studio photography

studio light

It is divided into 2 types:

• constant;
• impulsive.

Studio lighting equipment catalog

Constant lighting is provided. But now this equipment is rarely used, as it has several disadvantages:

• emit a lot of heat;
• I need a lot of electricity
• their brightness irritates the photographer's eyes.

Sources of constant lighting:

Feature / Model	QL-500BW	DS-500	YN-600 LED	Fresnel 300
Manufacturer	Falcon Eyes	Falcon Eyes	Yongnuo	GreenBean
Illuminator type	halogen	halogen	LED	halogen
Output power, W	500	500	36	300
Power regulation	smooth	fixed	smooth	smooth
Cost, rub.	7 400	4 300	8 500	13 480

Therefore, it is more preferable to include in a set of equipment for a photo studio. Which are not only economical, but also better recognize and convey the shade of light. Soffits give a yellowish color, I require additional correction of photos, with flashes there is no such need.

Lighting solutions for portrait photography

Sources of impulsive light:

Feature / Model	D-Lite RX ONE	GY-150	TE-1200BW
Manufacturer	Elinchrom	nicephoto	Falcon Eyes
Light source type	compact flash	compact flash	monoblock
Max. power, J	100	150	1 200
Power regulation	6 -1 00 J	smooth	smooth
Cost, rub.	9 250	5 000	25 480

studio flashes

As equipment for a photo studio, monoblock flashes are usually used - a strong impulse flash of 100 - 1,000 J. with an additional halogen or conventional incandescent lamp, which allows you to simulate lighting and works independently of others.

A flash up to 500 J is enough for a modern camera. For some types of shooting, 300 J is a lot. Because professional flashes have a pulse energy regulator.

Reflector or reflector- equipment that reduces light scattering, creates a directed stream.

Nozzle with honeycomb filter allows you to get sharp shadows. Honeycombs create directional beams that mimic sunlight. The nozzle with parallel stripes creates effect of "blinds". These attachments prevent glare from reaching the side of the lens and eliminate the need for shutters.

Using 2 - 4 monoblock lighting equipment for a photo studio with different attachments, you can get a large number of different effects. But the main thing is to arrange them correctly.

To do this, you can use several options for placement:

• drawing light;
• back;
• modeling;
• background.

Light diffusers

Umbrella– Affordable and compact diffuser. Thanks to it, you can get a soft, even light with the ability to control it (the distance from the umbrella to the light source is adjustable)

Umbrellas are of 2 types:

• translucent: made of white fabric, the light passing through it weakens by 2 times;
• reflective: the inside of the umbrella is white or with a gold or silver coating, the outside is black; reflection contributes to dispersion and creates a more contrasting image, sharpens the light parts, reduces the dark parts.

- a popular diffuser that has the shape of a quadrangular reflector. The inner walls are coated with a metallized composition. Light bounces off the walls and passes through the white material.

Softboxes are either square or rectangular. Used for portrait photography.

Feature / Model	Rotalux	Recta	Rotalux Octa
Manufacturer	Elinchrom	Elinchrom	Elinchrom
softbox shape	square	rectangular	octabox
Softbox size, cm	70x70	90x110	175
Soft box depth, cm	32	42	50
Cost, rub.	13 140	15 580	26 210

Stripboxes- the same softboxes, but in them the length is much greater than the width. Used for full body shots. They give a large glare on the background.

- an octagonal softbox, used to get an artistic highlight on glossy surfaces, and also to imitate the light from the window in the eyes of the model.

Lightbox- equipment that serves to obtain uniform illumination, prevents the appearance of unwanted shadows, glare. Used in subject photography. It is made in the shape of a box, the walls are made of white material that transmits light. The object is placed inside the box. The photo is very high quality and almost does not need further processing.

curtains- equipment that regulates the light output of the flash. Regulation occurs by opening and closing the door. Used to light up the background. sometimes color filters are used. With their help, change the background color and get unusual transitions.

Tripods or racks- equipment with which studio flashes are fixed in the right place, at the right height. When choosing a rack, pay attention to its load capacity and stability, because monoblocks are quite heavy (3 - 7 kg).

About the camera for professionals

Without any doubt - the camera must be a mirror. The leaders of the modern market of professional photographic equipment currently offer a very large range of cameras. But only SLR cameras are considered cameras designed for professional photographers.

Conclusion: there is no point in being interested in the number of pixels in a camera for professional shooting! The number of pixels matters only if the actual size of the matrix in millimeters is also known. It is not worth making inquiries about zoom, as it is determined not by the camera, but by the lens. There is no need to be interested in rate of fire. For example, professional photographers shooting corporate events, parties, weddings should be able to "catch" champagne splashes. To do this, you need not 28 frames per second, as many people think, but a good fast lens and a sense of the moment from the photographer himself!

So, the simplest SLR camera has all the necessary set of parameters that we mentioned above. In order to get professional high-quality pictures, you need to purchase a “DSLR”, not a digital camera, even if it is a very “advanced” one.

But one quality SLR camera from a leading manufacturer is not enough. For professional shooting, you also need a set of a professional photographer.

A set of lenses - solving different problems

The equipment of a professional photographer must necessarily include a lens screwed to the camera. Very often, the quality of pictures is determined by the lens, not the camera. Moreover, a professional photographer will never limit himself to one type of any lens. He needs a whole set consisting of several "glasses", each of which serves its own specific purpose.

Currently, a huge number of lenses are offered to buyers. But for a person who is far from professional photography, it is absolutely impossible to understand this issue.

Let's look at just a few points. What do professional photographers shoot for?

If you analyze different, but equal options, then you should pay attention to premium lenses. These lenses provide the best image quality. A good lens from a "state employee" can also be distinguished by aperture ratio.
It is important to know that all high-quality optics from world manufacturers currently offered on the market have a high aperture ratio, which is constant over the entire zoom range. Expensive high-quality lenses, as a rule, always have a constant aperture.

Flash - a guarantee of illumination

A professional photographer's equipment should include a flash. Moreover, in the arsenal of a professional, not only a built-in flash is needed. Manufacturers of photographic equipment add such a flash “just in case of a fire”. But this is not enough. You also need an external flash. Only in this way can the problem of insufficient lighting be solved. Often in pursuit of the required level of illumination, the problem is solved by increasing the sensitivity of the matrix (ISO number). What is the bottom line? Reducing the quality of images, that is, increasing the level of noise in the photo.

About professional monitor for photographer

Only a professional monitor meets the required parameters. What gives a professional monitor?

• Ideally even illumination of the entire area;
• maximum viewing angle. At the same time, there are no blackouts, which are most noticeable at the edges;
• wide range of color gamut in dynamics;
• the most accurate color reproduction. There is a possibility of calibration;
• the ability to display a uniform black color of great depth. The backlight of the matrix should not shine through it.

The last criterion is the most important.

Important: there is a myth that only professionals can notice the difference between a professional and a budget monitor. It's a delusion! Even a non-professional will see the difference in shooting.

Conclusion: professional monitors have high-quality matrices that are capable of displaying more saturated shades and transmit colors much more accurately. In addition, a professional monitor is capable of reproducing the deepest possible blacks.

A tripod is a steadfast helper

A professional photographer differs from an amateur in that he has a tripod in his equipment. It seems to the non-professional that a tripod is a device that you can completely do without. However, a professional photographer does not need a tripod to give solidity! A professional photographer takes pictures from a tripod to improve the clarity of the picture even in excellent lighting conditions.

Why do you need a tripod? The purpose of a tripod is to provide reliable support and fix the camera in a fixed position. When using a tripod, vibration is reduced when shooting at slow shutter speeds and in low light. It is necessary to approach the choice of a tripod seriously so that this accessory can last for many years.

About umbrella and softbox: what to choose?

Umbrellas cover not only from rain and sunlight. For a professional photographer, an umbrella is a very valuable accessory that is used for portrait and product photography, both in a studio and in an open area.

Why do you need an umbrella? The fact is that the light from the flash is quite hard. In order to soften it, professionals use various diffusers, such as softboxes. However, the softbox is quite an expensive accessory. But the umbrella is quite accessible to everyone. Interestingly, an umbrella is able to give almost the same result as a softbox. The umbrella perfectly reflects the light from the flash. The light is scattered, becoming softer. The subject is evenly covered, hard shadows and glare are neutralized.

Editor's tip: an umbrella should only be chosen by a novice professional photographer. The umbrella simplifies the mistakes in setting the light, which are inevitable at first. As experience is gained, the need will arise for more complex lighting schemes that require complete control over the light.

As soon as the photographer becomes a real professional, you will need a softbox. It seems that there is no difference in shooting when using a softbox and an umbrella. But this is only at first glance.

An interesting point is that the light scattered through an umbrella is able to emphasize the mystery of a woman's face, giving it mystery and charm. And to create male portraits, a more characteristic light pattern is required. All these nuances of the creative profession of a photographer come with the growth of experience.

Let's sum up. What should be included in the set of a professional photographer, and what can be sacrificed? A DSLR camera, a set of lenses, a professional monitor - things that you can't do without. An external flash is an important criterion for good quality pictures. Here you decide. A tripod is very desirable, but the absence of it is not critical for you. A softbox should be in the arsenal of an experienced professional photographer, and an inexperienced master may well get by with an umbrella.

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Here you go. Congratulations. You have finally bought yourself your first real "good" camera. It's the one you've been wanting to get for a long time! Now you have a creative impulse. Now you can move mountains! Now you are seriously taking up photography.

But we will moderate your fuse a little. Do not hurry. Not so simple. Buying a good camera entails, unfortunately, a lot of other purchases. What exactly do you need to buy first? What range of photography equipment does the manufacturer put on the market today? We assure you, and you yourself probably know, the choice is quite large. Very large.

What exactly will you need to work besides the camera itself? That's what will be discussed in our today's article.

The beginning of the creative path

Yes, indeed, when you have made the decision to take up creative photography, you may even become frightened by how much you can see on the shelves of specialized photographic stores. As they say, the eyes run wide. And if you look at the prices of these photo shops on their websites, you can go crazy in general. Including the cost of everything offered to you by these stores.

We dare to assure you that it is almost impossible to take some pictures without one or another specific equipment. Alas, this is true. But, if you think about it, it becomes quite obvious that some of the equipment you have does not take part in creating this or that image.

Today we will try to tell you about how you can, as they say, “squeeze” the maximum out of photographic equipment. We think that our advice will be useful to many. Basically, of course, for those who do not have the opportunity to purchase expensive and diverse photographic equipment from various prestigious manufacturers.

1. Five-in-one reflector

The main thing in photography is light. It is not for nothing that photography is translated as light painting. But sometimes it is precisely this, light, that the photographer just does not have enough to create this or that picture. There is not enough there, in that particular place, where exactly it is exactly what is needed. Do you want an example? Please. Outdoor portrait. On the street, as you know, the main source of light is the sun. Therefore, almost always the main stream of light comes from above. Well, and, of course, with such lighting, dark circles appear under the eyes of the person being portrayed and under his eyebrows. How to get out of the situation? Quite easy. You just need to redirect the sunlight in the direction you want. So to speak, turn the river back. And make the sun shine on the face of the model not from above, but from below. This is easy to do with a reflector. You can simply put the reflector in the hands of the model and show her how to hold it correctly. And if you are shooting a person who is sitting, for example, on a bench in the park - put the reflector right on his knees. And then from unpleasant and ugly shadows, including under the nose and under the eyes, you are guaranteed to be spared.

A five-in-one reflector is a very good helper in redirecting light. Plus, it's quite inexpensive. At the heart of this photographic accessory is a steel folding ring, on which diffusion material is stretched. Four other variants of the surface are usually fixed to the surface of this ring.

The main diffusion material of such a reflector itself is perfect for making a bright shadow out of the sun. This option with a reflector is very well suited for photographing small objects, as well as portraits at close range. In some cases, such a reflector can be used to scatter the light of a pulsed source, in other words, a flash.

Typically, a five-in-one reflector kit includes three surfaces. The first one is white. It serves to softly fill the object with light. The second one is silver. This one is for a strong, rich fill. And finally, the third - gold. It is necessary in order to make the luminous flux somewhat warmer. In addition to these three surfaces, a black surface is also included in some cases. It serves to eliminate excess light in order to return the shadow to some uniformity.

Five-in-one reflectors are a very affordable accessory for any photographer. It is inexpensive in its cost and quite small in size - it can easily fit even in the small pocket of your camera bag. We strongly recommend to get such a reflector. For whom? For those with a limited budget. For photographers who like to work in natural light. Cost: 20-50 dollars. The price depends mainly on the size of the reflector.

2. 50mm fixed focal length lens.

The most important part of your camera is its optical system, that is, the lens. It is the lens that creates the photographic image on the matrix. The matrix only fixes it. It just so happens that the choice of a lens for a camera is a kind of compromise between its many parameters. This is aperture, and focal length, and the quality of the created image, and much more. Also important in this series is the cost of the lens. Unfortunately, lenses, like any other high-precision optical and mechanical system, have always been quite expensive.

Now we will talk about a lens with a fixed focal length of about 50 mm. Now everyone is used to lenses with a variable focal length, and even 15-20 years ago, such lenses were a rarity. They were called zoomers then. Now, on the contrary, few people, except, perhaps, specialists and advanced photography enthusiasts, know about the existence of so-called "fixes" - lenses with a fixed focal length.

"Fix" can be safely called a necessary thing in the arsenal of the photographer. It is difficult to name the best of them. But, nevertheless, one of the most popular and common among photographers can be called. This is a Canon 50mm f/1.8. Lens with a fixed focal length of 50 mm. Sometimes such a lens is called "fifty" in jargon, or even more simply - "fifty dollars". Similar lenses are produced by several companies. But the Canon 50mm f/1.8 is the best for several reasons. First of all, it's quite small in size, but thanks to its wide aperture (f/1.8) it's quite fast. Canon 50mm f/1. creates a very sharp and good picture quality. Well, what is very important for some, it is not at all expensive for its price. So, if you have set yourself the goal of purchasing the perfect lens for shooting portraits, then choose this model. In addition, it will greatly help you take decent pictures in poor lighting conditions.

Of course, like anything else, the Canon 50mm f/1.8 "fix" has its downsides. Without weaknesses, especially in technology, it is simply impossible. The first minus is a cheap plastic case. Of course, this reduces the cost of the lens and its weight, but in no way adds mechanical reliability and longevity. Protection from bad weather, dust and moisture is also a weakness of the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Another disadvantage is that in low light conditions this lens focuses rather slowly. Also, this “fix” does not have an image stabilization function. And also a very small and inconvenient focus ring. But, despite all its disadvantages, the Canon 50mm f/1.8 attracts, first of all, with the quality of the created image and, of course, with the low price.

For whom? For those who want to purchase an inexpensive, but fast lens with excellent image quality.

Cost: $100-200. The price depends on the manufacturer.

3. Good reliable tripod

As we wrote today, very often photographers are limited in the amount of light when working. In low light, you have to make all sorts of compromises. This is mainly about settings. If you need to photograph with a slow shutter speed, then when shooting handheld, there is always an increased risk of eventually getting a smeared picture in the photo. Even an overexperienced photographer will not dare shoot handheld at shutter speeds longer than 1/15 second. Vibration in the hands is inevitable in any person.

Problems of this kind can easily be removed by the use of a tripod. When shooting from a stable and fixed base, vibration is virtually eliminated. So you can work even at the slowest shutter speeds, up to several tens of minutes and even several hours (if necessary). Solving problems with camera vibration when shooting is far from the only possibility that a tripod provides the photographer. The tripod significantly expands the creative possibilities of the author. For example, without using a tripod it is impossible to create some interesting special effects.

In short, a tripod is perhaps the most versatile and versatile accessory for both a professional photographer and an amateur photographer. It allows you to do things that would be impossible to do without it. The tripod cannot be replaced by anything.

But, nevertheless, when buying a tripod, let me warn you about something. Buying a tripod is like walking through a minefield. This topic should have been studied in advance and separately. The fact is that the industry around the world produces a huge range of tripods. From very bad models to very expensive ones. For your first time with a DSLR, we recommend purchasing a model from the end of the standard line from one of the well-known brands.

Look it up for yourself. This will expand your knowledge and experience in this area. But, nevertheless, we will still give one piece of advice: do not buy a tripod in department stores. A purchase made at a specialized outlet is much more reliable. For whom? For those who want to do macro photography, who like to shoot landscapes in low light, still life and portraits, for those who like various special effects when shooting.

Cost: 100-200 dollars for the first model purchased.

4. External hot shoe flash or wireless flash

This accessory is most often the first of a series of purchases made after buying a camera. But, unfortunately, inexperienced and novice amateur photographers sometimes take a very serious risk in their haste. The fact is that it is very easy to pay much more for a flash than you need it. This is mainly for this reason. Popular flash models from Canon and Nikon are very expensive. Their price includes, among other things, a huge number of various functions that a novice photographer does not need at all. And, to be honest, even experienced craftsmen use these functions quite rarely.

To get started, we recommend purchasing an inexpensive flash from a not very popular manufacturer, which would allow you to manually adjust the flash power. The E-TTL auto exposure system found in expensive flash models is, of course, very convenient. But it’s not difficult to master the manual power setting either. And the difference in the cost of these two proposed purchase options will allow you to save quite a lot. You will not believe it - to such an extent that instead of one top-end flash, you can buy two or even three, but not so popular brands. In addition, manual flashes are fully compatible with many radio sensors available today, giving you the perfect opportunity to work with them without attaching them directly to your camera. This kit will give you a lot of new creative possibilities.

A good flash gives the photographer enough flexibility in their work. Especially when you have to take pictures in low light. But the real taste in working with a flash you will feel only when you remove it from the camera. Two or three flashes, a radio sensor, as well as all kinds of light modifiers can radically change your approach to work, change your pictures beyond recognition. Plus, a few wireless flashes will give you a lot of creative options, you can learn non-standard shooting techniques. And if you also combine all these advantages with shooting from a tripod, then there will be no price for your creative work, there will be no ceiling for your creative flight.

Summary: if you properly study this issue, consciously and competently approach the purchase of a flash, then for the same money, instead of the top-end Canon or Nikon, you can purchase almost the entire set of flash lighting devices described above.

For whom? For those who need to take pictures in difficult light conditions, in low light. For those who like to experiment when shooting and create unusual images.

Price. 100 - 200 dollars. Depending on the brand and technical capabilities.

5. Main lens

Most likely, if you purchased your first SLR camera in a specialty store, and not in the market or under the counter from a dubious person near a liquor store. And this means that your purchase was equipped with a so-called kit lens. That is, the lens, which for this particular model is the basic, main one. Usually such lenses are very decent. There is no reason to be intimidated by the opinions of non-specialists in this matter, who very often scold kit lenses. Especially if your device came from the factory of a well-known manufacturer who tries to keep the quality of their products at a high level. But, nevertheless, do not forget that these same companies, such as Canon and Nikon, also produce other, better lenses.

Many of the basic lenses do not have sufficient aperture. Their second usual minus is that they create a not very sharp picture. And they are mostly plastic. And if you still set yourself such a serious goal of how to achieve success in photography, then you will probably want to buy a few more lenses.

The main lens of the photographer can be called the lens with which he works most often, which is inserted into his camera almost constantly. The lens that you take out of the camera only in case of special need, when you need to photograph something non-standard, unusual. You will be taking the vast majority of your photos with your primary lens. Most often, it is this, the main lens, after some time that begins to dissatisfy the photographer. It becomes "small" to him in terms of its capabilities, the quality of the created picture, and many other parameters. That is why they most often change the main lenses, and not the additional ones. Once you have experience, once you begin to feel the camera as an extension of yourself, you will most likely want to buy another lens.

And now imagine that such a moment has come to you. And financial opportunities add up favorably. You have come to a specialized camera store to buy a new main lens. Of course, the choice of lenses, as well as other photographic accessories, is very large today. We have already talked about this above. So, before making such a responsible and expensive purchase, we advise you to think a little. Think about what exactly you need, what is especially important to you in this lens.

So, you need to evaluate, first of all:

• lens weight.
• how often you will work with it in low light conditions.
• What do you dislike the most about your current lens?
• do you have such a desire that as many objects and elements as possible fall within the boundaries of your frame, or, on the contrary, do you want to zoom in on what is located far from you.

All these factors should influence your decision in the first place when choosing the main lens you need. Let's say right away: such a lens is very expensive. A good lens is a very expensive pleasure. If we are talking, of course, about a high-quality lens, with wide technical capabilities and released by a well-known manufacturer.

With so many parameters and technical characteristics, with such capabilities of modern technology, modern industry, in this case it is very difficult to give any recommendations. At least in one article, all this is definitely not fit.

But still, we will give you at least some recommendation. She is short. Before you buy a main lens for yourself, be prepared to shovel a sea of ​​\u200b\u200binformation. Learn as much as you can about modern lenses. Read specialized books and magazines, visit photographic sites, try to pester connoisseurs and high-class professionals. Get the most out of everything. And only after that stop in your choice. Remember that if the purchase is successful, then the lens will delight you with wonderful pictures for many, many years.

For whom? For those who have decided to seriously devote themselves to photography, as well as professional photographers. Cost (very approximate): 300 - 1800 dollars.

Setting up a simple home photography studio can be a very rewarding endeavor for any photographer. Whether you're a professional portraitist or a product designer looking to shoot, a home studio gives you the opportunity to work, and most importantly, learn and experiment. Let's take a look at a few basic things you need to set up a home photography studio.

Room.

First of all, you need free space - the more the better. If it is possible to free one of the rooms or at least part of it from furniture and other things as much as possible, do it.

Ideally, it would be great to completely empty the room before filling it with photo equipment. In real life, this is unlikely, there are a lot of things in the house besides a photo studio, so you have to put up with crowding.

In a room, you will need tight control of the lighting conditions at any time of the day or night. Natural lighting can certainly come in handy, but make sure to close the windows tightly, completely blocking out any natural light that can ruin the light picture.

Another thing to keep in mind is the temperature. Especially if you are going to work all the time and keep the equipment in the studio. For example, in the summer, a room can heat up by itself from the sun and working lighting equipment to very high temperatures, which is not very good for photographic equipment. In addition, models sweating from the heat or shivering from the cold are not the best subject for shooting. Therefore, think about maintaining an optimal climate and temperature in the room.

And the last thing you should also think about is soundproofing. If you are going to shoot only photos, then this will not bother you much, but if you are planning a video, then you should think about how much extraneous sounds can interfere with you, for example, the noise from a busy road outside the window. In this case, it is worth considering investing in some soundproofing.

Backdrop (background).

Every good studio has a few backdrops against which pictures are taken. You would be wise to ditch the expensive "professional" backs you may have seen in hardware stores in favor of something simpler. You need something with a dense, uniform color and an inconspicuous texture.

Backs are usually made from a variety of materials, including cotton, canvas, vinyl, and plain paper. The easiest and cheapest choice for a backdrop is plain paper, especially when found in large rolls.

But if you want to get a more professional studio and get better results, it's still worth spending the money and picking up an inexpensive backdrop material from a photo store or having it made to order.

However, for starters, for the first experiments, a simple white sheet or a roll of wrapping paper is quite suitable, with which you can build something similar to the photo below.

Light

Light is the most complex and expensive part of the studio. The choice of studio light is not an easy task and is the subject of a separate discussion.

In short, there are two types of light. Permanent and impulsive. The permanent one is cheaper, but generates a lot of heat in the studio and is not as versatile as the pulsed one. With pulsed light, you get much more power, very good light quality, and a lot more options. But it also costs significantly more.

To get started, you can purchase a simple inexpensive studio lighting kit. But for a good result, be prepared to fork out a decent amount in the future. And no matter how much you would like to save money, it is better to immediately buy an inexpensive set of pulsed light with two or three flashes and not a constant one. For a small home studio, this will be enough to get excellent results in various situations, and over time you can expand the kit.

Umbrellas and softboxes.

Looking at different lighting kits, you can start to toss between what is best for your studio - an umbrella or a softbox. Unfortunately, there is no exact answer, since both have their pros and cons. At the same time, both perform their task - softening the light.

Umbrellas are usually cheaper and more versatile. They often come with a reflective surface that allows you to control the light output - you can make the most of the light by bouncing or dim it by removing the reflector and shining the light directly through the material of the umbrella. Umbrellas spread light over a fairly large area and they work well in large rooms or when photographing a group of people. In addition, umbrellas are more mobile than soft boxes, they are faster to assemble and install.

Most professional photographers work with umbrellas and softboxes at the same time to achieve the best results. But if your budget is limited, then an umbrella is a great choice to start with.

Entourage and costumes.

What people often don't think about is a lot of crazy and at first glance completely unnecessary accessories and other junk. Creating a portrait is insanely boring for most people, so using costumes for dressing up and anything that can make shooting fun and enjoyable and get models excited can be quite relevant.

So it will be useful to keep in the studio all sorts of nonsense such as stupid sunglasses, wigs, toy jewelry and other nonsense that will “stir up” the most notorious clients - from clerks to children, causing a smile, good mood and liberated state.

The main thing is to make the person relax. A photograph of a person with a tense face “like a passport” will always lose to a photograph taken in a relaxed atmosphere.

Photo accessories.

Do not forget about the specific and often necessary equipment for the studio. It can be a refrigerator and a plasma TV or a laptop, but first of all think about the most necessary things. For example, you will definitely need a tripod or even two. You may need remotes or cables to remote control the camera.

If you use flashes, consider wireless controllers for them. Do not forget that a small stepladder can be very useful to choose a specific angle or hang a backdrop. And also a mirror, for those who, at the last moment before shooting, decide to check how it looks.

And further. Treat your spending wisely and try to be aware of your goals. Otherwise, creating a home studio can milk you a lot of money, some of which you will spend on expensive, but not needed or rarely used things. Therefore, always think carefully about what will be useful for you and what is not. Perhaps an inexpensive constant light is also suitable for your specific purposes, so there is no need to invest in a pulsed one, etc.

Well, the main thing. Don't be afraid to learn and experiment - shoot more, try new approaches, and you'll see for yourself what you need the most. Remember, a home studio is only the first step in getting your hands on the basics of working in a studio. And then you either start to improve your own studio or find the right professional one.

To date, photo galleries of the company's production have become popular on the sites of plants and factories. No wonder, because a person is proud of almost any of his victories, which everyone should know about: a three-millionth duvet cover, an overfulfilled norm, new Italian equipment, 5 years of the plant, etc.

And most importantly, capture the process itself: beautifully, solemnly, and people should look more than happy! Note for yourself that these productions cost a lot of money, and if you are called to take pictures of the production process - agree, and agree to a rather big payment for your modest labor!

Photo Idea will tell you how to photograph the production and work process correctly!

In general, production at an industrial enterprise looks unremarkable: at first glance, it does not cause much enthusiasm.

However, as soon as we see the work of a professional photographer, we immediately notice the scale of this production, the power of the machines, and the beauty of the industrial process!

So, let's begin?

What should be included in the photo report on the production of the plant / factory:

1. General view of the production (shooting from above, if possible - from a helicopter)

2. Production inside: workshops, warehouses, offices.

3. Happy workers in the labor process.

4. Production owner.

Remember safety precautions:

If they give out goggles, respirators, gas masks, make you wear a protective suit, a helmet, don't resist, put it on!

Are you a photographer! Your hands are very important and necessary (like any person). Therefore, do not pull your hands into production, there are workers there whom you better photograph in the process of work!

Take care not only of yourself, but also of your camera!

Do not forget that there are protective filters for cameras! Anything can happen in production, for example, sparks from a grinder can damage a camera lens, leaving small dots on the glass. Solvents and paint also do not bode well for the appearance of your camera.

Do not forget about other factors that take place in production: aggressive environments of chemical industries, high temperatures and powerful electromagnetic radiation. These factors can damage your equipment.

Photographing objects in the production area.

Objects are different: it can be a concrete mixer, a crane, a machine for manufacturing parts, or a workshop where work is done with casting molds from liquid metal.

In production, you may need both a telephoto lens and a wide-angle lens, and macro photography is possible, depending on the object you are going to photograph! Therefore, our advice is: Take as many lenses as possible to cover the entire range of focal lengths.

Working with bright flashes and light sources.

Almost any photo session in almost any production includes shots with flashes, sparks, light, laser beams and burning metal. We can immediately reassure the owners of SLR cameras - you have nothing to fear: your camera will not suffer. The advantage of SLR cameras is that the matrix is ​​open only for the duration of the exposure. And the owners of "soap boxes" are in fact at risk of losing their "photo assistant" forever.

In the process of shooting production, do not forget about the basic photographic techniques that you have been using for photographing other genres for a long time: this way you will emphasize individuality of your work.

A little about the tripod.

A tripod will definitely come in handy. BUT remember that in production there is often vibration on the ground and in the air, in many industries everything moves: floors, stairs, fences. Here a tripod will not help you, but will only complicate your "shaky" position.

Work as a director!

Working with the team / production workers is the most fun part of the whole photo shoot. Here you can show all your directorial abilities. Your task is to show: the complexity of the process! And these are thoughtful faces; this is some process in which more than a dozen people are involved, this is an attentive look, etc.

Please note that the person is in a clean working uniform, and, of course, smiling! He is happy that he works at THIS plant!

In heavy production, the main thing is people. Show the workforce of an industrial enterprise.