I am generally happiest when I just have to deal with the light I am given but I am having a hip replacement operation and going to be trapped indoors for a while so thought it would be a good time to learn and try and understand lighting. I have tried a couple of times before but grew annoyed and frustrated and stormed off to the garden to take photos of birds instead.

Does anyone have any good pointers as to how to get into it. There seem to be too many expensive tutorials etc. to know where to start!

  • ApatheticAbsurdist@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    There’s a book called Light: Science & Magic that covers a range of topics.

    A few things that wouldn’t hurt to have around:

    • camera with manual settings
    • a way to trigger the camera without pressing it (timer release setting on the camera, a cable release, or tethering it to a computer/tablet/phone)
    • A tripod to keep the camera still in low light.
    • Some pieces of white and black foam board to make little reflectors and flags with. Or maybe something like these LightRight Reflectors
    • Some simple spring a-clamps that can be bought from a hardware store for a dollar or so a piece (use them as legs to hold up pieces of foam board)
    • Some tracing paper or wax paper to use as a diffuser
    • a roll of paper to act as a seamless backdrop (can start with a bedsheet if you want to be cheap)
    • some basic clamp lights and light bulbs if you don’t have photography lights
    • optional: a flashlight to play with light painting (maybe some black tape if you want to make a little tube on the end to narrow down the beam)

    In this video they very quickly show how you can tape seamless paper to a wall instead of relying on having a more elaborate stand setup. Tape it to the wall and then drape it over a table to have a small table top setup: The Ultimate Guide to Seamless Paper Backdrop Photography | Tips and Tricks for Beginners and Pros - YouTube

    This video looks like it shows some ideas with light painting (light painting has grown to have two meanings… the one i was taught decades ago: painting the object that is sitting infront of the camera with light from different angles, and the other (which I’ve always called light drawing): using a flashlight to make an illustration by pointing the light at the camera): Light Painting Magic - Complete from start to finish including editing. - YouTube you don’t need to do something that large, playing with a small object on a table in a dark room is fine.