DIY Lighting.

[olleorama]

I made a beauty dish from a cake form. I use it with a hot shoe flash. It sort of works. A softbox is next on the list.

[Rick A]

Anyone try CFLs in their hot lights? If you don't shoot color, it would seem to be a pretty sweet deal. You could have more light and much less heat.

I bought a 2 light studio set off the bay that has stands, umbrellas, and cfl's for 'hot lights' the whole set-up set me back $60 including shipping. Its a nice set, but a little under powered. I am going to replace the cfl's with slave flashes. The slaves are fairly cheap(still) and I'll still have about a hundred bucks in the set-up, total. The lamps that came with the set are 26w and are supposed to be color corrected, since I mainly use B&W, I can't tell if they are. They are nice and soft, but a bit on the 'slow' side, 1/30@ f4 w/asa 100 film the way I tried to use them. I would like at least 1/60 @ f/11 for good DOF, and any wiggles. At least there isn't any(hardly)blink factor, as with strobes. Years ago I used SW photo floods, they were seriously too hot for comfort with people.

Rick

[Stephanie Brim]

I have 2 200 watt (equivalent) compact fluorescents, 2 100 watt, and 2 40 watt. The 40 watt are for mainly fill and they go in 2 6" reflective dishes. The 2 100 watt bulbs are going in the same size reflective dish work lights as the 200 watt lights that I use. This should give me enough to play around with...and it cost $60. I also picked up a piece of foam core and plan to pick up another one later on.

I left the camera gear in the car last night (and in the freezing-ass temperatures here right now I hope everything's all right), but I plan to take them out tomorrow after my kids go to bed to do some basic still life shots. Hope the hubby doesn't miss the red cotton flat sheet.

[darinwc]

Things to look for at garage sales..

some floor lamps have directable heads. I have one with 3 heads on it that i can individually turn on/off to control light output.

A folding projector screen makes a great repositional reflector. (but its heavy)

Tall metal planter stands can be found sometimes.. mount lights on them, cover with fabric.

If you are working with cfl's.. you could cut some foam core board into 'pyramid' shapes and put them over the lights as softboxes.
***careful that they dont heat up though, because styrafoam is VERY FLAMMABLE*** perhaps carboard + fabric would be better?

[darinwc]

I made a beauty dish from a cake form. I use it with a hot shoe flash. It sort of works. A softbox is next on the list.

Thats a great idea.. I bet chaining some olympus T20's in a ring would work.

[Soeren]

How about white shower curtains on a frame for diffusion? Mybe some of those rolling hangerthings can be converted to make up for the frame so it will be easy moveable.
best regards