Budget lighting for portraits in complete darkness at a campsite
Asked 7/24/2017
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I need to photograph groups of about three people at a campsite in complete darkness and want the cheapest setup that will still give decent results. I was considering a pair of 85W CFL bulbs with umbrella holders and umbrellas, but I’m not sure whether that would provide enough light for usable portraits. Would that kind of continuous-light setup work, or would a flash-based setup be better for this kind of shoot?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
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Using an existing camera's built in flash is the cheapest option. From there I'd probably recommend a speedlight/flash to provide more power and control. Even inexpensive speedlights/flashes offer significantly more power than the CFL bulbs in question and provide directional control -- without a hood, most of the light from a point source (bulb) will not fall on the subject.
A flash bracket can be a relatively inexpensive and easy way to place speedlight/flash light source off the optical axis to improve butterfly style portrait lighting. Light stands and umbrellas may allow for more flexible portrait lighting (e.g. broad, short, profile) but will require more practice and setup and hauling more equipment and better environmental conditions (i.e. less wind).
An advantage of a speedlight/flash is that operating it without additional light sources is very straight forward and well documented and can be determined directly from a particular speedlight/flash power specification.
Related Links:
Chuck Gardener's Tutorials are worth reading to learn more about lighting portraits.
David "The Strobist" Hobby's Lighting 101 course is also a good (and more polished) introduction to lighting.
Originally by user50888. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user50888
9y ago
0
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For this situation, a flash-based setup is the better budget choice. Even an inexpensive speedlight will usually give you much more usable light than a couple of 85W CFL bulbs, and flash is far easier to use outdoors in total darkness.
Why flash is better here:
- More power for portraits of small groups
- Better control of where the light goes
- Short flash duration helps freeze motion
- Easier to work at lower ISO and more practical shutter speeds
The absolute cheapest option is your camera’s built-in flash, but a separate speedlight is a big step up. If you can, get the flash off the camera with a bracket or stand for more flattering portrait lighting. Umbrellas can help soften the light, but they add setup time and can be troublesome outdoors, especially in wind.
The CFL idea is less ideal because continuous bulbs are relatively weak for portrait work, and without proper modifiers much of the light won’t efficiently hit your subjects.
So: yes, you can make portraits in pitch darkness, but on a budget you’ll likely get better results from one speedlight (or even built-in flash) than from the proposed CFL setup.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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