Studio Lighting Equipment – What You Need To Know

Discussing the wide variety of lights and the infinite number of setup combinations in a photography studio could be the subject of a book. And in fact, there are several books dedicated to this specific topic. However, if you’re interested in investing in some studio lighting equipment, there are a few basic things that every photographer should know. With a good set of base tools, you should be able to adapt to most shooting situations and subjects. Here’s a breakdown on the most common types of studio lighting:

Continuous Lighting
These are the sorts of lights you may associate with movie production. Continuous light simply refers to light that is always present in the studio (as opposed to a flash which is there and gone). Though this type of lighting uses a lot more power and creates more heat, it’s a great way to have subtle lighting. Since you will be able to see your lights interacting before you shoot, youll have a much better idea of what the photograph is going to look like.

You can pick up a simple kit for continuous lighting online for a pretty reasonable price.Many photo stores have a section dedicated to studio lighting equipment, so it is really up to you on how much you want to spend. Look for a flash kit that has light stands, light fixtures, bulbs and a reflective umbrella. Continuous light can be provided by fluorescent, halogen, and tungsten light bulbs which you use is going to be a matter of taste and tone.

Studio Flash
As you may have guessed, this type of studio lighting equipment is dedicated to setups that utilize a flash like those used in fashion shoots. With flash setups requiring low amounts of power and generating even less heat, they are usually the best option when shooting human subjects for extended periods of time. You can get flashes in either moonlights or flash systems. Moonlights require only syncing to the camera while power-pack flash systems will have a central power point to which the flash heads connect.

Like continuous lighting, there are lots of flash kits available to choose from. Be sure they have lighting stands, umbrellas, modeling lamps (these allow you to preview your lighting) and the sync cords required to ensure your flashes fire at the right time. The easiest flash to use are flashes with sensors as they fire with your camera but they are more expensive.

It’s worth noting that combining these two studio lighting methods is one of your strongest options in getting good quality light. This will help you have lots of flexibility in your shooting so you will be up to the task no matter what comes your way. With starter kits starting as low as $50, you should be able to get some decent studio lighting equipment at a low initial investment.  And once you get your studio lighting set, then you can try using different types of lenses in the studio like learning how to use a zoom lens or even using a macro lens to get all different kinds of results.