Lighting Experiments
by Amanda on January 29, 2010
When I started my Winter Shooting Challenge Series, I briefly spoke about one piece of equipment I had purchased to help out with the low light problem on wintery PNW days. Oh, yes, I did just write PNW. If I’m going to be a Vancouverite, then I’m damn well going to start using terms like “Pacific North West”. I digress!
So the piece of equipment that I purchased was the Lowel Ego Light from Amazon. I have used it with my digital camera and my Polaroid cameras and I’m pretty pleased with how well it works. I wanted to share some of the results of my picture taking with this little light.
I shot the Polaroid above on a fairly overcast day. I set my shot up on the kitchen table next to a window to allow as much light into the shot as I could. However if I had shot it alone, I would have ended up with a blurry picture. I set the lighting system up on the opposite side to the window light, turned on the light and fired away my Polaroid. I was pretty pleased with the result.
This digital shot was also shot under similar circumstances. However, it was shot in a different room in the house and I should have used the reflector on the opposite side. As you can see, I got some heavy shadow beside the nest. In my next shoot, I will make sure to use the reflector to see if that helps with shadow.
If you are someone who likes to shoot indoors or late at night after the sun has gone down, then this little item may be something you could use. If you don’t want to fork out the cash, then you could probably fashion yourself something similar with items around the house. Don’t ask me how to do that however, I was lazy and bought one!
Have you got any lighting tricks you like to use when shooting indoors?
p.s. I finally got back a roll of black and white film that I shot in the snow. More on that later.
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11 Responses to “Lighting Experiments”
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I’m looking for something just like this I think – but I can’t find anything similar (or don’t know what to search for) on Amazon.co.uk. Any ideas?
glad you shared this. i need to shoot a wedding reception for a friend in a month or so and wonder how i could use this…
Lynne, it should come up under “Lowel Ego Lighting”. Try here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/379774-REG/Lowel_E1_10_Ego_Digital_Imaging_Fluorescent.html
Donna, it plugs in and therefore doesn’t move around much. It’s more a set up for something that you don’t want to use flash for.
Oh that sounds very complicated. My head hurts.
Looks like a nice little light that works well!
I have a couple of work lights that I picked up at Canadian Tire for about $30 with a nice stand. They’re incredibly bright and I need to rig up some kind of a diffuser for them. Also, they’re a bit big for my apartment. I also have a little pop up photo tent that works nicely for close ups on still life photos, plus, I sometimes fold it up and use it as a reflector. Multi-tasking!
Beautiful shots. I love the effect.
Gorgeous photos and I am so glad you posted about this…I’m learning!
I really like the light you get with this, especially in the the Polaroid picture, very nice. I wish it wasn’t so much money. I’m going to try to make something similar on my own.
That’s a really handy light! I’ve been using this clip lamp with a blasting 500W 3200K Tungsten bulb that I’ve had from my Photo-101 days years ago. It’s like simulated sunlight so I have to clip it from across the room and diffuse it just to avoid harsh shadows.
I’ve also seen DIY for a $10 macro studio here: http://tinyurl.com/strobist10dollarstudio which some friends have tried and seem to work great for them. I haven’t tried because since I live in an apartment, storage becomes quite precious.
Also, that 2nd photo is gorgeous. :) I love all the visible detail thanks to the lighting.
so pretty. i love the nest. i’m not sure that i mind the shadow… but i’d love to see what the reflector does. cheers. :::
Thanks for all the comments. :)
LOL Chantelle, maybe I’ll post a pic of the set up. It’s not tricky at all.
Amy, you basically just need some lights with a good diffuser. A soft, sheer curtain could even work.
Lili, I know all about the storage problem! Pain, isn’t it? If only we had rooms to keep all our camera gear in.
Tifanie, thanks. :)