Episode 4: Studio Portrait Photography

Audio Only:

Welcome to another episode of Stuff You Need For. This episode we cover the stuff you need for studio portrait photography, focusing on the great, easy to learn, portrait lighting you can get out of the new wave of continuous LED products that’s hit the market in the last few years, along with some very reasonably priced modifiers you can find from sellers on Amazon. Check out our recommended setup and example shots below:

Lighting Equipment:
Dot Line RPS Studio CoolLED 200 – $430.
Dot Line RPS Studio CoolLED 100 – $270.

Backdrop:
White (or black) Seamless Backdrop Paper – 4.5 ft ($30) for individuals or 9 ft ($50) for group shots. Buy locally to save on shipping.

Modifiers:
Fotodiox Pro Softbox 32′′ x 48′′ with Speedring for Bowens Gemini Standard, Classica Powerpack, R Series, Rx Series and Pro Series Strobe Flash Light – $50.
LA Softbox 8"x36" Hairlight for Bowens – $50.
Neewer 43-inch / 110cm 5-in-1 Collapsible Multi-Disc Light Reflector with Bag – Translucent, Silver, Gold, White and Black – $17.

Support and Accessories:
Manfrotto 1052BAC compact, air cushioned stands – for lights. $84.
Manfrotto 367B basic stand – for backdrop. $81.
Manfroto 272B crossbar. $71.
Cheaper option: Linco Single Crossbar Background Support System – $75 total.
Seville Classics Stainless Steel Top Work Stool for your subject. $50.
A used Sekonic L-508 light meter is not a necessity, but will help you dial in your settings.

As usual, product links to Amazon produce a small commission when you buy something after following the link.