Advice for 50 mm lens? OR a new Camera?

Anon_camnew1 wrote:

Thanks R2, when you say big softboxes, do you mean something like this? Im based in Germany thus the .de url. But you can see the pics.

https://www.amazon.de/Fotostudio-Dauerlicht-Tageslicht-Energiesparlampe-Transporttasche/dp/B00B5IB2MG/ref=sr_1_20_sspa?s=ce-de&ie=UTF8&qid=1535898755&sr=1-20-spons&keywords=softboxes&psc=1

Thanks, M

I always recommend using a light source at least as large as your subject. For instance, for full-length portraits I use 6 foot softboxes (180cm). They provide a nice soft even light, as exhibited here.

They come in different styles and I use the one stuffed with the aforementioned big CFLs (I use "hot lights" for stationary subjects, and strobes for moving subjects). If you use these for your 9' paintings, you'd need to move them far enough away from your painting in order to distribute light evenly (likely what the pro did).

With a smaller softbox (like the one you linked to) you'd have to be even more careful to get the light distributed evenly. If you can, use 4 of them for best coverage, or move them yet further away.

If you do use smaller softboxes and have trouble getting the corners lit evenly, you might try shooting multiple exposures, with the lights in different positions, then combine during Post Processing. This gets to be more complicated though (and you need to have a darn stable tripod).

Actually I am switching my studio lighting all over to 5000k, but right now its mixed between that and the whitest neutral light I could find previously but at least it stays away from blue hues.

Just make sure the light temperature is consistent between All  sources. This is paramount.

I am using the X-Rite ColorChecker Passport Photo system which works pretty well and saved me hours of minor adjustments.

Bingo. Glad to hear it. Also do the Custom White Balance thing to speed your workflow even further.

That said I still have yet to calibrate my computer screen with a Spyder or thing like that.

Spyders are fast and easy!  A must-have.

Best of luck to you,

R2