STG Studios

DIY 3 Point Lighting for Still Photography?

Let me preface by saying I am NOT a photographer! I am trying to set up a little "studio" to take some photos. I am struggling with the 3 point lighting technique.
1. I am using shop lights from the hardware store.
2. I don't know what type of light to use or how bright they need to be. I am also using parchment paper as a diffuser.
3. How far back should the lights go? I am noticing that they are blinding the subject.
4. I have my camera on the tungsten setting but everything still looks washed out.

The biggest problems you will find with shop lights is that they can be harsh and that its tough to have lighting ratios between your main and fill lights. ( generally hair, background and fill lights are set at ratios far below the power of the main light) How far back you need them will depend on how powerful they are. Light falls off with the inverse square law, if you double the distance the light is 1/4 as strong but it will also cover a larger area. A good point was brought out about fire risk so whatever you use to modify the light should be far enough away and check it periodically to make sure you can comfortably touch the dissuser or reflector. If your lights are too harsh or blinding you may want to try to bounce them off a white surface ( with them turned away from your subject towards the material you are bouncing it off) white foam core board would be cheap and work well for this but again keep it far enough from the light so it does not overheat. Bouncing it would also soften the light a bit. I hope this helps. do a custom white balance with your camera to avoid color cast and if you can shoot in RAW

It does not deal with shoplights but you may want to go to strobist.com and glance through the lighting 101 and 102 sections for some good insight

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