Crown

[Kyle]

Kyle - you've used the word "flashes", so I assume you have at least two?

Nope, only have one. If I said "flashes" I really meant "flash". I currently have 1 Yongnuo 568 EX II, 2 light stands with shoot-through umbrellas, a 4 socket adapter for one of the stand and a third smaller stand for another continuous light.

2. Cutters, flags, gobos, scrims, etc. i.e. devices you put between the flash and the subject are very important tools in the type of photography.

I'm not exactly sure what you just said to me! . I've heard the term gobo before but I haven't heard of any other. I've watched quite a few hours of portrait and studio photography but I clearly have a ton more to learn. I'll make sure to look these up. I have also heard of the light still problem from umbrellas. I did experience that when attempting to use them for my shots. It was so bad I just stopped using them. As with your first tip, it also made it easier to use only one light.

Thanks for the additional comments!

[Manfred M]

A cutter or flag are two different terms for the same thing and are used interchangeably - you "cut" or "flag" the light from your light source to prevent it from hitting your subject in places where you don't want it to. Mike was referring to this in his previous post. It is a way of containing light spill.

The are usually black (to ensure that light is not reflected). I will sometimes handhold a flag and either use the camera's time to release the shutter or use a remote release so I can do so.

A gobo is an abbreviation for "go between", as it it goes between the light and the scene. These are usually used in multi-light shots. As an example, if you want to shoot a scene that looks like it is a jail cell, you might get a piece of cardboard and cut out a pattern of bars and then position that so the shadow is projected onto the background or the subject to give that "prison look".

A scrim is a diffuser - something you put between the light source and the subject to soften the light.

One other issue you will run into if you try to shoot with flash and continuous light. Flash is daylight balanced and runs around 6500K, the continuous light source runs at whatever type of bulb you are using, so it will give off a different colour temperature than the flash. This two light sources tend to not play together well.

[Kyle]

My lights are supposed to be 5500K but I haven't actually verified that. I realized after I purchased them that the money may have been better spent on a second flash. Or well, a trigger and stand for the flash I've got now (which I've had to purchase anyway). Oh well, I'm sure I can find use for them and they help to see the shadows without having to take an actual shot. I also got 3 stands and 2 umbrellas for quite cheap.

[Mike Buckley]

I'm also not a DIY kind of guy. I'm terrible with my hands. I assembled a pre-manufactured fancy snow shovel today that rolls on a wheel and it took me more than two hours. Anyone else would have done it in less than an hour.

However, when it comes to studio stuff, an awful lot of the accessories by their very nature are DIY stuff. That's because the ability to hand cut them to the precise size and shape makes them better than anything that would be pre-manufactured at the wrong size and shape. Using the analogy of the kitchen, the string you use to tie up the turkey is pre-manufactured. The DIY aspect is that you cut it the ideal length and tie it yourself to meet the exact requirements at hand. That's true also of many of the accessories used in a studio, such as a piece of foam core, presentation paper or gaffer's tape.

As you communicate about this stuff, keep in mind that the industry does not use terminology universally the same. As an example, the three pros who wrote Science: Light and Magic use the terms gobo and flag interchangeably. Yet other people who know an awful lot about this stuff, such as Manfred, were brought up using the two terms to mean quite different things. So, the only thing that matters is what is being accomplished by the tool you use, not the name of the tool itself.

When you look at my website, most of my images were taken using continuous-light lamps. Otherwise, I use speedlights when necessary. I would prefer strobes because they are the best of all worlds except size and expense.

I use 5500K continuous lights and speed lights in the same setup with no issues. However, I do fine art photography rather than documentary photography produced to entice prospective customers to buy or rent the subject being photographed. I would be much more particular about Kelvin ratings if I was doing the latter kind of photography.

[Manfred M]

As you communicate about this stuff, keep in mind that the industry does not use terminology universally the same. As an example, the three pros who wrote Science: Light and Magic use the terms gobo and flag interchangeably. Yet other people who know an awful lot about this stuff, such as Manfred, were brought up using the two terms to mean quite different things. So, the only thing that matters is what is being accomplished by the tool you use, not the name of the tool itself.

Just to complicate things, the same type of equipment is used in motion picture / video and still photography. I was first exposed to these devices while taking a college level video course and I think "cutter" was more commonly used there than "flag". I remember getting strange looks when I referred to a "flag" as a "cutter" when I took a studio lighting course.

I even heard "gobo" used to describe anything that went between the light source and the subject, so you are right Mike; consistency? What consistency?

On the other hand; "gel the lights" seems to have only one meaning, so at least that seems consistent across theatre, motion picture and still photography.

[Kyle]

. I use 5500K continuous lights and speed lights in the same setup with no issues. However, I do fine art photography rather than documentary photography produced to entice prospective customers to buy or rent the subject being photographed. I would be much more particular about Kelvin ratings if I was doing the latter kind of photography.

That's good to know. I'll still focus on single light to start but as I get more experience I can work in more lights and try to mix the two forms of light.
I don't think I'll be doing any sort of documentary photography. This is all for fun. Unless someone really wants to throw some money at me.