With the new Nikon D7100 digital camera, you expect to be able to turn your hand into almost everything. This versatile and flexible camera is designed to excel in all areas of photography. So, as soon as it is out of the box, many new owners will rush to take portraits and still lifes in the studio. Obviously, if you can, you should always shoot in natural light - especially if you shoot portraits. If this is not possible, a pop-up flash can usually provide the necessary fill, or you can use a flash that is neatly placed and removed. In most cases, these tools will help you get a decent result. But the time will come when you decide that you need more control, and at this point you will want to create a studio.
If you are creating your own studio at home, the ideal scenario is a room specially reserved for your photo. It must have sufficient space, high ceiling and have a length of at least 5 meters. Paint the walls with a color that does not reflect too much - black is perfect, but if you need to divide the room, then gray will be fine. Close the windows with a blackout material to make sure that the light cannot get inside, and also close the doors to prevent further contamination. Ideally, you want the light you control to carry your images. You will also need good electrical outlets.
Having closed all external light sources, you can decide what kind of lighting you want to have in your studio. Lighting is divided into two categories: continuous or stroboscopic. Continuous also has two options: tungsten or fluorescent. Tungsten is very popular for portrait work, because it gives good skin tones. Naturally, the light, both in the light and in the temperature (this can be a problem if you make your object sit under them for a long time). You would also like to use tungsten if you were shooting a video.
Fluorescent lamps have a more sterile white light with a bluish tinge. They are often used for still-image promotional photos because it is believed that colors are more accurate. Of course, the photographer must choose which one he prefers. The white balance in the D7100 settings will fix most of the lighting settings, but since you are responsible for lighting, it would be better to set the light so that the object appears the way you want it to see. Relying on the camera fixes, you just need to think to try and sooner or later you will curse your memory and catch up with Photoshop.
One great advantage of continuous lighting is that you can see how the object will be displayed in the picture in real time. This means that you are using the lighting correctly, and then you can confidently handle other variables, such as content and composition. With stroboscopy, you are sometimes not sure whether the flash was triggered or not. In many ways, continuous lighting is much simpler, and I would recommend that you start with this. However, when you need to photograph something or someone and create the impression of movement or freeze them in action, you will have to use strobe light.
Although strokes are harder to adjust, they give the photographer more flexibility. Flash power can be increased or decreased according to the needs of the photographer. This means that a photographer can design his lighting around his requirement for a shutter speed. Obviously, if the object is moving and you do not want to blur, you need a fairly high shutter speed. After mastering strobe lights is a great way to get the images you need. However, since they work on the package, they sometimes take time to charge.
If you start with a few lights, the easiest way to set them up is a soft box in the front and a spot in the back. The soft box emits a softer, more even light that is easier to measure. The soft box should be 6 feet away from the object, next to the camera. The other light should be at least 3 feet from the back drop, so that it gives a smooth background. I would advise you to get some shed doors for the back light, so the light does not spread where it is not needed. always install the trigger to the front lamp and make sure that both lights are on at the same time. In most lighting systems, slaves are built in these days.
I usually start shooting at 1/125 on f8 with ISO set to 200. This gives me enough flexibility to make a difference if I need to. Most studio lenses work comfortably on f8, and the shutter speed will capture most fluid movements. If you find that the lighting is a bit flat, move the soft drawer to get even more definitions and shadows, but always remember that more shadows can be very unflattering, especially if the object has an angular face or a big nose. I always start by doing standard shots - full length, half length, and then more rigid for the head and shoulders or portrait. By the time you want to try something more interesting, your model will be relaxed and you will become more confident in the equipment and your abilities.
