Gavin Hoey explores with the use of the smick.co.uk 3 head super softbox continuous lighting kit to take portraits. The kit is powerful and versatile, this is an alternative to studio flash for taking portraits, the main advantage is that you see what you get.
The kit uses energy saving compact fluorescent daylight bulbs which means that they produce great light and not much heat compared with tungsten redhead type lighting. It can be used as video lighting as well as still photography making this a very versatile bit of kit. www.smick.co.uk
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48 responses to “Portrait Photography using continuous lighting”
For those that want to know these Constant lighting setups will never give you the intense over all light of a strobe or speedlite. These constant lighting look more like "Movie" poses than portrait photos. This is not a bad thing just a different way to achieve a result. Biggest problem with Constant lighting is you need a Full Frame dslr as the APS_C cameras ( still on a Canon 60D don't laugh) require slower shutters due to capturing less light. For Video these setups are cheap and work great.
Terrible lighting. Terrible model. Terrible images.
Thanks Gavin for sharing your video very simple setup and explained very well
Thank you!
How much light did the soft boxes generate?
Super
This is what I needed rn. 11 years aint late. Im more on outdoor natural light portrait haha. Thanks for this
I need just one soft box with a boom stand that will reach at least 79 inches can you recommend ?
Hello Gavin.., I'm big fan of yours. You are the best mentor in photography. I watched this video long back. It is very very old video. Now days LED constant lights are too much in vogue. Not only me but lots of people would like to learn photography with these lights. Although these are video lights but we can use it in photography. Please please please make more videos on this subject with latest technology.
Excellent explanation
Thank you so much for this I've long been an advocate of continuous light .
Looks like Smick went out of business
Planning to buy this for white seamless backdrops for home studio fashion shoot.Be helpful if you'd give me a go or no go on that Gavin.Thanks.P.S. Bit on a low/tight budget.
Those photos are terrible. How does this video even have this many views
What lens was used in this shoot MM
You said theory when you should have said hypothesis. Theory means you already did your test and all the facts show it is correct. A hypothesis is a guess.
If you listen closely, this is basically a video listing all the reasons why you shouldn't use continuous lighting. Lol.
From iso.org: "Because 'International Organization for Standardization' would have different acronyms in different languages (IOS in English, OIN in French for Organisation Internationale de Normalisation), our founders decided to give it the short form ISO. ISO is derived from the Greek isos, meaning equal. Whatever the country, whatever the language, we are always ISO."
It's a word 'iso', not an acronym 'I-S-O'. Think isometric, isochronal or isosceles.
What is the black thing in the back ground
I bought cheep 2 set octobox for 32$ on amazon came with two lights 50w eco with 6500k temp output need to practis with it not happy with the kit too much light on my background might be my placment
Hi Gavin You are the best . In Iran, I see your videos in Persian in dubbing (( Translate into Persian )) I suggest traveling to Iran and being our guest for a while . My English is not good at all. Forgive me I love photography and enjoy your photography I wish you success Goodbye
Thank you for explaining the importance of adjusting the ISO when using continuous lighting vs flash!
Do you use umbrella continuous strobes? Do you prefer softbox's over umbrellas because in umbrellas it diverses the light more? I may be needing to photograph two to three people in a shot, so i'm thinking that umbrellas would be best in order to spread out the light more when using continuous light? Thanks for your input.
Am I the only one who thought the photo was mediocre?
Gavin thank you for a very simple video making life a lot more simple for a down to earth beginner like me. I have a lot more confidence to go and buy the lighting and backdrops and make a good go of it. It'd be nice to know what camera you are using and would I get similar results using me Nikon d7100, D90 or d40. Isn't you tube great? You can learn just about everything you need to know on here. Thanks again.
Gavin, you are an amazing teacher!
Thats so kool
Thanx
I hope you get Gavin back, he is the best in the trade.
Why do the pics look soft and not sharp
What camera did you use
Hello am Frank from Ghana, i recently got a loadstone studio set(1800w versatile complete background support lighting kit with square octagon softbox) am facing challenges with how to position the lights to have a good exposure. Please can you help me?
How would you recommend placing this type of 3 continuous light setup for group or for full length shoot situations?
Hi! hopefully you're still answering questions :/
I have a 3 light setup as well, but I haven't purchased any bulbs yet. the reason being that I've seen it is recommended to use full spectrum CFLs instead of the limited spectrum you get out of the normal CFLs. These bulbs are a lot more expensive than the normal ones, however the main issue here is that full spectrum CFLs are not available in my country (Chile), I can have them shipped here and that's not a problem, but I wonder if it's worth the extra trouble and money to buy them abroad and ship them here.
So basically, I'm asking your opinion as a professional, would you get a MUCH better outcome out of a full spectrum or the difference is not enough to make it worth the trouble.
Thanks!
Spectacular video!
What are you setting for your white balance for these photographs?
This is exceptionally useful if you want to use shallow depth of field in the portrait (allows for a nice fall off after the eyes, and a faster shutter).
What size
I'm on the weird side of youtube again!!
Thanks, Gavin, very good. It would have been useful to see the images taken with the 1, 2 and 3 lights alongside each other to see the differences.
WHY is it that among ALL of these tutorials, NO ONE lists the wattage of the lights used?
Super great helpful video , Thank you for sharing !!
Thanks for it !
Hi, I really like the softer effect that you seem to get in some of your videos. There is another one with Freya too. Is this because your using continuous lights instead if flash? I am assuming so as the other times I have seen such an effect is when natural light is the main source. Many thanks for great videos
Hello, i have 2 softbox continues light setup at 105 watts each buld, what camera setting should i use. I have a canon t4.
Thanks for that.
that was helpful; thanks
Excellent tutorial! For the longest time, I was convinced that I had to save up in order to buy the monolights and flash units…. Now, I am not so convinced.I am in the process of purchasing some continuous lights; so it looks like I just need a white muslin and I will be good to go… Oh and one of those cropper things for my camera. lol…. In either case, thanks for sharing.
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