Advancements in technology mean that almost anyone can take a good picture. That tiny computer you keep in your pocket – your smart phone – contains a digital camera and built-in suite of software that rivals professional digital cameras from only a decade ago.

Photography [ fuh-tog-ruh-fee ]

Drawing with light.

The word “photography” literally means “drawing with light.” The word was supposedly first coined by the British scientist Sir John Herschel in 1839 from the Greek words phos, (genitive: phōtós) meaning “light”, and graphê meaning “drawing or writing.” (Excerpt from Napoleon.org, link in footnotes)

As such, I would suggest that what separates a professional photographer from a hobbyist is someone who understands light and knows how to achieve a particular look with lighting. It’s more than taking pictures, it’s making pictures. It’s not just the camera, it is the lighting tools we use that demonstrate a true mastery of photography.

Early photographers only had the sun to draw with. Think of the sun. What qualities does sunlight have?

-Sunlight is directional. That means you can tell which direction the light comes from based on the shadow it casts.

-Sunlight casts a sharp shadow. Unless there are clouds or some kind of filtration (trees/awnings) overhead, the shadow cast by the sun will be clear and sharp.

-Sunlight’s color is impacted by atmosphere. On a clear, blue day, you will have clean, neutral color. As soon as clouds roll in, however, the color of the light is going to change. (Hint: it goes green) At sunrise and sunset, the sunlight is traveling through many more layers of atmosphere than at high noon. All of that moisture, dust, and pollen in the air shift the colors toward the warmer end of the spectrum, which is why sunset snapshots have that trademark golden hue. Take a photo of a person next to a neon pink wall, and you’ll notice your subject gains a pink highlight.

-Sunlight is bright. Even a brightly lit office building will never compete with the brightness of the sun, it only seems comparable because our eyes adjust to the difference. Even when the sun does not strike the subject, there is still plenty of light in the shade.

Let’s apply these qualities of the sun to studio photography.

This blog is going to focus on the last point, Sunlight is bright.

You will need good quality strobe lights if you really want to master studio photography. Continuous (video) lights may work for simple still life photography, but they just won’t cut it when it comes to capturing the quality you’re going for as a professional photographer. The difference between continuous light and strobe light comes down to the bulb. Continuous light, as the name implies, is on all the time. You can look through your camera and see what the light is doing. Strobe lights can be much, much brighter because the light is at its fullest intensity only at the time of the flash. The flash tube is surrounded by a continuous lightbulb that allows you to get an idea of what that light will do, but you have to shoot a picture to see what the flash can really do. With a continuous light in a dark studio, you will most likely be shooting at a high ISO, a slow shutter speed, and a wide open aperture as well. These settings will impact the quality. Using strobe lights allows you to utilize the full spectrum of your camera’s settings.

Creative still life photography requires the right tools to succeed. You’ll want to consider a variety of factors, but it’s an expensive enterprise so your main question may be price. Sometimes buying a small kit is the fastest way to get you up and running, but you should also consider how you will grow your kit down the line. There are many light shaping tools to explore, and investing in a good brand from the beginning will ensure that you have more options available to you later on.

Recommended strobe products:

If you are investing for the long haul,

go with Profoto. They do not come cheap, but it is the leading brand for professionals and will never let you down. Their accessories are industry standard, and they even have dual purpose light heads that provide strobe and bright continuous light, in case you think you’ll include video in your repertoire eventually. If your goal is to shoot advertising product photography, Profoto is the only way to go.

https://profoto.com/us

If you are looking for the most bang for your buck,

go with Paul C. Buff.

You won’t find these lights at retailers, but this direct-ship Nashville original offers a variety of strobe heads and light modifiers that will allow you to stock up a studio at a fraction of the price you would pay for Profoto. To illustrate the point, a replacement flash tube for an Alien Bee (one of the Buff brands) strobe unit costs $50. The last time I had to replace the flash tube for my Profoto Acute 2 head, it cost a breathtaking $600 dollars.

So why not just go all in on Alien Bees? For one thing, they don’t have the power of Profoto. That matters if you’re shooting jewelry or other things that require a macro lens. (More glass takes more light, but we’ll get into that later). For another, the output on less expensive strobe units tends not to be as consistent as Profoto, a major issue in a studio setting where you are dialing in the light to tenths of f-stops. The variations in output also impacts the color, and even slight shifts from frame to frame are a frustration for someone trying to perfect their craft. Still, it’s a solid lineup, and you could do a lot worse. If you plan to shoot fashion ecommerce photography, the Paul C. Buff lineup will get you there.

https://paulcbuff.com/

If you are looking for reliable lights at a reasonable price,

go with Photogenic. Their StudioMax III lineup is solid, and is a great way to jump into studio photography without breaking the bank. They are lightweight and portable, and while not nearly as powerful as Profoto, for photographers who are just getting started, they do the job perfectly well. I keep my old kit as backup, and still find niche uses for them, which will pop up in future blogs. Whether you want to shoot product photography or corporate headshots, you can get started with confidence using the Photogenic lights.

https://photogenic.com/

Where to buy

There are plenty of other options out there, these are simply the brands I have worked with and can recommend. I would advise you to get thee to a proper photography store and see the lighting equipment in person if possible. Photography stores can be intimidating spaces for newbies, so be prepared to wait for slow times before occupying the store personnel if you’re going to ask a hundred questions. Respect that they are there to serve professionals primarily, but as long as they have time, you’ll get the assistance you need.

You might also consider searching Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace to maximize your money. You’ll need to test the gear, so don’t meet up in a parking lot and buy out of some random person’s trunk. Plug the light in, give it a few tests. It probably won’t come with a manual, so ask for a demonstration. Photographers like myself periodically unload old gear as we update, and I’m always happy to pass well-loved studio equipment on to a new enthusiast.

I live in L.A. and like to support local business, so I go to Samy’s Camera for most of my day-to-day photography needs. They have seamless paper, gaffer’s tape, and all the basics, as well as lights, c-stands, sand bags, every light modifier you can think of, and of course cameras of all varieties. Samy’s has a number of locations around Los Angeles and sell online, but you can find your local pro shop by searching “professional camera store” and your city.

https://www.samys.com/

If Samy’s doesn’t have what I want, I go to B&H Photo out of New York. They have everything. All the things.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com

You could order from Amazon, but why would you give Jeff Bezos more money when he doesn’t even let his employees use the restroom?