One of the main problems that a person faces when trying to start making money in the world of photography is organizing his own photo studio. After all, high-quality product photography is simply impossible without proper lighting. The problem is that professional equipment for a photo studio is not only expensive, but also very bulky and inconvenient for everyday use. For those people whose work or hobby is closely related to photography, today there is an excellent alternative.
These are compact, portable photo studios, which are mobile lightboxes that are equipped with several lamps, a background and reflective panels. This set is quite enough to organize the correct lighting and photograph almost any object in professional quality. Among the various models of similar mini-photo studios currently presented on the market, mobile photo studios Simp-Q (simply - “simple” and quality - “high-quality”) have recently become widespread. We will tell you about them today using the example of the Simp-Q Mini model, which came to us for testing.
Today, different models of light boxes are produced under the Simp-Q brand. There are six of them in total, and half of them are stationary and quite large in size. They are designed for photographing fairly large objects and for portrait photography. The other three models of Simp-Q mini photo studios are precisely mobile, portable equipment, which in a matter of time turns into a compact case. This case can be easily hung on your shoulder and carried anywhere.
Mobile mini photo studios are aimed at photographing small objects, such as watches, small household appliances, shoe collections, household goods, tools, toys, food and other things.
Stationary mini photo studios Simp-Q
First, let's talk about stationary (large) mini-photo studios Simp-Q, which are distinguished by their rather large sizes and more serious functionality. This, in particular, is a spacious mini-photo studio Simp-Q Super, the design of which includes fourteen fluorescent lamps (5500K, 12W), two reflective panels, six light diffusers and multi-colored rolls for the background.
The dimensions of this mini photo studio allow you to photograph fairly large objects and things. The light box is installed in a stationary place and allows you to place various objects inside for proper lighting and photography. Moreover, photographed objects can also be suspended thanks to a special bar. This is not such a mobile option (the weight of the Simp-Q Super mini photo studio is 30.5 kilograms), but with a sufficiently large amount of space for shooting.
When photographing objects, you can ensure the correct distribution of light by using the top light, center area, left and right light switches provided inside the structure itself. Reducing glare, reflections and shadows on the subject is facilitated by a multi-row arrangement of lamps and the use of special light diffusers. The Simp-Q Super mini photo studio comes with two multi-colored paper rolls for choosing the optimal background. Overall, the Simp-Q Super stationary light box is an excellent alternative to a professional photography studio.
Another model of a stationary mini photo studio is the Simp-Q XL. This model includes sixteen constant light lamps, which allow you to organize the correct lighting for subject photography to obtain high-quality photographs without resorting to the services of a professional photographer. Photos always turn out clear and without unpleasant blur.
Light boxes Simp-Q XL can hardly be called portable (weight - 41.95 kg) and a budget option, however, they are the optimal solution, first of all, for stores selling a variety of goods - both small and quite large in size . In a short time, using Simp-Q XL you can photograph groups of products of different sizes.
The largest and most expensive of the Simp-Q mini-photo studios is the Simp-Q photo studio No. 8. It allows you to photograph not only objects of various sizes, but also people. Model Simp-Q No. 8 is a large light box that includes thirty-two fluorescent lamps (5500K, 16W) providing constant light, two reflective panels and six diffusers, as well as a black and white background.
The dimensions and design of this studio are such that they allow models up to 185 centimeters tall to feel comfortable inside the lightbox. Mini photo studio Simp-Q No. 8 has quite a wide range of capabilities, offering the photographer five different lighting sets with individual switches. The ability to play with light allows you to embody a variety of author’s ideas during shooting. The total weight of the structure is quite significant - 77.8 kilograms. Such a light box for shooting large objects may be of interest to shop and boutique owners, advertising agencies, professional photographers and designers.
Mobile mini photo studios Simp-Q
Among the mobile mini photo studios, we can note the Simp-Q Large model, which when assembled looks like a stylish, portable case made of waterproof material, a convenient top handle and side pockets in which you can put various photo accessories. The portable design of the Simp-Q Large light box consists, in particular, of two fluorescent lamps, five reflective panels and a diffuser. The delivery set also includes spare fluorescent lamps, a bar for attaching objects, various fasteners and a background (black and white).
It is enough to place objects in this light cube and you can play with the lighting, combining the arrangement of panels and building the optimal lighting scheme. This model, weighing 7 kilograms, is quite convenient to use, it can be easily stored and carried. It is suitable for shooting small objects or compositions of several things. The collapsible design allows you to literally transform the case in a couple of minutes and turn it into a ready-made photo studio.
The portable mini photo studio Simp-Q No. 5 is even more compact in size and relatively light in weight (only 2.6 kilograms). At the same time, it is equipped with all the necessary tools for professional high-quality photography of small objects, for example, costume jewelry, jewelry and small souvenirs. Mini photo studio Simp-Q No. 5 has two constant light lamps, three reflective elements, one diffuser and two rolls of paper material for the background. In addition, the delivery set includes a crossbar for hanging shooting objects if necessary.
Overall, this mobile light box is ideal for product photography. When folded, the Simp-Q No. 5 photo studio takes up so little space that its transportation and storage become extremely convenient. To use Simp-Q No. 5, you do not need deep knowledge of photography or any professional skills; even a novice photography enthusiast can handle setting the right lighting here.
Simp-Q Mini
Simp-Q Mini is the most affordable and yet has good functionality. It is highly portable, mobile and easy to carry. When folded, the Simp-Q Mini mini photo studio is an elegant mobile case made of white plastic. The case has a shoulder strap, which allows you to freely carry the photo studio with you, especially since the total weight of the structure does not exceed three kilograms. The Simp-Q Mini light box is very convenient on long trips - it takes up much less space than luggage. Using the Simp-Q Mini mini photo studio, you can organize full-scale on-site photo sessions.
The design of this lightbox includes two fluorescent lamps (12 W) with a constant color temperature of 5500K, three reflective panels and one diffuser. The kit also includes a background (black and white), spare lamps, clamps and a user manual.
The box of this studio is made of translucent material, which makes it possible to carry out product photography using only natural bright sunlight, which gives soft, uniform lighting and a minimum of reflections. Thus, you can do without electric lighting and shoot even in places where there is no power supply.
In order to transform the structure into a finished studio, you just need to open the case, fix the box, then secure the reflector with clamps and turn on the fluorescent lamps. Now you can place the subject inside the lightbox and start shooting. This whole procedure takes just a few minutes.
The compact mini photo studio Simp-Q Mini provides volumetric, uniform distribution of light, resulting in clear photographs of objects, without glare, unpleasant reflections or hard shadows. Professional-level product photography can truly be accomplished with such a small and lightweight design. At the same time, working with the Simp-Q Mini light box is incredibly convenient and pleasant. The Simp-Q Mini mini photo studio is designed for shooting small objects. These can be various souvenirs, wristwatches, stamps, coins, badges or small gadgets. Thanks to well-distributed light, photographs always turn out high-quality and pleasing to the eye.
Test photos:
The images are high quality with minimal shadows. Photos are very easy to edit in the editor.
However, it is worth noting that the mini-studio’s own lighting is not enough for full-fledged photography. At a minimum, a couple of side lamps are missing.
As an example, to understand what using a mini-studio gives, below are test photographs taken at home using a plastic background and a standard camera flash as a light:
Images taken without a box have uneven illumination (flash marks) and shadows, which are much more difficult to process in the editor.
conclusions
Advantages of using Simp-Q Mini mini photo studios:
Firstly, it is highly portable compared to professional photographic equipment. When assembled, the Simp-Q light box is just a regular case that you can take with you to any shoot.
Secondly, mini-photo studios allow you to quickly resolve any issues related to lighting, without requiring the use of additional lighting sources. The collapsible lightbox provides even distribution of illumination and the ability to use different lighting schemes, so you can take higher quality photos than using only the camera's built-in flash and background.
Thirdly, Simp-Q mini photo studios are convenient to use. It is enough to spend a little time to install the photo box, select a suitable background, place the subject in the center of a special area and press the camera shutter button. All this takes just a few minutes, and the result is professional photographs of objects such as jewelry, culinary dishes, dishes, china, stationery, computer accessories and much more.
Finally, mobile lightboxes are much more affordable compared to professional photo studios, which is especially important for those photographers who are just starting their creative career. However, Simp-Q mini photo studios may be of interest not only to enthusiastic photographers, but also to professionals in the field of design, photography and advertising, as well as collectors and online store owners.
Disadvantages of Simp-Q Mini mini photo studios:
The Simp-Q Mini light box can be recommended to enthusiast photographers who specialize in product photography, professionals interested in a lightweight, mobile photo studio, and online store owners who need a full catalog of products with high-quality photographs.
If you sell small-sized products through an online store, there is an operational need to upload pictures of new products.
High-quality product photos are important!
Folding mini photo studio (photobox), cheap and quick help for online stores
As you know, when a buyer visits online stores and looks at a product he is interested in, he gets a first impression based on what he sees. An image is the only way to visually understand and evaluate quality.
How to take high-quality photographs of products for an online store?
For many beginning entrepreneurs, this situation is a significant problem - they do not have their own specialized photo studio, and paying for the services of a professional photographer is an expensive task, and besides, it is not a quick task.
The way out of this situation is quite simple; for such shooting, you need a design that would allow you to take into account three components - a white, uniform background, a properly lit area and a camera.
The design of the simplest mini photo studio is in front of you:
You can play with colors:
The background for various products can be not only white, but sometimes yellow, blue or green, which can make the background more compatible or contrasting. For these purposes, the author of the invented studio included a set of background sheets in the delivery package.
You won't need additional spotlights or .
The built-in self-contained LED lamp allows you to take pictures anywhere, all you need is a 9-volt battery.
? Definitely yes! The author of a mini photo studio has created a relevant product to help small start-up companies. This is a necessary and easy to understand product. A similar design or purchase a mini photo studio ready-made.
Photographers now have a very large selection of accessories for shooting. Especially when the question concerns light or other elements for a desktop portable studio, which will provide wide functionality for product photography. Nowadays you can find various diffusers, reflectors and backgrounds. However, most accessories have a serious drawback. They are very bulky. Their cost is also high. Many shooting equipment can be made independently from scrap materials. You can organize a mini studio almost anywhere in a short time.
Your own solutions will be tailored to your personal needs and you don't have to be an engineer to design and create a light modifier or background. Everything is very simple. The main thing you need when shooting small objects is the ability to redirect and change the light.
A simple studio on your desk can be done very quickly at minimal cost. To work, you will need something that is available in almost any home, and if you don’t have something, you can buy it at the nearest hardware or office supply store. The main elements of the studio will be paper and adhesive tape.
You can change the setting to suit your needs and get different effects. If you want to create a permanent studio that will work for a long time, then this option will not be the best.
The entire assembly process consists of gluing together the necessary elements. You need to rely on the diagram. It's very simple. It is important to ensure that the height of all sheets is the same.
This is what the assembled structure looks like:
She doesn't look very professional, but that doesn't matter for a temporary studio. The main thing is that she will do her job in the best possible way. No one outside will see it, and the result will not reveal that everything was done for pennies.
When shooting in a studio, whatever it may be, the main thing is to properly control the light and be able to change it. You can work with any light source you like. This form of mini-studio will allow you to get good results with flash and natural light. Still, it is best to use one directional light source.
The main subject of the photograph is illuminated from the front. Since the side panels are black, they will control reflections very well. The band of light will be narrow and will not fill the object on all sides. This will add volume. The contrast will also increase.
The side panels can be expanded wider or moved at your discretion. This will allow you to change the resulting effect. Keep an eye on the background at all times. The side panels should not cast a shadow on it. This will be very noticeable in the photo and will ruin it. Almost any shadow will create an unpleasant gradient.
Given that the main subject is small and very close to the background, they will have the same exposure most of the time. Try using different background colors.
You need to build your composition especially carefully. Because the background is narrow, corners may get caught in the frame. This shouldn't happen.
When shooting in natural light, the light will most likely come from above. This can cause deep, dark shadows to appear. A small reflector will help correct this phenomenon. It needs to be positioned in front of the subject, but in such a way that it does not fall into the frame. By changing the angle of inclination you can achieve the optimal result. You don't have to buy a reflector, although you can find a small 12-inch one for a reasonable price. The reflector itself is made from ordinary baking foil.
The reflector can also be installed at the rear. This will soften overly harsh shadows that hide the details of the receding parts of the object. White cardboard can be used as a reflector. It is easy to install vertically.
The design of our mini-studio is very simple and compact, but it is also quite flexible. You can make any changes in minutes. You can change the following:
Black panels can be replaced with any color that will be in harmony with the main subject. In addition to color, you can change the material, for example, cover the walls with foil. With this configuration, the shadows will be filled with light and the subject will be more detailed, but will lose depth and volume. Different materials and colors can be used on different sides. White paper will create a less strong shadow filling effect.
If you used thick cardboard for the base, then you can cut out the central part from the back panel, cover it with translucent paper (a thin A4 sheet or tissue paper will do) and install a light source behind the hole. The paper will act as a diffuser. This will give you excellent backlighting.
Backlighting will greatly enhance the contrast. This can be used for a creative effect or to compensate for deep shadows by using reflectors.
The background color can be changed depending on the plot or creative idea. You don't have to limit yourself to plain paper. You can use fabric, wallpaper or even wood. All this will create a unique look and open up wide opportunities for creativity.
We have now described a small setup that is suitable for photographing various objects, such as mobile phones, tablets, jewelry, toys, figurines, etc. However, nothing prevents you from taking large sheets of cardboard, for example, from a TV box or refrigerator, and making a studio that will allow you to photograph large household appliances, interior elements, musical instruments, or even people.
Such a mini-studio is not a high-quality workspace that will last a long time. It is needed in order to quickly fulfill a sudden order or simply practice working with light. For beginners, this option will be ideal, since they will not need to invest a large amount of money, but they will be able to try out different shooting and lighting techniques in order to decide what style to work in next and what equipment to invest in.
Also, a portable studio made from scrap materials is very light. You can take it with you outdoors or to a customer who needs to photograph his product, but in case of commercial use, make sure that your homemade design looks decent and does not spoil your authority as a photographer and a serious business partner.
Based on materials from the site:
Most modern people are very sensitive to their photographs, because the cost of cameras reaches quite large sums, so the pleasure of filming should completely repay the money spent, however, if the quality of the photographs is good, then the composition of the photograph and style often leave much to be desired. Our task in this business will be to help amateur photographers, for which they will need very little starting capital, a desire to earn money and hands that simply grow from the shoulder joints. The size of the starting capital matters only for those who are going to open a small office for meetings with clients; in most cases, you can work from home; you will also need money to buy a good color printer if you want to earn more.
The set of raster graphics editors that you will need for work is not that large. First of all, you need to install everyone’s favorite and well-known Photoshop, which is already legendary. It is not at all necessary to thoroughly understand the program from Adobe, but it is still better to master the basics; for this, there are several thousand sites on the Internet with lessons for beginning photo designers. The main skills required are the ability to use layers, masks and adjust color/tone/contrast/brightness and, of course, the use of graphic filters. Unusual graphic filters become the main weapon. Other lesser-known programs can become additions to Adobe Photoshop. It is even advisable to buy software packages with ready-made sets of presets, in which case you won’t have to master them - it’s enough to just prepare a few edited photos using these presets. In addition to them, there are a lot of programs that work with photographs of all formats, turning them into a certain image style, as well as entire sets of software tools for design work in express mode - programs for making business cards, banners and other printed materials and outdoor advertising.
Further. Using software raster editors, it is necessary to prepare several layouts for demonstration to clients. The main difference between our business and any photo studio is the ability to quickly use already prepared presets, radically change the style of a photograph (oil drawing, old black and white photography, graphics) in a few minutes, followed by printing, and therefore the catalog of ready-made photographs should be extensive, allowing the client to quickly select the desired method of changing the photo. It is best to prepare a small album for photographs, which would contain finished works with a short description of the graphic style. The list and variations of photos depend only on you, your imagination and the number of installed filters and brushes for Photoshop, graphic editors and plugins.
How much can you earn? A question that is not so easy to answer right off the bat. In fact, a lot depends not so much on your ability to persuade clients and professional skills, but on greed. The average cost of working on photographs in express mode should be adequate, no more than one hundred and fifty rubles per job and an additional 15–100 rubles for printing a photograph on photo paper, depending on the size of the photograph. The profitability is quite high, because the cost of producing each individual photograph is not so much, if we calculate the costs of organizing a business and the cost of work, we get (I consider at average prices for the regions of Russia): rental cost (10,000 rubles per month) + payment of utilities (from 2,500 rubles per month) + purchase of a color printer with a continuous ink supply system (6,500 rubles for an Epson Stylus printer) = 19,000 rubles in the first month and 12,500 rubles for each subsequent month, taking into account the fact that the office can also be used for other needs. We will also assume that one pack of photo paper of 100 sheets costs 280 rubles, in this case the cost of 1 photo will be approximately 4 rubles for you (ink costs), it turns out that the price of 60 rubles, say, for one A4 photo, pays for the costs by 1400%. It's a small thing, but nice. Serving 10 clients per average photo size costing 30 rubles, we get: 10 x (120 rubles for work + 30 rubles for printing) x 30 working days = 45,000 rubles. This, however, is an ideal picture, but if you want to work, use advertising, and have the right approach to clients, the result of ten clients a day is not so much, you must admit.
By the way, using an office as a small design studio will allow you to additionally engage in any other business that uses a computer, Internet connection and other gadgets already at your disposal. In addition, having any office automatically allows you to come up with some additional business to work in the “real” world, without losing any profit from your main business. The business described above can itself be used as an addition to an existing business, because it does not impose any significant restrictions on the entrepreneur in his work, and also allows him to be in close contact with clients. Who knows, maybe a person who is photographed against the backdrop of a sea wave in Cyprus will want to buy a house from your real estate agency (and now all realtors are going through hard times). A business idea for organizing an express design studio can be put into production very quickly, spending a little effort and time on it, however, for real results you need to work a lot and invest not only money and labor into the business, but also all your creative energy , it will pay off and, perhaps, in six months you will have your own full-fledged photo studio, which will be contacted not only by private clients, but also by large companies, so that you can create design layouts for them and much more...
So go ahead and get the money.
It's much easier than it seems
The thought of setting up a photography studio with the right lights, backdrops, etc. right in your home is often daunting and seems unattainable. But you can rest assured that the portrait photography lighting equipment you'll need has gotten a lot cheaper and easier to use. Moreover, it does not require much space.
The beauty of a home photography studio, especially for portrait photography, is that you have complete control over the light sources. And also decide what additional accessories you will need and where to place them.
You decide for yourself what equipment to purchase, focusing only on your preferences and budget. Should I make do with a foam panel as a reflector or shell out for a life-size softbox? You decide.
If you want to save money, you should pay attention to sets of studio equipment for beginners, equipped with 2 pulsed light sources. At a cost ranging from 15 to 25 thousand rubles, you can purchase a kit suitable for the first time.
Newcomers to studio photography are often concerned about how to control exposure when the scene is illuminated by flashes. You can use the “shooting” method to estimate the light intensity using a hand-held flash meter. But you don't have to use this rather outdated method.
The histogram is an ideal tool for checking and adjusting exposure. A histogram can be displayed on the camera screen for any shot taken. Using a histogram, it is enough to check that the tones of the image are evenly distributed within its boundaries.
Below we show what the three exposure states can be - normal, overexposure and underexposure - and what histograms correspond to each of the states.
By decreasing or increasing the aperture value, you can adjust the intensity of light passing through the lens. This is the best way to work with exposure. Or try adjusting the power of the light pulse on the light sources to increase or decrease the intensity of the illumination.
Most studio kits for beginners include a reflective umbrella. This is a very useful accessory. It is very convenient to place two umbrellas “for reflection” on either side of the model. They create soft, evenly covering and pleasant lighting.
However, the photo above was created using "high energy" lighting, creating deep shadows. This was achieved due to the fact that only one source with an umbrella was installed to the right of the model and above the level of her head.
Due to the proximity of the source to the right side of the face, the largest “portion” of light falls on the model, and the opposite side of the face is less illuminated. The shadows were deepened by a black foam panel installed to the left of the model.
There are no rules that uniquely define your camera settings for studio portraits. But there are parameters, adhering to which, you can get better results. Let's start with ISO. It should be minimal so that digital noise shows up weakly in the pictures.
It's best to shoot in manual mode. In it you control the aperture value and shutter speed. In automatic and semi-automatic modes, the camera takes on these responsibilities.
Shoot in RAW format. Even if you monitor the exposure using the histogram on the camera screen, you may miss slight overexposure in certain areas of the image. Shooting in RAW format will allow you to correct the pictures taken in a photo editor.
If you shoot at a shutter speed faster than your camera's sync speed, you will see a black band on one side of the frame in your photos. This strip is the shutter “curtain,” which is still moving when the pulsed light source is triggered.
Obviously, a photo with a black stripe is a defect. To avoid this, just set the shutter speed longer than the sync speed. Most modern cameras have a sync speed of 1/200 second. Some cameras can sync flash at 1/500th of a second.
One of the most useful studio accessories is a radio synchronization kit. With its help, you can remotely control the moment of operation of pulsed light sources. Connect the receiver to one of the sources, install the transmitter on the hot shoe connector, which is located on the top of the camera. Now you can take photos without worrying about wires or being careless about knocking over your light stand.
You should also purchase a large softbox. This versatile item can be used to create a variety of lighting effects.
Take a few shots, then move the source. Place it on different sides, at different heights. Also, try lighting your subject's face on one side to create dramatic shadows on the other side.
As you can see, today there is nothing difficult about creating a photo studio at home. So if you have enough space at home, go to the store!
