Fluorescent Lighting for portraits

[Pete Watkins]

I'm contemplating investing in a couple of flourescent light source lights for portraits. Is this form of lighting practical for L.F.? Has anybody here tried this form of lighting for L.F. portraits? Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Pete.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Up to a year or so ago I used fluorescent lighting exclusively for portraiture. There are many commercial units--kinoflo are the best known, but I have also looked at Gyoury (sp?) as well as others. I settled on a home-brew kit, made of eight 55w 120v 5500k 21" bulbs (same Phillips bulbs used by Gyoury) purchased as a kit of bulbs, plugs, and ballasts from an online aquarium lighting store. The kit works well, and is just bright enough (f16 for 11x14 portraits at or near 1:1). I think I spent about $500 on the whole kit. It works great for digital or video too. My set up uses four bulbs (220w) as the key and has two additional lights (110w each) which can be combined or kept separately.

You could also easily build a 4' bank similar to the Kinoflo for cheaper with components from a hardware store. I like my kit because they are small and bright. Kinoflo lights are much larger (and unwieldy in a small studio) but produce a very nice soft light.

[Brian C. Miller]

Flourescent lighting is the same as hot lights, just without the heat. :) I have used it for B&W. I am planning on getting one of the new 85W CFL bulbs, which puts out an equivalent of 300W incandescent light, and see how well that works for color.

The drawback to CFL is the physical space it requires. A 500W halogen lamp can be put in a small space, but a CFL needs some room. Take a look at Smith-Victor (http://www.smithvictor.com/products/detail.asp?prodid=526&id=44&pid=2&s1=Lights&s2=Fluorescent+Lights++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++&nm=FL3), JTL (http://www.jtl-lighting.com/fluorescent-lights-kits.html), and ALZO (http://alzodigital.com/online_store/alzo_600_ex_portrait_studio_complete.htm). For my messing around, I'm just going to buy the $20 bulb and put it into a reflector from the hardware store.

[vinny]

I've done it and it is practical but has its limitations. I'd stick with t12 style tubular bulbs or the newer biax style fixtures rather than screw in cfl's. You can get your own ballasts and starters, then use kino flo globes if you like. The cfl ratings aren't set up by someone who owns a light meter though, usually much less output than advertised and they don't always last that long.

[Bruce Watson]

I'm contemplating investing in a couple of flourescent light source lights for portraits. Is this form of lighting practical for L.F.? Has anybody here tried this form of lighting for L.F. portraits?

Fluorescent lighting works for all kinds of photography. A couple of things you might want to consider.

First, fluorescent lights are large sources -- so they produce soft(er) lighting. If you want the old Hollywood glamor portrait look, you aren't going to get it with fluorsecents. You'll need harder lighting -- tungstens or HMIs -- something you can focus.

Second, for color work, you'll want to use full spectrum bulbs. Typically 5000K or 6500K color temperature, with a color rendering index (CRI) above 90. These bulbs aren't typically available at the local hardware store (try cinema lighting supply houses). Using any old bulb for color work is a lesson in color casts. Even the best cinema bulbs can have a sizable green spike however and might need a magenta gel to correct it.

Third, another alternative is LED lighting. Smaller, more efficient, and more robust than fluorescent. And for now, somewhat more expensive. The Light Panels and Cool Lights units are popular in video circles. LEDs often want a 1/4 magenta gel also.

You can find out more about fluorescent lighting, including suppliers, etc. on some of the digital video forums. Two I like are the DVInfo.net forum (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/), and the DVXuser forum. (http://dvxuser.com/V6/index.php) Both have lighting sections.

[Bob Kerner]

Yes, it can be done and for portraits I personally think Fluorescent light is kinder to the talent. Way cooler than tungsten, in terms of thermal temperature.

Here's a softbox that I use. If you look under Accessories, you'll see the Exchange Head, which allows you to use CFLs. I think I can get 4 CFLs into the head and it throws a fair amount of light without the heat:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/32213-REG/Lowel_LC_55_EX_LC55EX_Rifa_Lite_eX_500.html

It's not cheap but it is well-made for the price. Cool Lights has a great reputation in the video industry and if I were in the market for any more (non-strobe) lights, I'd roll with one of their fluorescents or LED units.

[Pete Watkins]

Many thanks for all the useful advice. Only one (probably stupid) question. When using a multi bulb lamp set up do all three or five bulbs show up as catchlights in the models eyes, and can this effect (if it occours) be cured by using a softbox?
Thanks again,
Pete.

[vinny]

Many thanks for all the useful advice. Only one (probably stupid) question. When using a multi bulb lamp set up do all three or five bulbs show up as catchlights in the models eyes, and can this effect (if it occours) be cured by using a softbox?
Thanks again,
Pete.

Yes, but you don't need a soft box to change that. Diffusion of all sorts it available in rolls and sheets. A layer oe two of visqueen will work if you're on a budget.

[Peter De Smidt]

I recently assisted on a video shoot where we used CFL bulbs, mostly 28 (or 23) watt daylight bulbs bought at Menards. We had inexpensive fixtures that held 4 bulbs and had an integrated umbrella holder. The videographer told me that while the bulbs do have a green spike, that it's easy to account for in post. (He's won an Emmy, and I was very impressed generally with his technical knowledge. He's represented Adobe at trade shows, for example.)

Using them with one of the Westcott Halos, http://www.fjwestcott.com/products/product.cfm?itemnum=2025&tbl=products&head=haloapollo, would be very viable, especially if you can get the front panel close to the subject.

The downside of CFLs are that they are quite delicate, and they release toxic materials if broken.

Here's a few tips: Put a small dab of electrical silicone on the threads of the lamp before screwing it in, and make sure to only twist by the base and not the tubes.

[Bruce Watson]

The videographer told me that while the bulbs do have a green spike, that it's easy to account for in post.

It can be done. Having done it, I wouldn't call it easy, and it takes some time to make it acceptable. And this is with modern software like Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.

But the bottom line is GIGO, just like with most things. Including still photography. IMHO, it's *always* better to get it right at capture than it is to try to correct it in post -- video, still, or sound. IMHO, it's better to spend the time searching out good bulbs (they *are* available) and gel them correctly as needed. And spend your post time on stuff that *has* to be done in post.

The phrase "fix it in post" just makes my blood run cold! Especially when someone says it about sound. Oy. ;)

[Peter De Smidt]

Generally, I agree, Bruce. The videographer (Tim Kolb) is very accomplished technically. He's one of the people who Adobe has explain Adobe Premiere Pro at trade shows, and he's the author, amount other things, of Focal Easy Guide to Premiere Pro: For New Users and Professionals (http://www.amazon.com/Focal-Easy-Guide-Premiere-Professionals/dp/0240805674/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292285838&sr=8-1). He tested a bunch of bulbs, and he was happy with the ones he used on our shoot. I'm sure he'd admit that there are better (but much more expensive) options.

Fixing it in post in not always a cop out. For example, when I change development of a negative, I'm "fixing it in post." Someone might look down on me for not adjusting all of the light sources perfectly for the image, but sometimes this just isn't feasible or economical, especially outside of a studio.

[rco3]

For what it's worth, my local Lowe's store (might have been Home Depot) stocks GE "sunshine F20T12", 5000K CRI90 875 lumen fluorescents. I have four of them in pairs spaced about a foot apart that I use for "window-lighting-esque" portraiture. Fine but kinda slow for B&W, pretty neutral color-wise for color film. I don't print wet color (or 'chromes), so I may be correcting for any minor color casts in my admittedly-imperfect scan process.

I find them usable. But I'm not trying to make money with 'em, either.

[vinny]

For what it's worth, my local Lowe's store (might have been Home Depot) stocks GE "sunshine F20T12", 5000K CRI90 875 lumen fluorescents. I have four of them in pairs spaced about a foot apart that I use for "window-lighting-esque" portraiture. Fine but kinda slow for B&W, pretty neutral color-wise for color film. I don't print wet color (or 'chromes), so I may be correcting for any minor color casts in my admittedly-imperfect scan process.

I find them usable. But I'm not trying to make money with 'em, either.

We use those on the show i'm on right now when we need extra tubes or 3ft lamps. They look pretty good. Chroma 50's are sold at some lowe's too.

[Henry Ambrose]

A correction with a very slight magenta gel over the lens will help on green color casts from your chosen lamp.