Setup for Hotel Room Modeling Shoot

[zerocool]

Guys,

 

Any tips for photo gear to prepare for some modeling shots in a hotel room. I have a Canon 70D with a 18-135mm lens, a manfroto tripod and a portable LED light.

 

Any suggestions on lenses or other useful equipment? Also looking for suggestions for a telephoto lens for street shots..

 

Cheers

Zero

[Little Evil]

Depends on the size of the room and natural lighting available to you. Smaller rooms (under 500 sq ft) can get by with one diffused speed light, maybe off camera with remote trigger and at least one reflector.  If the room is already bright, then you're just highlighting and coloring, so maybe even bounce it first.  Larger rooms might require monolights with box/umbrella diffusers.  Although, if you're in a corner penthouse that's all glass and facing the sun, then you might not need artificial light at all.  

 

That's all assuming you were talking about photography.  Video.....I have no idea.  

[Encora]

An 18-135 is a long zoom range.

A more suitable lens would be a 35/2.0 or faster, or a 50/2.0 or faster, if your room is big enough

Faster will allow you to separate your model from her background by lower FStop

 

18-125 will have high FStop number, making that difficult.

 

Prime lenses also give higher resolution then long zooms

[bungee]

Prime lenses also give higher resolution then long zooms

The lens has nothing to do with the resolution. The resolution is determined by the sensor and camera settings.

 

A more suitable lens would be a 35/2.0 or faster, or a 50/2.0 or faster, if your room is big enough

I would not buy a prime lens for photographing in a hotel room. The room is probably too small and you lose a lot of flexibility.

 

 

As you already have a tripod I would also get a remote trigger. This is useful to avoid camera shake and if you want to be in the picture. Make sure you get one which has the half way press that makes the camera autofocus and not just take a shot with the current settings.

 

Most hotel rooms have small windows which don't let in much light and are more often then not overlooked so you can't leave the curtains open. A speedlight flash is good for improving the light. I bought a 270ExII which is the base model which works fine. Don't use this on the camera but off camera. The only thing I will add next time is a hotshoe remote flash for camera and flash so the flash does not need to be in line of sight of the camera.

 

hotels also like low energy bulbs and soom seem to think darker is better. In the past I've taken clip on bulb holders and used 100w bulbs to increase the light level. Alternatively you can pick up bulbs when there and replace the ones in the table lamps if there are any.

 

If the camera is not wifi capable then a wifi sdcard is usful to send the pictures straight to your laptop so the girls can see them straight away. Having a mirror or photographing opposite a mirror is also useful so the models can see how they look.

 

I usually offer to copy the ones they want onto their phones at the end. I use irfan view to reduce the resolution down. You know when you've taken some good shots becuase next time you see them one of your pictures is their phone background.

 

ebay is probably the best place to look for all this stuff price wise.

[Crazy Gupta]

When using a tripod, don't worry too much about the amount of light. You can use long shutter speeds and just ask the model to remain completely still.

 

18-135mm lens should allow for a lot of creativity. You probably don't need any other lenses, unless you're serious about getting into photography as a hobby. Good quality Canon L Series lenses cost $1000+.

 

Regarding street photography, if you mean to photograph girls from a distance without them knowing, then you will want a 300mm or greater lenses.

 

For artistic or doco street photography, a focal length between 18 and 50mm is common - which your lens can do.

 

Good luck.

[zerocool]

What lens would you recommend for a hotel room?

 

The lens has nothing to do with the resolution. The resolution is determined by the sensor and camera settings.I would not buy a prime lens for photographing in a hotel room. The room is probably too small and you lose a lot of flexibility.As you already have a tripod I would also get a remote trigger. This is useful to avoid camera shake and if you want to be in the picture. Make sure you get one which has the half way press that makes the camera autofocus and not just take a shot with the current settings.Most hotel rooms have small windows which don't let in much light and are more often then not overlooked so you can't leave the curtains open. A speedlight flash is good for improving the light. I bought a 270ExII which is the base model which works fine. Don't use this on the camera but off camera. The only thing I will add next time is a hotshoe remote flash for camera and flash so the flash does not need to be in line of sight of the camera.Hotels also like low energy bulbs and soom seem to think darker is better. In the past I've taken clip on bulb holders and used 100w bulbs to increase the light level. Alternatively you can pick up bulbs when there and replace the ones in the table lamps if there are any.If the camera is not wifi capable then a wifi sdcard is usful to send the pictures straight to your laptop so the girls can see them straight away. Having a mirror or photographing opposite a mirror is also useful so the models can see how they look.I usually offer to copy the ones they want onto their phones at the end. I use irfan view to reduce the resolution down. You know when you've taken some good shots becuase next time you see them one of your pictures is their phone background.ebay is probably the best place to look for all this stuff price wise.

[tr1964]

What lens would you recommend for a hotel room?

 

Use wide angle lens and at least 1 slave flash light

[Palaeojeo]

Just shoot lots of photos with your 18mm. There is nothing you can do with the snaps anyway except post them here. You will never sell them.

[Little Evil]

Encora, on 21 Jul 2016 - 12:09 PM, said:

Prime lenses also give higher resolution then long zooms

The lens has nothing to do with the resolution. The resolution is determined by the sensor and camera settings.

 

 

It is possible that Encora was confusing sharpness and resolution, where he should have said prime lenses are generally sharper than zoom lenses. I'd agree for the most part, as prime lenses just have fewer lens elements. It's not until you get into the $2,500+ range that zoom lenses can be just a sharp as prime lenses. 

[MrDK]

If you plan to use the pictures in anyway commercial do not overlook a model release form

[tanloveyou]

Long lenses 70-200 can be used too

[Big G]

A 24/70 2.8 lens would work well.

 

You would need 2 flash, a main and a fill flash.

 

I would just shoot in natural light, and maybe a reflector to bounce some light onto the subject.

 

G