When I started photography, most of my photo shoots were done outdoors or in professional studios. With the impact of COVID-19 and the rise of the new Delta variant, setting up a DIY studio does not only improve the quality of your photographs but minimizes the health risks.
First, you are safe from the virus in the four walls of your home. Second, you don’t have to deal with the limitations of the lockdown measures. And lastly, it gives you a chance to be in total control of your creative process. Here are the top 3 gears you need when setting up a DIY studio.
CANON EF 85MM F1.8 USM
Nothing says social distancing like the Canon EF 85MM F1.8 USM lens. The lens offers fantastic image quality and focal length, allowing you to take close-up photographs of your subject while keeping your distance. I love this lens because of its remarkable shallow depth of field, which gives photos a sharp focus and blurs the background. The Canon EF 85MM lens is perfect for photographers who love to shoot portrait shots and capture motion without distortions. This prime lens is affordable, great in low-light, fast due to its built-in ultra-sonic motor (USM), and light-weight, making it easy on the hands.
The Canon EF 85MM lens is compatible with EF-mount and today’s full-frame models.
WESTCOTT BASICS LED 2-LIGHT SOFTBOX KIT
Light can make or break a photograph, so it is crucial to invest in good lighting when setting up your studio. When shooting outdoors, one can encounter light flickering, harsh contrast, or eyes squinting due to direct sunlight. When shooting indoors, you have more flexibility and control of the light. The Westcott basics LED 2-light softbox kit is a must-buy because it emulates outdoor lighting and elevates your photography. Whether you are shooting food, product, fashion, or portrait, the Westcott softbox kit allows you to choose the lighting direction, giving photographs a naturally soft look, reducing contrast and blemishes.
Westcott’s LED bulbs are daylight-balanced, providing accurate skin tones with a 95 colour rendering index (CRI) rating.
MANFROTTO ELEMENT MII TRIPOD KIT
Every photographer needs to own a reliable and steady tripod. The Manfrotto element MII tripod kit is a must-have for photographers and photography fanatics looking for an affordable and lightweight tripod for their studio.
It is engineered to give you more lee-way, better image sharpness, reduce camera movements when framing shots, and firmly lock the gear in place. This four-stage tripod is easy to use, portable and sturdy on the ground due to its dual-lock design.
The tripod kit also holds 17 pounds, supports CSCs, DSLRs, and compact cameras, and comes with a padded bag for easy transportation and storage.
This brings us to the end of the article. Thank you for reading and I hope you have learned a few things!
Visit your local Henry’s to order your Canon EF 50MM F1.8 lens, Westcott Basics LED 2-Light Softbox, and Manfrotto Element MII tripod kit today!
