Lights!, Camera!, Action!. Everything from full-scale model lighting to table top product photography here are four types of lighting that can help you take the spotlight.
Before you start using continuous lighting there are two things to remember. 1. Always change the white balance stetting on your camera to match the type of lighting you are using and 2. NEVER use a reflector to waft hair, it makes them bend and become damaged.
Arri lights
Arri lights are the largest and most powerful freestanding lights I have used, they have large tungsten bulbs that produce lots of heat. the dial on the back of the light controls whether it is a highly concentrated spotlight or a more diffused floodlight.
Image from Google
Minilight
Minilights are very similar to Arri lights except, as the name would suggest, smaller. Unlike the Arri lights, lighboxes can be clipped to the front of these to give a more diffused and soft effect. To change the colour of the light specialist lighing gels which are fire resistant can be applied, anything other than lighting gels or lightboxes must be attached using bulldog clips
Image from Google
Dedolight lights
Dedolight lights are mainly used for smaller table top shoots and there are normally three in a set. They use tungsten bulbs which again require a cool down time and although they are small they are very adaptable, there is an option to change the amount of light and also an option to change the colour.
Image from Google
Datavision LED lights
Datavision LED lights are smaller and more convenient than the other types of tungsten lighting as they have battery packs that can be charged and used on location or without a mains electricity supply. LED bulbs also do not produce heat, this means you don't need to wait for them to cool before packing away. There are buttons on the back of the lights which allow you to increase or decrease the intensity of the light, however as they are LED bulbs they produce a very flat, harsh light which can affect skin tones in an image.
Items you may need in your magic toolbox of goodies
stiff cardboard to waft hair
reflector
safely pins
blutack
masking tape
mosaic mirrors
extension lead
Health & safety
balance the weight of the light over one of the legs of the lightstand
make sure the bar of the lightstand is almost horizontal, not too high or too low
make sure all barn doors are open before the light is turned on
lights will become hot and may cause burns, leather gloves are advisable
if you are using a model, make sure you give them regular breaks as the lights give off a lot heat
lights must not point at the ceiling, it is a fire risk
cables bust always run along the floor. never in mid-air
when lights are hot the bulbs become extra fragile and breakable
DO NOT pack lights away until they are cool (about 45 minutes)
Ta dah, now you know the basics of continuous lighting!