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This is the first beginner's lighting kit that teaches while serving its purpose. It's available in several configurations, including two- and three-light kits for portraiture or product photography. Each kit comes with two (or three) heavy-grade, pneumatically-braked aluminum light stands, two (or three) umbrellas, a heavy-duty carrying case, a slate-colored cloth backdrop with a simple hanging system, and a well-produced two-hour instructional video.
The two-light portrait kit includes a pair of sturdy 500-watt variable-output tungsten heads housed in thick, heat-resistant plastic. The heads are color coded to correspond to positions on a cleverly designed 6x11-foot mat, also supplied with the kit, that spreads out on the studio floor and indicates standardized positions for lights, subject, reflector, background, and camera. This arrangement is specifically designed to produce the 1:2 lighting ratio considered most common for portraiture.
Westcott supports the Photo Basics system with a line of accessories (a five-in-one reflector, additional backgrounds, etc.) and a dedicated Website (photobasics.net). The site offers lighting and posing tips, photo contests, and even scrapbooking templates for the hobbyist, with more content still to come. From $400 to $500 (compare prices).
fjwestcott.com
| American PHOTO Editor's Choice 2007 | ||
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