It’s time for yet another update to my Baby Photography Lighting info! You might recall I did a previous post about my lighting here. Back then I was using a continuous light in a octagonal softbox. Recently I moved to a new studio and with the Sydney COVID lockdown restrictions, I saw the opportunity to get my dream lighting. A beautiful “wall of light”!
What is a Wall of Light?
Basically a Wall of Light is exactly as it sounds! It’s a wall of thin LED lighting panels placed side by side to make a large wall of light. It looks just like a huge window of natural light in photographs except it has a few huge benefits. Firstly, it’s artificial so it’s always the same strength regardless of the weather. And secondly, the colour temperature stays the same regardless of the time of day. You literally just flick a switch and you’re good to go. Another great benefit is that you don’t have an annoying light stand that you need to move around and it takes up no space. The panels are about an inch thick so it’s fantastic for smaller studio spaces.
What equipment do I need to build one? Is it expensive?
The main thing you’ll need are LED panels. You can get these relatively cost effectively at places like Bunnings or online on eBay. The number of panels you’ll need depends on how large a space you’d like. The larger your wall though, the softer the light. Your best bet is to get as many panels as possible. The biggest time and expense comes with installing the panels together. You’ll need some timber framing to enclose them as well as the expertise to wire them together.
How do I soften the light once my LED panels are installed?
Once your Wall of Light is installed, you’ll need some white ripstop material hanging in front of the panels to soften the light. This is a very cheap nylon material that you can buy from fabric stores such as Spotlight. You’ll need at least 2 layers to make the light nice and soft.
Rready to transform your own studio space?
I hope that you found this information helpful! I’d love to see some photos once you’ve transformed your studio space with your very own Wall of Light!
Good luck!