Top 5 Advantages of LED Lights for Photography

November 28, 2016
Top 5 Advantages of LED Lights for Photography

If you are buying your first studio lighting kit or looking at an upgrade, you have some great choices available. LED lights for photography have become one of the most cost-effective and beneficial options available to both professional and hobby photographers. A few of the reasons to consider going with LEDs:

1. LEDs are available in a wide range of colors and intensities

Instead of adjusting your camera settings and your processing to your film, you can choose the LED lighting that fits your needs. LED lights for photography are available in either daylight or tungsten balance, as well as bi-color. While your eyes cannot always see the difference between one light and another, your camera can. By shooting with the right LED lighting, you can capture colors that look far more like they do in real life, saving you post-processing time later on. Many LED lights are also dimmable and can be brightened or lowered by remote control, giving you more control over the brightness of the lighting you are using.

RGB capable LED lights encourage users to boost their creative lighting techniques and experiment with unique light painting projects and interesting portrait lighting without the hassle of purchasing and switching out extra gel accessories.

2. Allows you to see lighting as you compose your shot

Flashes provide a strong burst of light only when you take your shot. With an LED panel, you can see how much light is needed while your are putting the scene together and to adjust as necessary. This way, you can get an idea of what you need right away instead of having a lot of trial and error along the way. While you may need to put an LED panel close to what you are shooting, the low heat makes it possible to do that without risk of discomfort or injury.

3. LED lighting runs cool

Many of us have been in studios where it quickly gets unbearably hot because of the heat given off by conventional lights. LEDs keep talent and photographers more comfortable throughout the shooting process. But, the cool nature of LED photography lights does not stop at making the room more comfortable. These cooler running lights have advantages over hotter conventional bulbs. An LED light can be squeezed into a corner where it would be dangerous to put a traditional light. Gels can be clipped to them without burning. And, running cool means there is little to no cool-down period when a shoot is over, allowing you to use your time more efficiently.

4. Transition from photo to video seamlessly

It’s common to need to capture both still photo and video footage on a set, and by utilizing an LED light kit you can easily accomplish both without extra gear setup. Continuous lighting is necessary for video work, so by fine-tuning your light placement in order to capture beautiful portrait lighting on your subject AND lighting the whole scene, you can enjoy working with a simpler equipment setup and leave your flashes at home.

5. LED lights use far less electricity and are long-lasting

LED lights convert 80% of the energy they use into light; compared to standard tungsten’s 20% efficiency, this is a huge improvement. An LED light that provides as much light as three 300w tungsten lights uses less than half the power of a single 300w tungsten bulb. Since most areas of the country are still reliant on fossil fuels for energy, you are doing the environment a favor while making things easier on your wallet.

Additionally, LEDs have a long life. You can go years without having to replace them, meaning that you are putting far less waste into the environment. LED lights are practically maintenance-free and provide over 25,000 hours of lamp life before it’s time to replace them.

There is no one right way to outfit your studio with lighting to get professional-grade results. But with the expanding range of LED light kits from Savage, you can gradually build up a high quality set up without having to break the bank.