Hallo All from Brentwood, Essex ( England) --- I started 'Studio Lighting' in about 1953 when I got my first 'Good' camera a British 'Ensign Selfix 16/20 Model II.
I found out about 'Photoflood Tungsten lights' from the School Photographic Society and bought a bulb and then had to find something to fit it into -- I tried a biscuit tin with a hole cut in for the electrical flex and holder -- well it worked 'mostly' but often when my Dad was coming home from Liverpool Street Railway Station in London the house would be in darkness as the lights had FUSED !! Many years later I got a proper reflector and stand from 'Marston and Heards' a wonderful Emporium for ex- WWII photography gear -- frequented by many 'Camera- Starved Impoverished Brits' -- I still HAVE that now ! Then even later in the 1970's I got a British 'Bowens' Monolite 750 Watt Special with variable output and did a lot of work with that -- then it was knocked over in a school and now it will charge up but not fire the flash. Then I got cheap a German 'Multiblitz' two head outfit in a black case with distribution board from a bloke who I taught Photography and had gone in with a Photography Student and even hired premises, then when the Student had got enough photos for his Portfolio LEFT and the poor bloke had to settle bills so I bought his flash gear. Then many years later I have been GIVEN four Bowens Monolites in a huge carrying case, with umbrellas, slave cells, two stands etc etc -- a bloke contacted a member of my Camera Club saying he was going to DUMP this flash gear if nobody turned up within two days as he was moving house- so I rushed there and got it ( Wife was NOT PLEASED at having 'another load of somebody's rubbish' ) so it is outside in the Garage.
I also have very old German 'Braun Hobby Automatic' outfits with several heads and several power packs. again saved from being 'Dumped' by photographers and from a deceased Camera Club member -- I had one in Germany in 1957-58 bought cheap in the Canadian Maple Leaf store in Iserlohn when I was in the British Army- under HALF the price they were in UK with all the dreadful TAXES on Photography gear. The wet cells are long gone but they work plugged into the mains. I have a Bowens and a Shepherd FM 900 flash meter.
I will show you some photos I have taken with these lights.
I found out about 'Photoflood Tungsten lights' from the School Photographic Society and bought a bulb and then had to find something to fit it into -- I tried a biscuit tin with a hole cut in for the electrical flex and holder -- well it worked 'mostly' but often when my Dad was coming home from Liverpool Street Railway Station in London the house would be in darkness as the lights had FUSED !! Many years later I got a proper reflector and stand from 'Marston and Heards' a wonderful Emporium for ex- WWII photography gear -- frequented by many 'Camera- Starved Impoverished Brits' -- I still HAVE that now ! Then even later in the 1970's I got a British 'Bowens' Monolite 750 Watt Special with variable output and did a lot of work with that -- then it was knocked over in a school and now it will charge up but not fire the flash. Then I got cheap a German 'Multiblitz' two head outfit in a black case with distribution board from a bloke who I taught Photography and had gone in with a Photography Student and even hired premises, then when the Student had got enough photos for his Portfolio LEFT and the poor bloke had to settle bills so I bought his flash gear. Then many years later I have been GIVEN four Bowens Monolites in a huge carrying case, with umbrellas, slave cells, two stands etc etc -- a bloke contacted a member of my Camera Club saying he was going to DUMP this flash gear if nobody turned up within two days as he was moving house- so I rushed there and got it ( Wife was NOT PLEASED at having 'another load of somebody's rubbish' ) so it is outside in the Garage.
I also have very old German 'Braun Hobby Automatic' outfits with several heads and several power packs. again saved from being 'Dumped' by photographers and from a deceased Camera Club member -- I had one in Germany in 1957-58 bought cheap in the Canadian Maple Leaf store in Iserlohn when I was in the British Army- under HALF the price they were in UK with all the dreadful TAXES on Photography gear. The wet cells are long gone but they work plugged into the mains. I have a Bowens and a Shepherd FM 900 flash meter.
I will show you some photos I have taken with these lights.
