Don't throw stuff at me

Flutist

I didn't know where to post this and all you guys and gals here are so helpful to me and have all been my mentors.




I really want to get lighting because I can't always rely on my 430EX to give me the lighting I'm looking for. Can someone look at this link and tell me if this is what I want? I've never had lights before and don't have a ton of money, but I don't want to get crap either. I mostly take pictures of my family in my portable photo tent, but my husband's band is looking for a CD cover photo done at night.


Studio lights on ebay

ChatKat

Best you can afford
Rather than buy an inferior light set up, my opinion is that you would do better to buy a 580ex used for a little bit more with a diffuser like the Stofen Omnibounce or another modifyer of your choice. Save for an STE2 remote trigger or use the 580 to trigger the 430.

Sometimes cheap stuff is not worth much of anything. Editing to add that you'd still need to have some kind of remote trigger/radio poppers or PocketWizard for that system.

You can also be very creative with music. I recently saw an image in the rain lit by car headlights....think outside the box.

Flutist wrote:

I didn't know where to post this and all you guys and gals here are so helpful to me and have all been my mentors.




I really want to get lighting because I can't always rely on my 430EX to give me the lighting I'm looking for. Can someone look at this link and tell me if this is what I want? I've never had lights before and don't have a ton of money, but I don't want to get crap either. I mostly take pictures of my family in my portable photo tent, but my husband's band is looking for a CD cover photo done at night.


Studio lights on ebay

Flutist

So I should not get a light set with softboxes? I was thinking I'd get more use out of studio lights, while keeping my 430EX

ChatKat

Not that one
I wouldn't get one like that from Ebay. If you wanted a light system that is worth anything that won't be disposable at least look at the Alien Bee's.

If your budget is only in the $200 range than you are better off with a 2nd flash that is used.

Flutist

No, budget is a bit more than that. I don't know what I should be buying and how much I should spend being a novice photographe

ChatKat

Budget and experience
I bought studio lights almost two years ago with the thought that I would keep them for years and I bought Profoto but only after I took a class at the Santa Fe Workshops that was a week long that allowed me to play with an try every single kind of light and modifier in a studio and on location. We learned to use Grids, Softboxes, Umbrellas, strobes, power packs, gels, c-stands, clamps, backgrounds, flags, barndoors and more in a great setting in Santa Fe New Mexico.

The teacher was a photographer who had years of studio and commercial experience. It was the best $900 that I have spent for photographic education on lighting.

There are other classes that are on the East Coast - Neil Van Niekirk teaches lighting near you (www.planetneil.com)

Alien Bees are very popular although I was not impressed with the build quality of the ringlight I bought.

That said if you learn to use flash and a diffuser or umbrella first and learn it well, you would do better with strobe lighting and it's a good place to start.

Wes Weber

My experience of experimenting with multiple camera type flashes never really gave me the results I was looking for, so I finally sprung for a set of Alien Bee B400's. They have a kit for $600 that has stands, umbrellas, and flash units. As soon as I got it, I remember thinking "Ahh, this is how its supposed to work".

If your budget can stand it, I definitely recommend getting something like the B400 kit.

Here's a pic I took today with them:

Flutist

That's what I was thinking too Wes thank you. I will check those out.

Scott_Quier

I can second the suggestion/recommendation for Alien Bee strobes. The build quality might not be such that you can throw them across the room and expect them to work, but I have found that with a little care I don't have any problems at all. These have worked for me the first time and every time I've pulled them out.

The photos in this thread and this thread were all shot with a set of AB800 strobes and a couple of softboxes.

Here's a couple of shots of my setup for them...

1. From camera viewpoint with the front two strobes firing (you can see them on behind the gobos [the bi-fold doors])


2. From off in a corner, all 4 strobes firing


BTW - these were taken about 3:20PM on a sunny day. Note that the windows are dark - the wonders of appropriate shutter speed and aperture. I can't remember if the overhead lights were on or not - probably were on.

Trevlan

Scott_Quier wrote:

I can second the suggestion/recommendation for Alien Bee strobes. The build quality might not be such that you can throw them across the room and expect them to work, but I have found that with a little care I don't have any problems at all. These have worked for me the first time and every time I've pulled them out.

The photos in this thread and this thread were all shot with a set of AB800 strobes and a couple of softboxes.

Here's a couple of shots of my setup for them...

1. From camera viewpoint with the front two strobes firing (you can see them on behind the gobos [the bi-fold doors])


2. From off in a corner, all 4 strobes firing


BTW - these were taken about 3:20PM on a sunny day. Note that the windows are dark - the wonders of appropriate shutter speed and aperture. I can't remember if the overhead lights were on or not - probably were on.

Damn Scoot, that's a tight nice little setup. I'm going to be forced to throw out my living room. This year we are going to kit up! I promise you!

New camera, lights/modifiers, remote triggers, a couple of 2.8 lense. Wow. I'm going to be in the hole hard this year. LoL.

Oh, and a back drop holder with some back drops. This is expensive. I'd rather have muffin. Nahhh, I'd rather have the stuff!

Scott_Quier

Trevlan wrote:

Damn Scoot, that's a tight nice little setup. I'm going to be forced to throw out my living room. This year we are going to kit up! I promise you!

New camera, lights/modifiers, remote triggers, a couple of 2.8 lense. Wow. I'm going to be in the hole hard this year. LoL.

Oh, and a back drop holder with some back drops. This is expensive. I'd rather have muffin. Nahhh, I'd rather have the stuff!

Tight is right! You get a model (and her chaperone:D) and me in there, there's not enough room to swing a cat. This space is a part of my wife's office and is pretty much unused. If she moves from this space, I'll have to find an alternative. I've already been informed that taking over the front room and dining room at the homestead IS NOT AN OPTION.:sad

Flutist

Thank you guys for all your help. I'm going to do my research now.


Scott~

Are the AB's continuous lighting or do they only fire when the camera sends the single

Scott_Quier

Flutist wrote:

Thank you guys for all your help. I'm going to do my research now.


Scott~

Are the AB's continuous lighting or do they only fire when the camera sends the single

They are not continuous - they act just like flashes. They do take some getting to know - you have to be able to figure out where the light is going and what it's going to look like. Between that and a flash meter and you're set.

Flutist

Cool thank you!