Lighting setup?

mpriest13

I have zero experience with off camera lighting. I am looking to invest is a strobe kit to do portaits of semi-large groups. Any idea where I start. I have checked out many websites but they are all over my head at this point. Any good beginner kits out there? Where do I start...I know zippo!

ziggy53

Lots of ways to go, depending upon your photographic intentions, your shooting style and your budget.

Do you need something extremely portable or is this a studio environment? Power source?

How much space will you have to shoot in?

What ceiling height?

How many people?

Full length or 3/4 length?

What arrangement for the group? How many rows?

What is your lighting setup preference? How many lights and what configuration?

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Let's start with these basic questions and then work from there.

dbveto

mpriest13 wrote: »

I have zero experience with off camera lighting. I am looking to invest is a strobe kit to do portaits of semi-large groups. Any idea where I start. I have checked out many websites but they are all over my head at this point. Any good beginner kits out there? Where do I start...I know zippo!

One good place to start is
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/02/welcome-to-strobist.html
There is alot of great information there and there are links to Midewest photo exchange http://www.mpex.com/index.htm they do have some nice kits.

divamum

+1 on Strobist. Regardless of whether you take the speedlight approach or decide to get studio lights, you can start to understand the basics of lighting which will help you determine your *needs*. Great site.

mpriest13

Needs to be portable. Mostly for wedding formals indoor etc... I would also like the flexibility of using simple off camera flash for engagement and family sessions outdoors. Portability and easy setup are a must...

ziggy53

For wedding formals I strongly prefer to use lines powered studio strobes. The extra power and rapid recycle rates are part of the decision. Setup times are similar between speedlights/speedlites and monolights if you use stands and large umbrellas, which I greatly prefer.

I tend to do a partial setup in another room, when possible, to help with setup time after the wedding.

This shot used 2 - 1800ws studio monolights plus a Sunpak 383 Super flash for fill. The monolights were bounced rearward and I couldn't have gotten the desired illumination or room light control with battery powered flashes. (I ran tests the day before to be sure.):



I do use battery powered flashes as appropriate and the following was shot just prior to the ceremony with a single speedlite and scoop flash modifier (Edit: I believe that I used a flash bracket as well.):



The following is very recent, just after Thanksgiving, and used 3 - speedlites; a Canon 580EX mounted on the camera as master, pointed up but with the bounce card in use, a Sigma 530 DG Super flash, camera left, using a scoop modifier on the flash and positioned up to the ceiling, and another Sigma 530 DG Super flash bounced into a 60" umbrella, positioned camera right and at ceiling height, but angled down into the scene. Both Sigma flashes were slaved E-TTL from the Canon master (proving that Canon and Sigma flashes are wirelessly compatible.):