My initial lighting setup questions! urgent :)

[giorgio]

Hi

If you don't have time to read and would just like to help me, you can read this first.
I have a Nikon D80 with 18-135mm and an SB600 Flash, I'm new at photography, need to take good photos on locations for businesses facilities, groups, and executives.

1 ) Is it possible to have a lighting setup with the following?:
- 3 light sources(flashes) and their stands
- Umbrellas or diffusive stuff
- Required equipment to make them work
for like 400usd?
what kind of equipment do I look for?
So far I have amazon.com, bhphotovideo.com and ebay.com

=======================================
If you could read forward so you can have a better idea of what's my case it'll be very apreciated.

I'm in desperate situation where I need to buy equipment as soon as possible because is been days and we can't yet purchase what we need. Of course our devaluated Mexican peso urges me to choose very well.
Just writing this is taking me time.
I like to read a lot and strobist and all other sites are great and have read some info, I want to read each and every post but that is taking me daaays, I'll keep reading while this post is being answered.

I need to take a subject and some lights and equipment and practice now.

- The objective is clear: Need to take good business photos on location when company needs them for their Web site.
- Facilities, groups, portraits, office, etc. (NO landscapes, weddings, flowers, vacations etc.)
- I need to purchase the affordable options for what I need according to my case.
- My main business is Webdesign, not photography, and it will still be Webdesign so far. Not interested as a hobbie yet either.

For what I have studied..., I need a lighting setup.
I already purchased a Nikon D80 first, then reading more I realized I need off camera lighting so I came back and purchased the SB600 for 250usd at Best Buy.
I knew online would be cheaper but I'm on a hurry.
Then reading more I realized that I need more lightment equipment.
So here I am now.., trying to buy online. And our Mexican peso depreciating more each day.(I'm at the border so I pick up the packages at a friend's house in Hidalgo Texas)

Now, for what I have studied, I supose I would need more light sources, I already have 1 SB600. Maybe with 2 more strobes I could do good things like:
http://72.34.45.240/~web/sitios/x/lights1.jpg
http://72.34.45.240/~web/sitios/x/lights3.jpg

But I don't want to spend 400usd in just 2 flashes, instead, I want to spend 400 or maaaybe more on:
- 2-3 more flashes for light sources.
- the respective equipment for light manipulation. Mostly light difussive stuff and stands I guess.
- The strobe trigger equipment(cable?, wireless?)

The thing stoping me the most... is..
2) How am I going to get the flashes trigger??
By cable...? wirelessly?
3) Can I have a good SB600 and 2-3 aditional cheaper flashes so I could have more light sources?

Random questions on my mind:
I have read here about some remote flash triggers for about 35usd.. that's good. Will that work for my case?

My SB 600 is wireless.., ok.., but as I have read.., is true that's not going to work if is not on sight with my camera?
If I can't put a 250usd flash behind my subject for background light, then what kind of cheap flash would do the work?

BTW, I already bought The Digital Photography Book, vol 1 and 2

thank you very much to all

Giorgio

 

[giorgio]

So is this the equipment I need?
I made an ilustration.
Is not refering to an specific light distribution, but the general equipment needed.

A) Could a any Stantard strobe at ~40usd be anough?, I mean, is just light being triggered by the transmiter isn't.
For multiple strobes, a transmiter and a receiver for each strobe is the common way to go, right?

B) The ones on ebay at like ~40usd are the ones usually used?

So, if this is correcto, and I already have an SB600 strobe..., I would only need 2 ~40usd strobes plus 1 transmitter and 2 receivers(maybe 1 more for the SB600)
And then the aditional stands and light modifiers.

Right?
No issues like my Nikon D80 not triggering the strobes, etc.?

Estimated total: $ 255.00USD ...?

2 strobes = 80usd
3 umbrellas = 35usd
1 reflector kit = 50usd
3 color diffusers = 20usd
3 strobe stands = 40usd
3 strobe mounts = 30usd

thank you very much for any advice

Giorgio

 

[Pure]

mpex.com

look around.

Although pocket wizards are best for wireless triggering, albeit they are $300 a pair, you can get away with Cactus triggers, aka "Poverty Wizards."

You'd need one trigger, and a bunch of receivers based on how many and trigger voltage.

 

[RyanLilly]

Check out this thread, I have a very similar setup, you can add as many flashes as you want just add another receiver for each flash, you only need one transmitter that stays on your camera hot shoe. I use some Vivitar 285hv flashes, but there are others that work well too.
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...131896-new-toys-arrived-stands-umbrellas.html

 

[giorgio]

Well, I made the purchase...

I'm aiming to do mostly business photography for our Webdesign customers.

I currently have a Nikon D80, 18-135mm and a SB600 Strobe

FOR CONVENTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY:
From Mpex.com:

2 LumoPro LP632 Umbrella Swivel w/ Hot Shoe Adapter $16.99 $33.98

2 Interfit 8.5 ft Air Cushioned Light Stand $29.99 $59.98

1 Westcott 43" Collapsible Umbrella White Satin $19.70 $19.70

1 Westcott 43" Collapsible Umbrella Soft Silver 15" FOLDED $19.70 $19.70

1 Cactus V2s Radio Slave Set $29.95 $29.95

2 Cactus V2s Receiver Only $19.95 $39.90

2 Hot-Shoe to PC Connector $10.95 $21.90

From Adorama.com:
1 x $79.90usd Bogen - Manfrotto 715B Digi-Tripod with Ball Head & Case - Black Finish - Support 2.7 lbs $79.90USD

2 x $87.95usd Vivitar 285HV Non-Dedicated Shoe Mount Flash with a Maximum Guide Number of 140 @ ISO 100

1 x $17.95usd Nikon ML-L3 IR Remote Control Transmitter for many Nikon Digital Cameras.

1 x $14.95usd Flashpoint Flash Diffuser for the Nikon SB-600 & Olympus FL-36 Shoe Mount Flash

FOR PANORAMIC SHOOTING
From Amazon:
1 x $549.00usd Tokina 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 AT-X DX AF Fisheye Super Wide-Angle Lens for Nikon Digital SLR

1 x $199.00usd Nodal Ninja 3 MKII Stand Alone
(Well, this is one is going to be ordered in a couple of days.)

I hope I have choosed well, I'm new at this and still reading theory on tutorials and books
I'll let you know the results

If I could have added one more, it could be the reflectors and/or aditonal stand kit for the third Strobe.

Salutes

Giorgio

 

[RyanLilly]

You look pretty good to go. That is pretty similar to my setup, The only other thing I will throw out there is maybe a superclamp. I screw a hot shoe adapter to it, slip on a flash, and then I can clamp it to just about anything, the top of a door, a road sign, I-beams, whatever. I keep an extra flash and a super clamp in y normal camera case, just in case something comes up.

 

[ndredsox]

Great choice with the Vivitar 285hv's. Those are great strobes and do hold their value.