Lighting equipment? Recomendations?

[swissdude]

With my jobs I've got coming up and I'm still new but want to progress on the first track, I'm on the move a lot -

What kind of lighting equipment is recommended for someone like me to buy to assist me in my shoots?

A lot of it will be a mixture of indoor outdoor shoots and it is primarily glamour/fashion related shoots.

I don't own any lighting equipment, so far have always rented out now I have some money saved to invest in my own -

Any recommendations what I should be looking for and a good online shop where I could buy from? Europe based or with shipping to Europe if possible

 

[swissdude]

Something easier to carry around with me - something portable type of easily foldable etc

 

[bigtwinky]

Well...what did you always rent? What did you like about that? What didn't you like about that?

A few things (I'm pretty new to off camera lighting)... you can do alot with just a few lights, no need for 6 lights, at least, not right away.

Alienbees seem to be a good start for alot of people. Small, portrable. You'd need a power pack though. I'd suggest getting the 800s, more power is usually better.
I believe starting off learning manual is the way to go, so you really don't need to invest in the brand name high end flashes. While they are good, and will permit the TTL if you chose, they are not needed to start off.

One flash I'm really liking is the LumoPro 160. Almost as powerful as the Canon 580EXII, fully manual, many options to sync it with other lights. Simple, straight forward. You can buy them at www.mpex.com. With that, you'll need a stand, a bracket to connect the flash to the stand, a modifier (umbrella / softbox).

A reflector is a great idea. I can see alot being done wiht just 1 light and a reflector, or 2 lights and a reflector for even more options. Same idea for other accessories... stand + bracket are needed

For other modifiers, it depends on what you chose to shoot with. If you are going with flashes, then something like a Rogue Flashbender is a great tool to help shape the light. A lot of people used the Honl product line for modifying their light (grids, snoots,...), but the Flashbenders seem to do just as good of a job, are flexible and easily storable.

If you are going with flashes, I'd suggest getting a good quality battery charger and some good batteries with an mAh of 2500+.

 

[swissdude]

I'm using the Nikon D7000

I want to keep my set up as simple as possible - I'm mainly going to be shooting indoors

What's the best? - I don't want to haul an umbrella of softbox around with me .. I'm a 1 man show ;p

What do you think?

 

[Stephen.C]

Bigtwinky, you really are the man. Always fantastic responces.
Everything i would have said, you have covered haha.
Tripods work for flashes, but recently i bought a cheap promaster flash stand and also a bracket, and i will never go back to a tripod.
Will be buying an umbrella soon.
Goodluck !

 

[Nubbs]

I am also new to lights and had the same portability in mind when I was buying equipment. I also didn't want to spend a whole lot of money.

I went with Speedlights, 3 flashes and 3 stands with 2 umbrellas and a soft-box. Along with other on flash defusers, Cybersyncs, hotshoe adapters.

All of that fits in one medium size duffel bag, and cost me less than $600. If i decided that i really like shooting with lights and want something better I will upgrade to a Alien Bees 2-3 light setup. If I decide i do not like shooting with light I am not in to deep financially.

 

[swissdude]

I am also new to lights and had the same portability in mind when I was buying equipment. I also didn't want to spend a whole lot of money.

I went with Speedlights, 3 flashes and 3 stands with 2 umbrellas and a soft-box. Along with other on flash defusers, Cybersyncs, hotshoe adapters.

All of that fits in one medium size duffel bag, and cost me less than $600. If i decided that i really like shooting with lights and want something better I will upgrade to a Alien Bees 2-3 light setup. If I decide i do not like shooting with light I am not in to deep financially.

Hi Nubbs, sounds like we are in the same spot - what kind of photography do you like to specialise in? The amount you've spent is almost the amount I want to set also as my budget - sounds like you purchased a lot though - can you explain to me exactly what those lights are you got? What's the purpose of each one? And why you needed them?

Also what camera are you using?

Guessing your at a similar level to me if not more ahead, would appreciate any help dude - thanks

 

[Nubbs]

I shoot Canon 7D

I do not specialize in anything at this point. I just shoot whatever I can get in front of my lens. i shoot stuff i normally would like just for the opportunity to actuate the shutter and learn. I like shooting people living their life and being themselves. I really want to shoot more motorcycles on location which is why I bought such a portable kit.

I have an old 430ex that I picked up on ebay 2 years ago for $50. I also have 2 430ezii's one I bought of a guy that was having a fire sale for $125 and the other off craiglist for $175. I have had the first 430ezii for about a year now. I bought a Lightsphere off ebay for $50 and then I bought very inexpensive stands and modifiers off of Amazon and ebay I might have $125 in all of that. I bought a transmitter and 1 receiver for $40 and than had to pay retail for one more receiver $70. $13 for 40 batteries from Costco. so i was wrong thats actually about $650. Thats my set up I havent done much with it as of yet but as soon as the weather changes a little i will be loading one of my bikes up and rolling out to some locations. I live in an apartment in the city and do not have a lot of room for storage. I also like to keep life simple and easy. this whole set up fits in a carry on size bag. You by no means need all of this stuff. I have seen some amazing shoot using one light and reflectors. i like to shoot at night and i also have an issue with not having a tool when I need it. i had the means to buy this much equipment so i took the opportunity. That doesn't mean you need to buy all of this.

With this set up I can light the front wheel and back wheel and throw some light onto the background of the back side of a subject to get a halo effect.

You have to be patient when looking for deals and be willing walk away if the deal doesn't feel right.

Hope this helps. Happy Hunting

 

[bigtwinky]

I understand you want to keep things portable, but you will need to have a way to diffuse the light. The most common way is an umbrella, which can be a pain shooting outdoors (think Mary Poppins), but are fine for indoors. For more controlled difused light, softboxes are the way to go. Alienbees (Paul C Buff) actually makes some decent collapsible softboxes

You can shoot bareflash, but the light will be harsh. If you are shooting models and such, doing editorial or fashion, you need some soft diffiused light.

Most common / cheapest = umbrella
more control = softbox
for portraits = beauty dish

But again, I strongly suggest using some way to diffuse light.

If you do go the umbrella route, there are two ways to use them...shoot through or bounce.

Check out David Hobby's blog (aka The Strobist). He covers ALOT of the gear in his Strobist 101 post.

Lookee this --> Strobist: Lighting 101
I did the leg work and got ya the post.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Unless you are in England where AlienBees are distributed I would find something else. Preferably a brand that is sold and/or rented in your area. It has saved my ass a few times to have a dealer nearby.

As for portabitlity, I used to fly to NYC with my gear regularly... several cases worth of strobes, stands, modifiers, etc. Portability is a state of mind. One thing to remember when picking gear is how it is going to be used, how often, on what kind of jobs, etc. When I show up for a shoot and the client is paying me a bunch of money, I don't want to look like a strobist and, because I use my strobes every day, I want them to be proven, consistent and solid with good customer service from the company.

And you are going to need umbrellas and/or softboxes as well as some reflectors and maybe diffusers also no matter how light you want to travel. Some things are an absolute necessity. Maybe you need to charge more so that you can hire an assistant.

 

[swissdude]

Thanks bigtwinky - for the strobist article, I'll take a good view of that once I get home - At office now

CLoudwalker - I'm originally but for the foressable future will be in Switzerland and it's where I want to set up for now.

The jobs I've done so far and the requests I have is very much in the glamour scene. I'm a gym maniac, in there 7 days, networked recently and when people find out my job which is in the Interactive sector and seen the work I've done, I've had a lot of people in the fitness business and fashion business coming to me asking for me to do stuff.

So I want to concentrate on that sector -

I have a Nikon D7000

At the moment I have no lighting set-up as I don't know what to buy.

It seems like a Softbox will be the best option for me from your guys responses - so I think a softbox will be a definete in the next week I will purchase. Any recommended one's or brands?

And as for strobes, I would like to use strobes for sure - with the use of strobe's what the best/portable one's to get and how many is recommended to achieve a decent/glamour shot?

Do I need an extra flash unit you think even with the pre-built in one with the Nikon D7000?

 

[gsgary]

Ive got my eye on the Elincrom Ranger Quadra ELINCHROM - Ranger Quadra RX but also looking at a cheaper option Calumet Genesis 300B Flash Head

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I use Broncolor for several reasons but they are not cheap. As I said, find the brand that is sold/rented closest to you. If you can go to a dealer when you need something instead of waiting a few days for delivery it will:could make your life easier.

As for how many strobes you need, I started with 3 plus a load of reflectors and if you know what you're doing you can get very nice results. Of course, it also depends what you shoot. Fashion/glamour could be done with 3 strobes but I don't know anything about fitness photo so I couldn't tell you. I shoot a lot of cars in the studio and there's no way I could do it with 3 strobes. You need to get a few, start learning to use them and you will see what it is you need.

And you buy the strobes before the sofboxes so as to make sure they fit together.

 

[swissdude]

Ive got my eye on the Elincrom Ranger Quadra ELINCHROM - Ranger Quadra RX but also looking at a cheaper option Calumet Genesis 300B Flash Head

What exactly is the Ranger Quadra? It looks massive but in the other picture the girl is just holding it infront of her and it looks small?

 

[swissdude]

I use Broncolor for several reasons but they are not cheap. As I said, find the brand that is sold/rented closest to you. If you can go to a dealer when you need something instead of waiting a few days for delivery it will:could make your life easier.

As for how many strobes you need, I started with 3 plus a load of reflectors and if you know what you're doing you can get very nice results. Of course, it also depends what you shoot. Fashion/glamour could be done with 3 strobes but I don't know anything about fitness photo so I couldn't tell you. I shoot a lot of cars in the studio and there's no way I could do it with 3 strobes. You need to get a few, start learning to use them and you will see what it is you need.

And you buy the strobes before the sofboxes so as to make sure they fit together.

3 Strobes? Whoa - are they easy to carry around? Which strobes would you recommend as starter entry one's to invest in? Also - how does the strobes have anything to do with "fitting" with a softbox?

Sorry for the noob questions but really appreciate all your help