Lighting for Home Use?

[rCOSIO]

Hey Everyone ...

I would like to purchase some lighting for home portraits for friends and family with a couple of different backdrops and wondering if anyone has pruchased the below set or from this website/company:

CowboyStudio Photography Lighting Equipment | Studio Accessories

Your feedback will help tremendously! Any advise on simliar products in ballpark price and different place, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Big Mike]

That's a pretty cheap kit...and you get what you pay for.

It's rather low powered. The lights have a Guide Number of 36, power rating of 160 Ws. That's not a lot but might be OK.

The recycle time is 5-7 seconds....zzzz, way too slow.

I don't know about the overall quality...but I'd guess it's not great. That might be OK if you are just shooting family & friends...but if they are too bad, they'll just end up collecting dust.

By the way, a typical 'portrait studio' kit should be three or four lights. One for a main/key light, another for fill, one for the background and one for hair/accent. Sometimes you need two for the backdrop (bright/white background) and sometimes you need two for hair/accent (dark background).

 

[Moonb007]

I had a soft box that I used at school and it worked great. You would also be surprised what you can do with a couple of canon external slave flashes.

 

[Big Mike]

You would also be surprised what you can do with a couple of canon external slave flashes.

Doesn't need to be Canon flashes...MPEX Strobist Kits

 

[rCOSIO]

Hey guys thanks for the response.

Big Mike ... i understand I will need a few more lights and will get them as i go. Plan on using my Canon 430 to trigger these two flashes. Although, do you think I should get the 220v for same price as the website says?

Also, do you happen to know another site I can start off with a little better quality thats not too cheap?

Lastly, they have some background kits .... anyone know of a cheaper place to get a 10x13 muslin and stands?

 

[Derrel]

Here is an article based around an AC powered monolight that retails for $99 per monolight, and is available in a kit with a light stand and umbrella for $129. Shutterbug: Studio In A Small Space

When learning about studio flash, I think a modeling light helps in positioning the light or lights, adds additional light onto the subject for focusing, and also keeps the model from having excessively dark, colorless eyes from pupils opened wide due to posing in a room without much light.

The cowboy light kit looks quite cheap.