Umbrellas

[burnws6]

I like to shoot action stuff but i want to get into portraits and things like that. I was thinking an umbrella would be a good start then a little later a vivitar 285 and more umbrellas and all that good stuff. I'm not too sure where to start though lol. Thanks everyone.
TJ

Well, if you're going to start doing portraits, here's a list of the order I got my things in. It might be useless, but I wish I had this list before I spent hours doing research.

SB-600 (bought it with the camera, should have bought several Vivitars instead lol)

Strobist DVD (funny story, I downloaded the torrent, and I felt the value to be so much greater then the cost, that I bought it. True story. I have a conscience.)

Westcott 45'' Umbrella

Hotshoe Clamp

Cactus V4 Kit

Westcott 750 Lightstand

DIY Ringflash DIY ring-flash - a set on Flickr (welcome to awesome)

Westcott Apollo 28x28 Softbox

Vivitar 285 x2

2 Cactus V4 Receivers

Westcott 750 Lightstand x2

Hotshoe Clamp

Westcott 60'' Umbrella

Westcott 50'' Softbox

Alienbee B400

Alienbee ABR800 (once I finally had money to buy a real ringflash lol)



That's a lot of money, but little by little you got yourself a badass studio, at minimal expense.

 

[TJ K]

Oh boy thanks for that vid I just realized I bought the wrong part from the alien bee's website i got hot shoe adapter and not the flash adapter or w.e. so my sb600 could have a sync port. Just emailed them and I bought it today so i'm sure they are off for Christmas so they should be able to fix the order. I hear the CS there is good.
TJ

 

[TJ K]

I like to shoot action stuff but i want to get into portraits and things like that. I was thinking an umbrella would be a good start then a little later a vivitar 285 and more umbrellas and all that good stuff. I'm not too sure where to start though lol. Thanks everyone.
TJ

Well, if you're going to start doing portraits, here's a list of the order I got my things in. It might be useless, but I wish I had this list before I spent hours doing research.

SB-600 (bought it with the camera, should have bought several Vivitars instead lol)

Strobist DVD (funny story, I downloaded the torrent, and I felt the value to be so much greater then the cost, that I bought it. True story. I have a conscience.)

Westcott 45'' Umbrella

Cactus V4 Kit

Westcott 750 Lightstand

DIY Ringflash DIY ring-flash - a set on Flickr (welcome to awesome)

Westcott Apollo 28x28 Softbox

Vivitar 285 x2

2 Cactus V4 Receivers

Westcott 750 Lightstand

Westcott 60'' Umbrella

Westcott 50'' Softbox

Alienbee B400

Alienbee ABR800 (once I finally had money to buy a real ringflash lol)



That's a lot of money, but little by little you got yourself a badass studio, at minimal expense.

How do you like the vivitar 285's?
TJ

 

[burnws6]

How do you like the vivitar 285's?
TJ

They're not as flexible as other flashes. You only have certain stops... But end of story, they're powerful as ****, and they come with a $86 price tag. Bang for your buck. You can't beat it. I shot thousands of pictures before I got myself an AB400. Get them, definitely.

 

[TJ K]

Sweet I definitely will as soon as I get this umbrella and adapter and stand and umbrella mount haha. Thanks for the help man.
TJ

 

[Derrel]

Ok guys so I have about 85 dollars from Christmas and I wanted to get an umbrella to use with my SB600. I was wondering what you guys thought of This one? If not can you please recommend one or what I should be looking for. This whole flash/light thing is new to me. Thanks!
TJ

I think a 60 inch umbrella is too large for use with a speedlight,and it's a very large umbrella in many situations where low ceilings or outdoor breezes/wind make a 60 incher a PITA.

The Photoflex 30 inch RUT model is a nice umbrella for use with a speedlight. Smaller umbrellas like the 30-34 inch size give a slightly harder light than larger models, making the light a bit more directional, with a bit harder-edged shadows than larger umbrellas give.

The RUT is mainly designed for use as a reflecting umbrella (I've owned them for 15 years or so),and when the black backing is removed, it bounces more light "backwards" than a true, designed-as-a-shoot-through design.

Another umbrella you might want to check out is this one, which has been in production for a fee decades, and which gives a more specular, "Crisper" light than most umbrellas.
24537 Speedtron 34" super silver metalized reflector umbrella

Speedotron Super Silver metallized umbrella, 34 inch size $38.95

Smaller umbrellas are easier to pack, and easier to use in many more-confined situations than are larger models. This umbrella is great for photos that will be converted to monochrome, or where you do not want that "me-too, shoot-thru look" so many people are getting by using 45 inch cheap shoot-throughs.

 

[IgsEMT]

add this to your reading resources
Portrait Lighting

lol old school

You mean classics

 

[Derrel]

This page is really,really worth looking at, just to see good examples of various lighting modifiers,and their effects and their "look".

MODIFIERS

The use of a mannequin for this type of test/lesson is actually much better than using a live person; there is no bias given by different expressions,and the subject remains perfectly identically positioned across many frames.

 

[TJ K]

Thanks for that page! So you don't like the shoot through type umbrellas or they just don't work as well as the reflecting umbrellas? Thanks!

 

[Derrel]

Thanks for that page! So you don't like the shoot through type umbrellas or they just don't work as well as the reflecting umbrellas? Thanks!

I would answer "yes" to both of those questions. Others might agree or disagree.

 

[usayit]

For my "student" strobist kit I selected one soft white with removal black back and a silvered lined umbrella. 45 inchers and they fold pretty small. I don't put them through the rigors of professional use but I enjoyed them.. enough for the hobby. I do find myself using the silvered reflecting umbrella quite a bit for portraits.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...131896-new-toys-arrived-stands-umbrellas.html