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All right, strobists, where do I start?

lighting flash strobes

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10 replies to this topic

#1
nbanjogal

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After seeing a local pro show a side-by-side comparison of outdoor portraits taken with and without additional lighting, I decided it's time to get my act together and learn how to do this properly. I love natural light photography--don't get me wrong--but good lighting can make a good image great.

 

 

1) So first, the equipment. I've researched this a bit, and have settled on the Yongnuo YN-568EX and the new YN-622N TX triggers (released in a few weeks, I hope). Is anybody willing to give a thumbs up or thumbs down or offer better alternatives? I'd love the SB-910, but the YNs are less than half the price.

 

Research on light stands, soft boxes, etc. still pending. 

 

2) Where is a good place to start learning about lighting? Any tutorials or such that are good for lighting newbs?



#2
K-9

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It depends on how elaborate you need to get. First, are you really going to use or need off camera flash? If yes, get the triggers, but if not, do you really need them? I've shot plenty of weddings with just one flash and this attached:

http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B007SEZT1Q

Point your flash up, and the pocket bouncer redirects it back with no red eye because it's far enough from the lens.

There's nothing else you need for outdoor fill in flash. You only need the triggers if you're going to get creative and need the flash to come from different angles. But don't forget, you'll also need a tripod and a cold hot shoe adapter that attaches the tripod plate screw to the flash's hotshoe mount.

Also, I am not sure what camera you have, but my D700 works as a commander unit and can wirelessly trigger my Metz 50 flash on it's own, but it has to be in a general line of sight, and doesn't have the same range as triggers.

And here is a very good place to learn about strobes:

Strobist

#3
nikoninjection

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I am interested in this topic for indoor shots



#4
nbanjogal

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I second shot a wedding reception with this same pro, and he had a trigger and two YNs on light stands set up in the smallish hall. I'm not sure I want to get into weddings (have another one coming up), but I can see how they would be essential for that. But I've also seen lighting added to outdoor portraits that made for some gorgeous exposures. Something to learn.

 

For now, I'm getting one YN speedlight. I will add lights and trigger as I go...

 

Thanks for the info and the link, K-9.



#5
yauman

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As a Nikon shooter, this site is for you. All the examples he use are for Nikon and the SB series of Speedlite.  Start with the fundamentals pages.  Great write up and examples.



#6
Russ

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Start here: Strobist: Lighting 101: Introduction



#7
Verglace

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second on Strobist its the best site and its free!



#8
Serge

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Read all the pages posted here but the most important thing is practice. So..practice, practice, practice :) Outdoor, indoor, with full sunshine, in the shade, in the darkness, low key, high key.

 

Get basic equipment and start using it. Basic kit (2 manual speedlights + 3 wireless triggers) will cost you about $200-$250 new and this is perfect start. When you shoot outdoor or indoor using more than one source of light TTL is not very useful from my point of view or I'd say it's useless for me :)

 

When you find it interesting you'll buy flash stands, umbrellas, softboxes, backgrounds, light reflectors in all colours and other stuff. It's not cheap, but will give you lots of fun and you'll get more and more creative (eg. mixing flash photography with ND filters, long exposures and light painting - cool stuff :) )



#9
Guy

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For a studio type flash photography, a studio strobe system that has plenty of light modifiers and other accessories is a much more comprehensive strobe system than camera flashes adapted to umbrellas and softboxes, IMHO.   Light modifiers are the key.   And for the occasional outdoor use, you can get travel battery pack for some systems too.  A more expensive choice of course but being able to put on say elliptical background modifier and have selections of various degrees of spot light attachments, etc helps fine-tune your lighting just that much more.  



#10
Adamwesleyo

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I just bought a cheap set up including a Yongnuo 560 III and some diffusers and shoot through umbrellas. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm not expecting a lot for under $100 for all of it but you never know. That's why I'm experimenting.



#11
Adamwesleyo

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Got the flash. It is great. Probably ordering another one real soon. It's economically a sound choice. Let's just see if they last.







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