Another beginner to OC lighting

[kman]

Hi all in here, I've decided I'd like to try learn some new off-camera lighting techniques (complete newby to this) as I've been asked to do some portraiture/modelling photography for a couple of makeup artist friends of mine (yes they know I'm a beginner).

I've not really done this sort of stuff before and just thinking about what simple additional equipment would be beneficial (without spending on loads of gear). At the moment I just have my camera and an SB600.

I was thinking of starting off with one of FITP's brolly boxes, a lightstand and some remote triggers. How much of a difference would this make or do I need multiple light sources to really light up a subject (assuming say a plain wall background) or even if I was just shooting outside with natural light?

 

[david1701]

one light is the best place to learn

extra lights do extra things but generally I use one for subject and another to create intrest somewhere else or hair or something

Hit lighting 101 on the strobist blog

 

[HoppyUK]

One light is fine. Brollybox is fine. Also get a reflector and you can do great things

As David says, additional lights are not for lighting the subject directly, but for the background, hair, or some other kind of effect. Get that as and when.

You don't necessarily need radio triggers as you can shoot wirelessly off the pop-up flash which is also an iTTL commander unit.

Real easy to get going that way.

 

[siwhite]

A good tip is that you can set the on-camera flash to trigger the remote flash, but not to fire at the same time as the shutter so it won't appear in the photograph.

 

[King_Boru]

Formula you will never forget: Guide Number / Flash to Subject Distance = Aperture. The world is your oyster from there on in. Have fun.

 

[kman]

Thanks, I have ordered a brolly box, radio triggers and a reflector. I know I could use the CLS system (have done so before) but I think i'd prefer to give the triggers a go and would probably end up using them anyway if and when I start expanding the light sources.