Beginner lighting kit...

Ellie Jones

Ellie Jones

Suspended / Banned
Messages
251
Name
jo
Edit My Images
Yes
My daughter asked if I would considering taking some 'proper' photo's of the grandchildren, and now my son's pending little one (arrival due in May)

I've not done portrait nor flash photography, but with the grandchildren I'd love to have a go...

Apart from the Flash light (I'm looking at getting two of these)

What sort of basic kit, would be advisable

I don't want to spend a lot of money, cheap, and cheerful but reasonable does the job well, and makes a good entry level.
 
Basic and cheap?
Softbox
Flash bracket for above
Light stand
If you can some wireless controllers
Flashes of your choice. Recommend Yongnuo or Godox but there are many out there
 
Cheap and cheerful means speedlights and brackets with brollies, but be really sure before you hit 'buy' because the saving over proper studio flash is not as great as you might think and possibly not worth the disadvantages.
 
Sorry not to reply straight away, work and research...

I can see what @Phil V means about considering studio lighting rather than flashgun set ups.... As even my total lack of knowledge in this field of photography, I can see that using studio lighting set up, you can see where highlights and shadow casts fall....

Then the confusion sets in:(

With continuous, strobe etc.....

Taking a look, you get the cheap and cheerful, kind such a Neewer which runs off a spiral light bulb, basic it's either on or off, if you using one softbox as a fill in light, then you I assume have to put in a lower watt bulb!

I assume that the strobe type, are both continuous as you set them up, with the ability to flash for the actual shot, and you can adjust the power of each softbox/light source with them...

Two problems I have, is space which in my house and my daughters if very limited indeed, so anything that is too big/powerful I'm pretty sure is going to cause problems, the other is money...

The main exercise is not to start shooting pro level photographs, but to explore this side of photograph and start understanding light better, so really don't want to spend a lot of money unless I find that yep I enjoy it, and good enough to say, it's not my lack of ability but the kit I'm using.... As it stands I will be limited to one female model, my youngest daughter, hubby (with bullying) and the grandchildren (the challenge) then still life of some sort when nobody wants to play ball or are available.
 
It's said here often... most continuous lights are rubbish for portraiture. Too low powered, miserable colour, too hot, difficult to use with modifiers. There are some good ones but they're tricky to identify and often more expensive than strobes. But I'm biased, I generally prefer using flash; I like the rhythm it brings to a shoot.

Lencarta is often recommended in these parts for two reasons..
  • @Garry Edwards their tech support and lighting guru lives on these forums
  • Their stuff strikes an excellent balance between quality, price and customer support
You can find cheaper near-equivalents if you know what you're looking for, but going with someone like Lencarta ought to help you avoid my mistake of repeatedly buying 'bargains' - but the wrong stuff.
 
It is bewildering for a newcomer Jo, but Simon has given the route I'd recommend. Any continuous lights that are vaguely affordable, like the Lencarta QuadLites with four huge 105w fluorescent bulbs, are still only marginal on brightness, even though they can appear blinding when you're sitting in front of them in a darkened studio. They're also bulky and a PITA to put up and pack away.

So, the short answer is a Lencarta Smartflash-2, which at about £110 is less than many flash guns. It's a very decent little unit with plenty of power for your needs, a bright modelling lamp, fast recycling, and uses the S-type mount for modifiers (softboxes etc) so it can grow with you :thumbs: You only need one light for starters (best for learning, and it may be all you ever need) plus a stand and a trigger, a folding reflector for lifting shadows to taste, and I would suggest a white umbrella. Umbrellas are as good as softboxes for most purposes, plus they're cheap, easy to put up/down, take up no storage space, and because the flash fires into them backwards they use less floor space (you can push them right against the wall or ceiling if needs be). To ring the changes, you'll get a slightly harder light with stronger shadows with a silver brolly, or softer with a transluscent shoot-through one.

Suggest you give Garry a ring :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top