HELP!!!!!! Home studio needed

[chunkey20012001]

I have recently discovered i am going to be a father and i have decided that i want to improve my photography skills in preparation for the new arrival
.

i have a large attic in my home and can be used as a small studio but i was just wondering how and what way is going to be best to create great pictures. I have tried looking at a few of the recommended sites to learn about flash and i will look into these in a lot more detail but i was wondering if i could get some simple answers from people who know what they are talking about and can answer specifics

So i was wondering there is around 1000-1500 pound budget for everything lighting backgrounds etc i have a nikon d80 80-200mm f2.8 and the basic kit lens so im happy with what i have there will be purchasing a nifty fifty again as my other was stolen

should i go down the speed light route or a studio kit??? i have owned a sb600 before but that was stolen too i saw a remarkable improvement on my pics with this so i was thinking can i hook up 2 or more speed lights to create a portable easy to store studio with ease???? sorry to ask so many questions but im sure someone will be able to help me

Thanks in advance

Daniel Giles (father to be)

 

[Garry Edwards]

There are benefits both to using hotshoe flashes and to studio flash. Studio flash has much more power, is much more controllable (a vast range of effective light shaping tools available), it has modelling lamps, recycles very quickly and so on, and is much cheaper than hotshoe flashes.

But hotshoe flashes have advantages too, mainly portability and the fact that you don't need mains power, so the question really is this - will you use it mainly where you have mains power or will you use it mainly where you don't?

If you look in the Lencarta Learning Centre you'll see a few articles, videos etc that may help

 

[chunkey20012001]

i really want the studio to be completley portable and will be used out side too

 

[lostinfrance]

I bought a elinchrom D-lite 2 kit a few years back and then a year ago a metz 48 af,wish i spent it all an the metz gear.With only one flash gun and reflectors it is brill with two more guns it would be ideal and no cables trailing around.Remember the cost of batteries,get mine from toys r us 32 Philips AAs for £8 and the cost of stands and brolly adapters plus the brollys
Use it with a Nikon D80 on the nikon cls
With digital modeling lights arnt too much of a issue as you can view stright away and make adjustments
Rather than spend all your money on lighting look at the Tamron 90mm f2 maro lens ,on a cropped sensor ideal for portraits giving a 90mm on a D80

 

[HoppyUK]

Try this sticky from the top of the page http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=222870

I think Garry has summed it up pretty well. Basically, if you want to shoot studio style and are near a power point, studio flash is the best way.

But folks often already have a decent flash gun, and the portable aspect is important. That swings it towards hot-shoe guns. Adding another cheap manual gun (eg Yongnuo) and a couple of stands/brollies can be done for around £100. All from FITP here http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=237864

But with your budget, which is plenty, you could afford the best of both - which is basically what I use. Get a two-head studio kit from Lencarta, Bowens or Elinchrom, and two nice big iTTL Nikon hot-shoe guns - you can use both systems together. A couple more stands and radio triggers from FITP and you're good to go every which way - indoors, outdoors, manual or iTTL, sorted. You'll need a flash meter £120 to set that lot up properly and also treat yourself to a nice big folding softbox or octobox.

Comments: using flash needs much more knowledge and skill than it does pure kit and cash. A skilled photographer and single hot-shoe gun will get better results than someone with all the gear and no idea. Start with one flash head and a reflector, nail that, then work from there.

The attic. Studio work needs a lot more space than you think, and height. If the attic is not properly insulated, it will be freezing in winter and unbearably hot in summer.

 

[Canonite]

I use a 550EX, 430EX and an ST-E2 transmitter with varying degrees of success. A grand is a healthy budget, you could get 2 Nikon flashguns and still buy an above average 2 head kit.
Working in a small space like an attic could cause problems though, powerful flash could bounce off walls/roof if in close proximity, and ruin any effect you may be aiming for.