Lighting newbie - help!

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Set_Nights

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I have been using a Canon 450D for some time now. I take quite a lot of indoor shots and I end up getting quite frustrated with the lighting I have to work with as I never seem to get the results I want. I either just try and use my lens wide open and keep my hands steady and end up with blurry or under exposed photos or I use my 430 EX II speedlight with a cheap plastic diffuser and still often end up with the subject wiped out or with shadows in weird places.

I want to improve my photos and I think I need better lighting to do this. After reading another thread I was thinking of buying this product: http://www.lencarta.com/lighting-store/flash-heads/flash-heads-1/twin-head-mains-powered-starter-kit-502 (basically a starter hit with a soft box and an umbrella). The shots I will be taking are just for my own personal use and will just be taken in my lounge and I am not going to be using a background drop for now.

Thing is I feel out of my depth :(. If I just buy that product will I need anything else to make it compatible with my camera? How do I connect it up/use it :(? Sorry, I feel like an idiot for having to ask but I just don't understand how to improve things.
 
Why not just buy a cheap radio trigger/receiver kit (to fire the flash), a stand for your flash and a shoot through brolly and use your 430EXII flash off camera?

Yes you can go the full hog to buy studio kit but you can still create great images using your speedlight.

www.strobist.com - Will explain a lot inc kit you need.
 
I'm guessing you are talking portraits, are you thinking more formal shots? The way I read this was that you are taking shots generally as things happen, in which case fixed lighting might not be the best, obviously if it is then certainly it is worth going down the strobe route.

I use the Elite pro and find them to be really good. You can just connect with a PC cable from the lights, you could also fire your 430 as a trigger as the lights can pick up on a flash burst and then fire or you can get some form of wireless system.
 
It would mostly be for pet photography or family casual shots, no action shots and nothing formal. I'm just looking for an external lighting source I guess that will give nice soft light and that is portable.

The reason I am looking for a "kit" instead of doing it on my own is that I just don't know how :(. I don't know what bits to buy or how to set it up.
 
Ah, Jim beat me as I was typing :( lol.

It's true about using your 430. These shots was taken with a 580 on about 1/4 power through a brolly so you could get the same with a 430.

Tasha-and-Bump-0005.jpg


Tasha-and-Bump-0006.jpg
 
EOS_JD said:
Why not just buy a cheap radio trigger/receiver kit (to fire the flash), a stand for your flash and a shoot through brolly and use your 430EXII flash off camera?

Yes you can go the full hog to buy studio kit but you can still create great images using your speedlight.

www.strobist.com - Will explain a lot inc kit you need.
Click to expand...

That does sound like a better option and I will have a read through your link. I was under the impression that having more than one light source makes a big difference though?
 
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mark1616 said:
Ah, Jim beat me as I was typing :( lol.

It's true about using your 430. These shots was taken with a 580 on about 1/4 power through a brolly so you could get the same with a 430.

Tasha-and-Bump-0005.jpg


Tasha-and-Bump-0006.jpg
Click to expand...


Those are great, I really like the first one. Where about was your speedlight relative to the camera and subject?

Where would i get a compatible stand and umbrella? If I bought a 580EX speedlight I could use that on camera and have the 430 externally and attached to an umbrella (or soft box)? I believe the 580 is better for being externally triggered and linking to other flashes?
 
The light was camera right an a little past the subject.

There are many ways to trigger speedlights and other strobes. I use the Cactus v5 as they work great anywhere, you can get some cheap ebay ones which seem to do well (I think the RF-602 units get a pretty good review). That would be a lot cheaper then getting a 580 to act only as a trigger. You can then build and get another flash at a later date. I use on flash in the field quite a bit at weddings, especially in the evenings. Allows for some crazy shots :)

Chris-and-Ceris-Plymouth-Wedding-Photography-0050.jpg


This is just a 580, about 1/8th power through the same brolly as the above ones.

The light stand is about £25, the adaptor for flash/brolly is about £12 (I think) and then the brolly is about £30 as I like the ones which allow me to change from shoot through to reflected. In honestly I use shoot through 95% of the time.
 
One light is plenty to be learning with. Some of the greatest portrait photographers who ever lived used one light almost exclusively.
 
Set_Nights said:
That does sound like a better option and I will have a read through your link. I was under the impression that having more than one light source makes a big difference though?
Click to expand...

Additioonal lights can assist with backbround or separation of the subject but you can use a reflector as a second light source too. Practice with that then expand.
 
Interesting :). I would still like to experiment with light modifiers though so I guess I want:

Something to remote trigger my flash
A stand for my flash
An umbrella or softbox

Can anyone recommend me any of these that would be canon compatible?
 
Set_Nights said:
Interesting :). I would still like to experiment with light modifiers though so I guess I want:

Something to remote trigger my flash
A stand for my flash
An umbrella or softbox

Can anyone recommend me any of these that would be canon compatible?
Click to expand...

For example I could get:
WaveSync AC Remote Flash Trigger/receiver set (what is the difference between AC and DC?)
2.6m Spring Damped Stand
STR-1 Strobist Flashgun to S fit adapter
100 x 100cm Profold Folding Softbox (or would this be too big?)

Would that all work together?
 
EOS_JD said:
Speak to Graeme (Flash in the Pan on here). http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/itrader.php?u=8656

He sells a lot of strobist kit.

The softbox is a bit big for a flash gun. I think the one I use is 24" (lastolite ezybox)
Click to expand...

Thank you :).

GDHphotography said:
Learn to use the one light effectively, control it, modify it and then abuse it.... then move onto 2 :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I've decided that is what I'm going to do but I still what to get some equipment to modify the light from my 1 flash gun.
 
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