Suggestions for accessories

JohnN

JohnN

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Hi,

I've a couple of flashes, a couple of stands with bellies, also two of my flashes came with stofens, a hilite but what would you suggest next?

What sort of things do you guys use?

Oh as a side note I'm not a pro so if I'm honest I probably couldn't easy tell an eBay knock off from something costing hundreds when it comes to lighting.

Ta
 
JohnN said:
Hi,

I've a couple of flashes, a couple of stands with bellies, also two of my flashes came with stofens, a hilite but what would you suggest next?

What sort of things do you guys use?

Oh as a side note I'm not a pro so if I'm honest I probably couldn't easy tell an eBay knock off from something costing hundreds when it comes to lighting.

Ta
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Soft-boxes, Umbrellas, Snoots, Barn doors, Coloured gels.
 
Any specifics you could suggest for flashes (rather than studio lights)?
 
JohnN said:
Any specifics you could suggest for flashes (rather than studio lights)?
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Soft-boxes, Umbrellas, Snoots, Barn doors, Coloured gels.
 
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lol, okay I got that but try searching for say barn doors for example - I tried ebay with "flash barn door" and the first thing you'll notice is they're almost all for studio flash, not hot shoe flash.
 
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That looks pretty good, as you were posting that I'd found this - obviously breaking the one at a time rule by a fair shot though!
 
JohnN said:
lol, okay I got that but try searching for say barn doors for example - I tried ebay with "flash barn door" and the first thing you'll notice is they're almost all for studio flash, not hot shoe flash.
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Speedlight Barn doors £30 HERE :)
 
Honestly? Nothing, until you start to find that you need it, apart from a couple of brollies.
 
Thanks all - I guess the next question is what do you use most - are some of these things actually of practical use?
 
JohnN said:
Thanks all - I guess the next question is what do you use most - are some of these things actually of practical use?
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You really should have picked this up earlier in the thread - it's not about what we use or find useful. It's about what you'll need.

Different modifiers produce a range of different 'looks'. What 'look' you want depends on your personal style and your chosen subject. What I would use has no bearing on what you might want to achieve.

If you really want to know what you might find useful, link to some photographs you'd like to try to emulate the lighting of, that's a good starting point to get some advice.
 
JohnN said:
Cheers Phil - a bit blunt but thanks for the offer - how about these?

http://500px.com/photo/3490656
http://500px.com/photo/5976718
http://500px.com/photo/14695767
http://500px.com/photo/10878853

Obviously I'd not be looking for a total light breakdown of all four :)
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They've all had far too much PP to be able to see what lit them originally. If you want to create shots like that, flash isn't where you should be spending your efforts. At least 2 of them are definitely not flash lit:

http://500px.com/photo/3490656 almost certainly natural light
http://500px.com/photo/5976718 looks like the floodlights
http://500px.com/photo/14695767 probably a softbox at either side - maybe gridded
http://500px.com/photo/10878853 large softbox from the front. similar from the rear for the rimlight

BTW that's the first time I've ever made a post saying the opposite of 'it's all about the light'.:lol: But these really are 'all about the processing'.
 
Thanks again Phil, currently I'm looking at improving my processing but have started with flash lit portraits and it was becoming obvious to me that even the simplest shot needs the lighting to be right first and with the kit I have I wondered about expanding my accessories, hence the initial question.
 
JohnN said:
Any specifics you could suggest for flashes (rather than studio lights)?
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Best accessory for speedlites is a couple of proper studio flash heads. Seriously, if you have access to mains power, fast recycle, modelling lamp, and extra power when you need it - way better. Not expensive either.
 
I have 3 ( interfit kit), I just find them cumbersome and only got them out if I needed more, now I don't.

Thanks though, they're just not for me
 
JohnN said:
I have 3 ( interfit kit), I just find them cumbersome and only got them out if I needed more, now I don't.

Thanks though, they're just not for me
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Cumbersome? Compared to brollies and stands?!
 
No, but stands are needed for both as are brollies, both just lean at the side of the room, flashes go on in a couple of minutes, whereas the lights need digging out of the box, setting up then tidyngs back up again at the end, plus all the cables are a toddler magnet.
 
Indispensable things in my kit are; superclamps, backlight stand, Cinefoil, gaffer tape, gels, double clips, well really I suppose my whole "grip box"...

Paul
 
Phil V said:
http://500px.com/photo/10878853 large softbox from the front. similar from the rear for the rimlight.
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hehe, just found the making of this one - here - talk about out of my league kit!

Thanks again all - I'd never heard of cinefoil - seems interesting and the idea of a reflector holder sounds good as last time I used one it was just propped up, not exactly an exact science.
 
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