Understanding lighting and buying some cheap triggers

Bassit

Bassit

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Hi, i am housebound at the moment as i am recovering from pneumonia and cant physically get out and about at the moment, so this is the ideal time for me to do some reading and have a play with some off camera lighting.

I have one flashgun, a cheap Jessops 360afdn (are they really that bad?) and would like to get some understanding of lighting, can anyone recommend any good books and a set of cheap triggers that will allow me to do some off camera shots, ideally i would like the triggers to allow me to use the flash and some studio lights should i buy some in the future, i suppose i could do with some idea of what essentials i would need to do some studio type stuff as well.

Thanks for reading. :thumbs:
 
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Hi John, hope you are better soon.

Before you start spending money on equipment, get some good information by reading the 'Speedlighters Handbook' by Sly Arena. It's extreemly informative. Also take a look at some of the lighting videos on youtube. Just google studio lighting youtube and you should get there. Spend a few hours looking at the videos and reading the book, then ask questions on this site to clarify. Good luck

Malcolm
 
Thank you Malcolm, i have just had a look at the "speedlighters handbook" and it is aimed at canon speedlights, i assume it is universal other than the talk of the actual speedlights themselves.

I don't mind buying some (very) cheap triggers, its something i want anyway and they would help me to understand things as i learn, i can do some hands on learning that way.
 
I got my self a set of yongnuo rf603 triggers, £24 from ebay, they come with a shutter release as well, just make sure it fits the camera, mine was the n3 model of the triggers, I also got a yongnuo 560III flash, amazing for the price and it has a built in trigger to use with the rf603/602 triggers, amazing price for what they are.
 
Thanks Ivan.
So if i was to buy both the rf603 triggers (x2) and the 560III flash, i could use the triggers to fire both my Jessops flash and the 560III from my D5100? one trigger on the Jessops flash, one trigger on the camera and none needed for the 560III because it has a trigger built in to it.

what's the shutter release cable used for?

Would it matter if the 2 flashes have different power outputs if using them both at the same time?
 
Yep, that's right, the shutter release can be used to release the shutter from one of the wireless triggers, you could trigger the whole setup from the jessops flash off camera somewhere with the trigger attached to it, or get a set of 3 triggers and use one as a shutter release in your hand, and no trigger is needed for the 560III, it's shockingly good for the price I have to say.

I am personally going to buy another 560III so I have two off camera flash's and can still use it all wirelessly using just the 2 triggers.
 
For free, log on to Strobist:101, which is probably the most comprehensive guide to off-camera flash on the web. Use the drop-down menu just below the adverts (on the right) and you can jump through the sections to do with modifiers, triggers, lighting basics etc.

Neil van Neikierk is also very, very good.

In terms of books, there's Syl Arena's stuff - I think he uses canon but the theory still applies - and Joe McNally's books, although in 'Hotshoe Diaries' I feel McNally glosses over the whole technical spectrum because his writing style is a bit loose.
 
Thanks Pat, i actually found the strobist 101 blog earlier on whilst looking for Syl arena's book, ill check out Joe Mcnally's books as well.

I'd also like to say as a fisherman i am quite a fan of your work and check out your blog and flicker stream quite often, thank you. :clap:

Ripples
This is one of my favourite images and sums up fishing for me quite well :thumbs:
 
Bassit said:
Thanks Pat, i actually found the strobist 101 blog earlier on whilst looking for Syl arena's book, ill check out Joe Mcnally's books as well.

I'd also like to say as a fisherman i am quite a fan of your work and check out your blog and flicker stream quite often, thank you. :clap:

Ripples
This is one of my favourite images and sums up fishing for me quite well :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thank you very much, those are very kind words. That's one of my fave also.... it never got used in the mags
 
Bassit said:
Hi, i am housebound at the moment as i am recovering from pneumonia and cant physically get out and about at the moment, so this is the ideal time for me to do some reading and have a play with some off camera lighting.

I have one flashgun, a cheap Jessops 360afdn (are they really that bad?) and would like to get some understanding of lighting, can anyone recommend any good books and a set of cheap triggers that will allow me to do some off camera shots, ideally i would like the triggers to allow me to use the flash and some studio lights should i buy some in the future, i suppose i could do with some idea of what essentials i would need to do some studio type stuff as well.

Thanks for reading. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

watch all the lighting videos from this youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/snapfactory/videos and you will learn a heck of a lot from it!

Better then reading a textbook IMO
 
specialman said:
Thank you very much, those are very kind words. That's one of my fave also.... it never got used in the mags
Click to expand...

No problem, respect where its due and all that.

Dhp may have the market cornered but it goes to show they don't know everything.

jonneymendoza said:
watch all the lighting videos from this youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/snapfactory/videos and you will learn a heck of a lot from it!

Better then reading a textbook IMO
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links jonney :thumbs:
I do like reading though and i prefer a book to burning my eyes out with a computer screen, its just a shame that photography books are so expensive.
 
Bassit said:
No problem, respect where its due and all that.

Dhp may have the market cornered but it goes to show they don't know everything.

Thanks for the links jonney :thumbs:
I do like reading though and i prefer a book to burning my eyes out with a computer screen, its just a shame that photography books are so expensive.
Click to expand...

Burn your eyes? Think of it as watching TV.
 
jonneymendoza said:
Burn your eyes? Think of it as watching TV.
Click to expand...

I don't really watch TV, other than football, some documentary's and the odd, err soap. :exit:

I was referring to reading Ebooks rather than watching the videos you recommended, sorry if i caused any confusion.
 
Bassit said:
No problem, respect where its due and all that.

Dhp may have the market cornered but it goes to show they don't know everything....
Click to expand...

Cheers.

Not going to comment on what they know or not. All I know is they don't have a photographer any more ;)
 
I have now ordered some rf603 triggers off ebay, can anyone recommend cheap but practical (preferably something you have used and can recommend), light stand, head for light stand to take a speedlight and a shoot through umbrella, i'd prefer to buy from amazon or ebay, just because i already have accounts at both of these.

Thanks
Bassit.
 
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