Advise needed for beginner lighting setup available in UK

[c75mitch]

Hi all,

I am looking for some advise please on a beginner lighting setup that I can buy in the UK.
At the moment I only have a Speedlite 580EX flash which I use with my 40D.
I would like to spend no more than around £300 on a setup as it is only going to be used as a hobby. I an intending to do mainly portrait shots as I do not has huge amount of space available.

If anyone has pics of there setup etc and feel that they could be a suitable solution please feel free to post so I can get some idea of the equipment size/space needed etc.

Many thanks

Mitch

[pellepiano]

For portraits you would need something to diffuse the harsh light from the Flash. I would recommend buying one or two shoot thru umbrellas , you can get those for about £9 each. ( http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17024&cat=0&page=1 )

Some stands
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17023&cat=298&page=1.
and a extra Flash ( for effect, backlight,hairlight or whatever )
http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17203&cat=0&page=1

Flash radio trigger £35 ( http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/product.php?productid=17204&cat=0&page=1 ) + a extra reciever.

That will be well under your budget, as an example.

[steveathome]

I would normally recommend the D-Lite 200 kit, but as £425 is out of your range, I would suggest that in the UK you go for the interfit kits. This one being better than the 150 type head.

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/product/default.aspx?sku=1015681

[c75mitch]

Thanks very much for the replys guys.

I was considering this on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ELEMENTAL-MEGA-STUDIO-2-Portable-PORTRAIT-LIGHTING-KIT_W0QQitemZ290323092394QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Pho tography_StudioEquipment_RL?hash=item43989ad3aa&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1690%7C 240%3A1307%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

I do not have any refectors or anything so it seemed a good pack. Obviously I would like to spend the money wisely and get something that people with experience would recomend.

[PCthug]

I bought one from a UK company called Stable Imaging.
It consists of 3 flash heads (180w), 3 tripods, 2 soft boxes, 1 barn door with gels and grid, a snoot and grid, and a bag to keep it all in, all for £200.

http://www.stableimaging.co.uk/images/JY180_01s.jpg

I then bought a calapsable backdrop, that is double sided for £120, but you could use some material just as well.

These are the results i am getting...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3377/3614366810_6698ec6a32_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/3611794005_3416bd08f7_o.jpg

I have also just bought a boom off ebay for about £55, and also a couple of 2 way brollies for about £30.

** just checked stable imaging site, it is down, but you can still contact them **