My first family shoot

[buckit]

Ok, so first I want to apologize if there are already a TON of threads about this. I am starting my own because I want to specifically get opinions on how to go about doing Family shots with the equipment I have.

Here is the lowdown... My wife and I are heading up to cuyahoga falls ohio to spend the weekend with her family (OSU-Michigan weeked! GO BUCKS!!) and they asked if I would get a picture of all of us together in our buckeye gear. I love photography so I agreed to do it... sounds like a fun challenge!

anyway... the only backdrop will probably be a fireplace indoor. there are lots of windows so i should be able to get some decent natural light coming in from the cameras left. The ceiling is solid white so I should be able to bounce light pretty well.

so I guess my question is all about lighting for family shots. I have a 430exII flash but I really dont know how to use it at all aside from putting it on the camera an turning it on (I really havent done much with flash at all... I need to learn!). I dont have any sort of diffuser for it and am planning on getting one for this shoot.

as for other lighting... here is what I have; cheap umbrellas with 500w photobulbs:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_bBPbMxG3RKY/SwLA_tJmO6I/AAAAAAAAAQs/g2A1PKF16TA/s1024/IMG_5982.JPG

so here are my questions:
Should I use the 430exII? if so, what diffuser should I get? (I have a $50 budget)
should I use the lights I have? if so, recommended setup?
I figured I would use my nifty fifty for this shoot.

I was thinking the umbrellas should be on the left and right a little above head level and maybe one of the cans (dont know what they are called) lighting from behind?

sorry this has become such a long post... hopefully someone will read all the way through! :)

thanks all!

[mayerk]

I would use the 430 but get a sync chord and something like THIS (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/298709-REG/Impact_3117_Umbrella_Bracket.html) to use the 430 with the stands & umbrella you already have.
The 430 w/umbrella and a little natural light should work great. I've used a setup very similar to this with great success.

[buckit]

thanks for the info!!

where would you place the umbrella?

[johnj2803]

why not just diffuse/bounce the flash to the ceiling?

[buckit]

why not just diffuse/bounce the flash to the ceiling?

I just picked up a LumiQuest Quick Bounce... so that is what I will end up doing.

[jasonstiller]

If you have great natural light and a flash you can bounce off a white ceiling/walls, that's all you should need.

[p_jesten]

You can use a plain sheet off of the bed for a background if you find the fireplace distracting...