portable studio set up advice?

i'm looking into buying my first lighting set up and could really use some feedback. i want to eventually have a studio space in my home but until then would like to be able to take it to clients homes or some other location. i will be doing all sorts of portraits. newborns, kids, families, business, couples, seniors etc..

i have worked in a portrait studio and am tempted to just get what i used there since i loved the results and am familiar with it but i'm wondering if i ought to go with a less expensive option like the alien bees and umbrellas...since i'm just starting out..

so...
one white lightning 3200
with 13 ft light stand w/ casters
giant folding softbox

or
2 alien bees either 400 or 800
2 umbrellas
2 lightstands

plus the vegabond and charger and cybersync receiver/transmitter and background stand and backgrounds...props etc..


at the studio i almost always just used the one white lightning with softbox and occasionally a hair light...but i think i can get by w/o that at first.

go with what i know?? or save money?? is the quality of light much different?? will i hate my results??

or should i forget all that and just buy a speedlight? haha i'm so confused! help?!

Why are you looking at a WL3200 for studio work?

because that's what we had at the studio i worked for...why do you ask?

i should say i guess that we never used it at full power...so does that mean i should just buy less power??

should i get one wl1600 and one ab800? and two light stands with soft boxes?

Humm.....

So much can be done with a single light and reflectors, if going with PCB products -
1 Einestine
1 Lightstand
1 Umbrella
1 Reflector

IMHO: Softboxes are such a PITA to setup/teardown and pack, umbrellas are almost instant.

mbloof wrote in post #12283089
Humm.....

So much can be done with a single light and reflectors, if going with PCB products -
1 Einestine
1 Lightstand
1 Umbrella
1 Reflector

IMHO: Softboxes are such a PITA to setup/teardown and pack, umbrellas are almost instant.

thanks so much for the response! i have never used umbrellas and would prefer an easier set up...i'm just afraid i won't like the results as well but i guess they're relatively inexpensive so i could always order one first to try it out.

i looked just briefly at the einsteins online and i'm still not clear what makes them a better choice. i'd love some more info on that from someone who's used them.

i was really trying to keep my budget under 1500 and i still have to buy a nicer lens...ughh...i'm afraid i'm going to have to spend closer to 2000

would you happen to have a good lens recommendation as well...i was hoping to be able to do some environmental portraits in addition to studio and was thinking about getting a good wide angle zoom for my xsi body...thoughts?

i guess i should just plan on spending more...because i need a couple good backgrounds, a stand and some portable power....

If you don't want to go with three lights, you can always just get two and use a reflector as the "third light." I also wouldn't recommend getting two different lights (i.e., the AB800 and AB400). Keep them the same power. It will make it a lot easier to set up.

Check out these two videos from Mark Wallace at SnapFactory. He explains the basic three light set up (one with two lights and a reflector) and also shows seven more configurations in the second video. This guy makes some of the best videos out there and really helped me understand lighting.
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=NNcZ_q5LCU0
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=IdcdWkc7xEI

thanks i'll check them out..i was also thinking of just going with the one at first..hmm..my head is swimming. there's just so much to consider! haha

I'd buy a couple of lower power lights and umbrellas. You had families in your list, umbrellas will be cheaper than big softbox. Add reflectors.
3200 is more power than you need at this point, spend the money on getting proper lighting technique down.

well i have experience with the wl 3200 and big octobox...and my lighting skills were awesome! haha that's why i am tempted to just get that and then add more lights for background/hair/fill later when i can.

i guess what i'm asking now is...is it possible to get the same results from 2 ab800 w/ two umbrellas if i learn how to use them properly?

i just want to be able to produce the same quality of images that i could at the studio.

and..i have never shot with studio lights outdoors...wouldn't a big softbox be sturdier? are they that much of a pain to set up and take down? what if i just left them assembled?

but really...the less money i spend unnecessarily the better..

Your saying that you are lighting entire groups with one octabox and it works all the time?

no no...we had 3 lights in the studio. one large octobox (main) a large rectangular softbox occasionally used for fill. (like for large groups) and a ceiling mounted stripbox used for background/hair.

i was just saying that when we shot newborns and little kids. the one large octobox was all that was needed...so maybe i could get by with just that at first.

but..i'm thinking i'm just going to have to suck it up and get two because i'm going to need one for background.

could i get away with just an ab400 for that?
should i get one ab1600 and one ab400?
should i get 2 einsteins and just spend more on this whole deal than i planned to?

i'm asking you all because i only have the experience with what we used at the studio. i haven't played around with other lights. i don't know what other people are using or what kind of results they are getting...i just want some feedback on the best buy option for what i'm trying to acheive.

any and all thoughts appreciated! thanks to those who have responded so far.

actually...i do need the hair light. i think i'm forgetting how essential that was. :/

Don't forget to have weights, sandbags, etc. to anchor down your stands when doing on location shoots. My main business is taking the studio to you, so I have done and tried everything out there to be successful in my work. Sandbags are not my friend...not sure why...we just do not mix. Being from Alaska it was suggested by a client (and now good friend) that I find me some fishing weights to use. I currently use 4 lb weights painted black to match my stands. I use one on each light, both backdrop ends, my tripod....little but heavy....just what I needed.

thanks...good to remember. i was thinking i could just hang the vegabond on it....was thinking for location stuff i'd likely just take one light and no backdrops...hmm...okay​...thanks for that. i'll keep that in mind.

was just pricing out different units again...
i could get a ab1600 and ab800 for 655.00 that's a lot less then 2 einsteins or two wl...would that be a better option?
however i would have to get two light stands and two modifiers...but seems like i really might need two anyway.

if your budget was limited what would you do?

eta:
okay adding everything up from pcb with that set up (ab800 and ab1600) and all the other stuff and i'm at 1500...not including background stand and backdrops...i'm going to have to plan on spending 2000 aren't i?