single strobe work - pickup reflector?

hello all -

i just picked up a qbox 24 softbox to use w/ my 580ex ii. i am just going to shoot against my white wall as background for now in my living room. headshots, 1/2 body type shots to get started and just test and learn. will having a reflector+stand from the start be beneficial or will I make do with just the softbox setup for now? this will be my first time shooting with a softbox. saw a decent 5-in-1 reflector+arm stand for ~$50 @ bh so debating if i should add this to my order.

Thanks in advance

You can learn and do a lot of one light portraiture but having a reflector is a great addition. You can do many more styles of lighting than with just the single light in a softbox.

cool thx rob, just ordered this. hope it'll do and not too large? i'm sure i will have a lot more questions in the coming days
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …One_42_Reflecto​r_and.html

john_galt wrote in post #12505825
cool thx rob, just ordered this. hope it'll do and not too large? i'm sure i will have a lot more questions in the coming days
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …One_42_Reflecto​r_and.html

A 42" reflector is a great size. I use a 41" silver in the studio all the time. For my small studio space it works perfectly.

Back to an original question you asked.....
I always suggest using ONE light only for a while. You don't mention how you're going to trigger your flash, but with a white wall, I'd suggest using a manual trigger.
Use one light at 45 degrees and learn how that looks on the subject. Also, learn how the shadow casts on the wall. Then move the light to 30 degrees, then 20, then 90.
THEN....with the light at roughly 45 degrees to the model, use your reflector under your camera. Just to bounce a little light up. Then with the light in the same position, move your reflector to different spots and note the results. This might take 100's of photos, but you'll learn a ton. You can practically simulate two lights with one light and one reflector.
So now you've learned what causes light and shadows, and what eliminates those shadows.
Lighting is fun stuff.....I'm always learning.

ootsk wrote in post #12507140
Back to an original question you asked.....
I always suggest using ONE light only for a while. You don't mention how you're going to trigger your flash, but with a white wall, I'd suggest using a manual trigger.
Use one light at 45 degrees and learn how that looks on the subject. Also, learn how the shadow casts on the wall. Then move the light to 30 degrees, then 20, then 90.
THEN....with the light at roughly 45 degrees to the model, use your reflector under your camera. Just to bounce a little light up. Then with the light in the same position, move your reflector to different spots and note the results. This might take 100's of photos, but you'll learn a ton. You can practically simulate two lights with one light and one reflector.
So now you've learned what causes light and shadows, and what eliminates those shadows.
Lighting is fun stuff.....I'm always learning.

ty will def do this