Cheapy lighting setup for outdoor portraits?

My current lighting "kit" consists of a Speelite 420EX, on camera with a diffuser or a bounce reflector, and a reflector. By far the most common setting for me is outdoor portraits. I would like to put together a basic, inexpensive lighting kit (inexpensive being the key) to use in these situations.

I don't need anything extravagant. Basically what I am looking for is something suitable to provide a little more pop on overcast days, and to be able to more adequately deal with bright sunlight/fill flash situations as well. Currently, I spend a lot of time on a shoot wandering around looking for the best light, where the lighting lines up with the background so I can use my reflector, etc. I am thinking, some type of setup with a slave light or two, an umbrella or soft box, that type of thing. Problem is, I know absolutely nothing about any of these.

Please keep in mind, I am the furthest thing from a pro...I take lots of pics of our kids and family, and from time to time do senior pics, engagement pics, family portraits for friends, family and acquaintances. I am guessing that the requests for those may be increasing because as my wife's Facebook presence increases (she is active in the Down syndrome community) she is always posting pics I take and she keeps getting more and more "your husband took these? Really? Would he consider taking some for us?" kind of comments. So, I would like a little more advanced lighting setup than my 420EX + reflector, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it.

1 - Flash ($45)- http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1338476​036&sr=8-2
2 - wireless trigger for 2 flashes ($28)- http://www.amazon.com …d=1338476325&sr​=1-2-spell
3 - 2 air cushioned umbrella stands w/ umbrellas and brackets ($70) - http://www.amazon.com …6444&sr=1-6&condition=new
4- portable softbox ($35) - http://www.amazon.com …TF8&qid=1338476​598&sr=1-7
5 - 2pk 10lb ankle weights to put on base of umbrella stands for sturdyness in windy conditions ($20)

The above gets you a nice portable kit for around $200. There are several variations, but what works for me is having 2 flashes, reflector, two sturdy umbrellas, wireless triggers and diffusers (softbox/umbrellas) I have a limited budget as i maybe do a paid gig 4-5 times a year, the rest the time i just want to do family shots that are high quality.

The above suggestion is spot on, (except get the RF603 triggers from YN) but dont expect to get much use out of it on the middle of the day. Speedlite flashes at normal sync speeds using modifiers will have real issues competing with the sun.

I use a YN-560 triggered by RF-603's in a generic neewer 24" softbox mounted to a monopod held by an assistant (wife ). That way I can easily and quickly get it positioned where I want it and voice-command power adjustments are a plus as well

In fact, the softbox I have is the same one linked above. It works well, but watch the stitching on the front corners. mine is starting to come un-stitched. Nothing 5 min with a needle and thread can't fix though.

This setup will provide some fill in the shade, but like gonzo said, it won't compete with the sun. You'd need something with a ton of power for that (AB800 or better).

Hope that helps!

gonzogolf wrote in post #14511202
The above suggestion is spot on, (except get the RF603 triggers from YN) but dont expect to get much use out of it on the middle of the day. Speedlite flashes at normal sync speeds using modifiers will have real issues competing with the sun.

What's the difference between the Cowboy Studio triggers linked by johnandbentley, and the RF603? Looks like the Cowboy set has two receivers, whereas the RF603 set only has one?

BTW, thanks much everyone for the advice so far. This is precisely the kind of info I was looking for.

plawren53202 wrote in post #14511605
What's the difference between the Cowboy Studio triggers linked by johnandbentley, and the RF603? Looks like the Cowboy set has two receivers, whereas the RF603 set only has one?

BTW, thanks much everyone for the advice so far. This is precisely the kind of info I was looking for.

Besides the fact that cowboy studios sells a lot of rebranded junk that they dont properly support. The RF 603 are generally more reliable, have better range, and they are transcievers. Meaning any rf603 unit can serve as transmitter or receiver. If you look on amazon or ebay you can find sets with additional receivers.

Thanks for all the help folks. On a related note, what are the situations where you would use a speedlite flash with an umbrella, vs. when you would use one with a softbox? I am truly a newb at any lighting more advanced than an on camera speedlite and a reflector.

It's all up to what kind of light you want. You could use either or for whatever situation. Difference between an umbrella and a softbox is the the softbox lighting is a bit softer than the umbrellas. Also,a softbox provides directional light because it's a flat surface whereas an umbrella spreads light on a larger area. Hmmm,to think of it...a softbox would be great for a portrait of say two people. If I had to light more than two,I would use an umbrella because it's spread of light is larger. Another note...if I took a portrait of someone,for example in a living room using a softbox,the only the subject would be lit and a small part of the living room. If I took that same portrait using an umbrella,the subject and a much larger portion of the living room would be lit.

If you're mainly shooting outdoors then you may want to take a look at the Ojecoco triggers over the YN ones because they support hypersync, or get some ND filters, or both, so you can manage the ambient better.

If you're outdoors you probably want a softbox over (or in addition to) an umbrella too, purely because umbrellas are somewhat sail like in the slightest wind