Is this flash setup a good start for real estate?

I've been experimenting in the Real Estate photo thing for a few months, and I've taken some for a local realtor to experiment. Well, I'm really trying, but around here they all use HORRIBLE point-n-shoot, and cell phone pics so she's still happy with them. Some can be seen here: http://apimagery.zenfo​lio.com/re

Anyway, I'm tired of HDR and the bad color casting with it so I'm ready to get a few flashes and get better quality shots. I currently have: 580exII, Cactus V5 radio trigger (just 1 set). What else do I really need to start? (and I'm getting married in a few months so $ is def a factor here!)

1. A couple cheap stands?
2. I'm thinking of getting (2 or 3?) Yongnuo 560II's since they seem to have decent optical triggers. I suppose I could use the radio trigger if a flash is hidden but I plan on relying on the optical sensor.
3. Should I just bounce off walls or get some sort of reflector/small umbrella, or flash diffuser?

I'll take any advice if you disagree. Thanks in advance.

I'd pick up a few gels if you plan on blending in the ambient light.

daylight and/or tungsten and flourescent gels?

They look great from what I can see.

Yes, tungsten and flourescent gels if you're planning on using the room's lighting balanced with flash.

Elope. Spend the $$$ on gear.

But seriously, the photos look great. Are you shooing in RAW and using Lightroom to process them?

I think bouncing off the wall might give you more color casts.

I would make sure the stands are very sturdy, but also as light as possible. It gets to be an ordeal to haul bags of stands and umbrellas and associated junk around.

aparis99 wrote in post #15268498
I've been experimenting in the Real Estate photo thing for a few months, and I've taken some for a local realtor to experiment. Well, I'm really trying, but around here they all use HORRIBLE point-n-shoot, and cell phone pics so she's still happy with them. Some can be seen here: http://apimagery.zenfo​lio.com/re

Anyway, I'm tired of HDR and the bad color casting with it so I'm ready to get a few flashes and get better quality shots. I currently have: 580exII, Cactus V5 radio trigger (just 1 set). What else do I really need to start? (and I'm getting married in a few months so $ is def a factor here!)

1. A couple cheap stands?
2. I'm thinking of getting (2 or 3?) Yongnuo 560II's since they seem to have decent optical triggers. I suppose I could use the radio trigger if a flash is hidden but I plan on relying on the optical sensor.
3. Should I just bounce off walls or get some sort of reflector/small umbrella, or flash diffuser?

I'll take any advice if you disagree. Thanks in advance.

One objective when doing real estate photography is to capture the mode of the room.
Once you start adding light you are starting down a slippery slope. Especially considering that you want to make money at this venture. (I hope anyway that's true.) That means being able to do the job well in a limited amount of time with minimal post processing.

Do you use Lightroom V4? If you do, then take advantage of the ability to import 32 bit floating point images and process them with the same sliders in the develop module. The difference is that with the 32 bit image yo have 20 stops of exposure range.

You create the 32 bit floating point file by round tripping into Photoshop with 3 bracketed images. According to Eric Chan, the Adobe engineer who was instrumental in developing the capability, the 3 brackets can be 2 or more stops apart. As opposed to the suggestion for most HDR software to have bracketed exposure about a stop apart. His observation was that the algorithm needs blacks with detail, whites with detail and a mid-tone reference.
Use the Photoshop merge to HDR Pro option in Lightroom Edit-in sub-menu. When Photoshop has created the image save the 32 bit floating point file back to Lightroom as a TIFF.

Since there is a feature in the merge function for aligning and eliminating ghosts the bracket can be made hand held if you're careful.

That should make creating acceptable images that capture the mood of the room easier without having to resort to adding light.

Maybe not what you wanted to hear but I think its a better approach.

If you still want to add light, I'd start with a monolight, with a china bowl on it right over the camera and get it about 1 stop brighter than ambient.

First off, thank you all for the non-harsh words...

To answer some questions.. Yes, I'm using LR. My process right now is taking -2, 0, and 2 EV shots, using software to make an HDR, then bringing into LR to adjust perspectives, WB, clarity/shadow/contrac​t etc.

I've seen the "Photography For Real Estate" group on flickr quite a bit and they all use multiple flashes. I've also got Scott Hargis' book on Interior Lighting so that's why I'm going the speedlight route. I'm just having a hard time with some of the photos coming out like they are supposed to.

I just ordered 2 flash units, so I guess on my next shoot I will do an HDR and a Flashed picture and decide which I, and the client, likes better. I will also post here to get feedback.

If you have some brackets, try the 32 bit floating point images in Lightroom you may be pleasantly surprised.

Nothing wrong with adding light just creates another complication.

dmward wrote in post #15269699
If you have some brackets, try the 32 bit floating point images in Lightroom you may be pleasantly surprised.

Nothing wrong with adding light just creates another complication.

I'll try that. When the flashes come in, I will try both techniques and compare them.

aparis99 wrote in post #15271823
I'll try that. When the flashes come in, I will try both techniques and compare them.

I have Scott's book and just went through some of it as a refresher.
His approach to adding light is consistent with what I do. i.e. just add enough to get the pop and even things out without destroying the ambiance.

He often starts a section by saying start with ambient exposure then add just enough light to get the darker areas up where they need to be without over powering the ambiance.

The one thing that is probably different with Lightroom compared to when he wrote his book is the power built into Lightroom V4 with Process Version 2012. Especially now with ability to get a quick 32 bit floating point file conversion via Photoshop.

I think I'll ask him via his blog.

dmward wrote in post #15273526
The one thing that is probably different with Lightroom compared to when he wrote his book is the power built into Lightroom V4 with Process Version 2012. Especially now with ability to get a quick 32 bit floating point file conversion via Photoshop.

You mean with the Shadows slider? I was a fan of the Fill-In slider more I think...

The process 2012 develop module is much better with the exposure, contrast, highlight, shadow, white, black, clarity sliders. The highlight and shadow sliders offer much finer control than fill-in slider.

Do you like Scott's book? Have you seen his video series?

alintx wrote in post #15289682
Do you like Scott's book? Have you seen his video series?

Yes, Scott's book is quite useful. Lots of great suggestions, and he gives a lighting diagram for essentially every shoot as well as discussing how and why he placed the light(s)