Speedlights - Getting starting with paying jobs

Hey everybody, I've been looking through the forums looking to pick up some gear suggestion on lighting and it's left me leaning towards a single moonlight with a 47" octal box, mostly thanks to JoeyBaccala and his amazing results from a similar setup. (This thread in particular: https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1427264)

Before jumping in feet first and purchasing a portable monolight with battery pack I'm wanting some input.

Currently I'm shooting with 4 ProMaster Studio strobes, which I picked up second hand and are great for studio work, but not usable in the field. Up to now I've become very happy with the Yongnuo brand and was considering picking up 2x YN600EX-RTs with an Octabox (leaning towards Westcott). For a photographer just getting started with outdoor shooting does anybody see an issue with saving some money and going with Yongnuo's vs more expensive lights?

NickWell24 wrote in post #17725340
Currently I'm shooting with 4 ProMaster Studio strobes, which I picked up second hand and are great for studio work, but not usable in the field. Up to now I've become very happy with the Yongnuo brand and was considering picking up 2x YN600EX-RTs with an Octabox (leaning towards Westcott). For a photographer just getting started with outdoor shooting does anybody see an issue with saving some money and going with Yongnuo's vs more expensive lights?

There's nothing at all wrong with that. I think you'll enjoy the effort of exploring off-camera lighting with tools like the YongNuo brand YN600EX-RT flashes, especially since they give you equivalent features as the Canon versions — the latter being game changers for Canon shooters.

If you decide to stick with the effort as a paid photographer, and if you improve both your craft and your knowledge of the business side of pro photography, I think you'll find that the deep subject of lighting is going to be a progressive effort that takes years. You'll find out what is working with your current choices, and where there are gaps. And you'll upgrade certain pieces of gear, while realizing that you over-bought on others. You'll outgrow certain items, and there will be other pieces that are simply better than YOU. LOL

The best you can do at any given time is to try to match your purchases to your needs through careful research, as well as trial and error of experience.

Enjoy the process!

if you're dealing with high volume customers.... you might want to invest in the heavy duty equipment.

Ulysses01 wrote in post #17725557
There's nothing at all wrong with that. I think you'll enjoy the effort of exploring off-camera lighting with tools like the YongNuo brand YN600EX-RT flashes, especially since they give you equivalent features as the Canon versions — the latter being game changers for Canon shooters.

If you decide to stick with the effort as a paid photographer, and if you improve both your craft and your knowledge of the business side of pro photography, I think you'll find that the deep subject of lighting is going to be a progressive effort that takes years. You'll find out what is working with your current choices, and where there are gaps. And you'll upgrade certain pieces of gear, while realizing that you over-bought on others. You'll outgrow certain items, and there will be other pieces that are simply better than YOU. LOL

The best you can do at any given time is to try to match your purchases to your needs through careful research, as well as trial and error of experience.

Enjoy the process!

well put. I'd also add that when matching purchases to your needs, don't forget to buy somewhat beyond your current needs. tey to guess what else you might need in the near future, so that you don't limit yourself.

NickWell24 wrote in post #17725340
Hey everybody, I've been looking through the forums looking to pick up some gear suggestion on lighting and it's left me leaning towards a single moonlight with a 47" octal box, mostly thanks to JoeyBaccala and his amazing results from a similar setup. (This thread in particular: https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1427264)

Before jumping in feet first and purchasing a portable monolight with battery pack I'm wanting some input.

Currently I'm shooting with 4 ProMaster Studio strobes, which I picked up second hand and are great for studio work, but not usable in the field. Up to now I've become very happy with the Yongnuo brand and was considering picking up 2x YN600EX-RTs with an Octabox (leaning towards Westcott). For a photographer just getting started with outdoor shooting does anybody see an issue with saving some money and going with Yongnuo's vs more expensive lights?

Heya,

The cost of two YN600EX-RT's, $250 basically. Plus batteries. You're still just using speedlites though. The output is not much. And you're wanting to do outdoor shooting, which really is going to at some point include shooting in pretty potent and bright sun, which these will not overpower--not two of them, not even three of them together. Many speedlites do not scale linear. Double the speedlites, get a stop maybe, get a third speedlite, get less than a stop. If you're considering two lights as "one" I would suggest you consider simply getting a good portable monolight/strobe at this point.

An AD360 probably makes the most sense at this price range for what you're doing. Portable. Powerful. Reliable. It's $100 more than the two speedlites you're considering, yet it's far, far more powerful and can be used to overpower the sun if you wanted. For $100 more. Think about that.

I was in this boat. I kept piling up speedlites. I knew I needed a strobe. I took it another step further and went with a 600ws strobe (Rovelight).

Having done the same route, I can assure you, I still use my speedlites, but having a powerful strobe opens doors when shooting in the environment outside.

So my vote is, go ahead and get a strobe.

Very best,

I

MalVeauX wrote in post #17725932
Heya,

The cost of two YN600EX-RT's, $250 basically. Plus batteries. You're still just using speedlites though. The output is not much. And you're wanting to do outdoor shooting, which really is going to at some point include shooting in pretty potent and bright sun, which these will not overpower--not two of them, not even three of them together. Many speedlites do not scale linear. Double the speedlites, get a stop maybe, get a third speedlite, get less than a stop. If you're considering two lights as "one" I would suggest you consider simply getting a good portable monolight/strobe at this point.

An AD360 probably makes the most sense at this price range for what you're doing. Portable. Powerful. Reliable. It's $100 more than the two speedlites you're considering, yet it's far, far more powerful and can be used to overpower the sun if you wanted. For $100 more. Think about that.

I was in this boat. I kept piling up speedlites. I knew I needed a strobe. I took it another step further and went with a 600ws strobe (Rovelight).

Having done the same route, I can assure you, I still use my speedlites, but having a powerful strobe opens doors when shooting in the environment outside.

So my vote is, go ahead and get a strobe.

Very best,

This^
I don't know where the OP is, but in the UK, my AD360 cost me about the same as 2 YN600s, less than the price of one Canon 600 ex rt.

Either the YN or the Strobe with battery pack will put you forward in what you want to do.. and be used on and off even as you upgrade equipment.