Outdoor lighting setup kit -how does this look?

I'd like to put together an outdoor lighting kit for non commercial/professiona​l personal use. (headshots, modeling, family photos) Wondering how this purchase looks, and what else I need to consider?

Godox AD600BM (Or Flashpoint XPLOR 600 from Adorama with accessories)
Godox Xpro-c wireless flash trigger
Light stand (10 feet tall?)
Softbox (most likely a 48")
48" reflector for hand holding
<edited to add> ... Extension head for the flash, sandbags, light stand and hardware for holding reflector.

I likely figure I would need to get a Godox small on camera flash or two if they would also connect to the Xpro-c controller.

I'm guessing a couple gel panels for the softbox would also be needed but wondering if this is way overkill or if I am going to need more.

I see you have a reflector in the list, I think that will help with the light you have selected. I would consider getting a light stand with reflector clamp/arm just to help you direct and hold the reflector for ease, unless you have an assistant that will move around and hold that. Do you think a light meter will help any? It could reduce the time of setting up the camera and light and reflector, I would think.

Thanks for the stand suggestion for the reflector. The one I was looking at is a 5 in 1 type deal where you can have plain white, somewhat translucent, gold, silver, and whatever the 5th one is supposed to be. I know that one wouldn't mount on anything but I have seen others that would so I guess I'll have to look into adding one of those as well. Good call on the light meter. My current kit is camera, lenses, and tripods with nothing else, so I'm still working on all the accessories.

Oh, sandbags. Forgot those too. (and now that I think about it, a folding wagon to drag everything around.)

If it's outdoors, and you don't have an assistant holding the light stand, I'd seriously consider the extension head so you can leave the strobe on the ground and probably a really good C-stand. It doesn't take much for the light to fall outdoors with a 48inch modifier.

Just checked out the AD600 in store 2 days ago, looks pretty nice and was MUCH more intuitive to use than my Ranger Quadra. I think it's a solid purchase.

My only suggestion would be to look into a stand with boom arm for more flexibility with your setups and positioning. I'm a fan of the Manfrotto 420B convertible stand. Also, definitely get a sand bag of some sort. I have a couple different ones, some prefilled with sand for studio or days when my location is basically 10 ft from the car, and also some empty ones that can be filled with rocks or sand on location, and one that hold water bottles. Whatever you do you're going to want to weight that stand down since the Godox is going to make it a bit top heavy...you wanna protect that investment

Oh, and they also make stands for holding reflectors for you so you don't have to do it. Google "reflector holder" and you'll see a couple options. You can get a stand and arm combo, or you can just buy the arm (approx $40) if you already have a small stand, and there's also just the clip that you can mount to the top of any light stand (I think I paid $6 for a pair on ebay) if you want it to be vertical and off to the side for fill.

OK here is the list so far.

Glow Portable 5 in 1 42" Reflector Kit https://www.adorama.co​m/fppr5142.html
Flashpoint XPLOR 600 HSS Battery-Powered Monolight https://www.adorama.co​m/fplfx600bc.html
Flashpoint Portable 600ws Extension FlashHead For The XPLOR 600 https://www.adorama.co​m/fplfxp600.html
Flashpoint R2 Pro 2.4GHz Transmitter for Canon https://www.adorama.co​m/fprrr2proc.html (light comes with transmitter but I like the larger LCD pro version based on reviews/videos)
PBL Light Stands 10 Foot, Pro Heavy Duty Spring Cushioned, All Metal Locking Collars https://www.amazon.com …sc=0&ref_=lv_ov​_lig_dp_it

I have no idea what to use for a softbox. I know I want a round one, not square but thinking I want a 40" or better. Don't want to spend hundreds on it but need some suggestions.
Also thinking about the stand with boom arm. Maybe this one? Flashpoint 10' C (Century) Light Stand on Turtle Base Kit w/40" Grip Arm https://www.adorama.co​m/fplsc.html

This seems to be highly recommended.
https://www.adorama.co​m …8.html?rfkref=p​roductPage

This is a good selection to start for single light portraits. I suggest an oval 4 or 5 foot 5-in-1 reflector is more versatile than a circular one since it helps with 3/4 and full-body shots.

Softboxes are pretty inexpensive, so if a rectangular one is needed later, I would suspect it isn't too hard on the checkbook to get a different shape later. The glow 47" rectangular box is $75 for example, provided they make good products. You can use reflectors too in the interim to spread some of that light around a bit more.

I use 2 400 watt equiv light sources with round softboxes to do portraits (AD360 on one side, dual AD200s on another). I use two small flashpoint flashes in the back for rim lighting.

Not the most professional portraits, but these are offered free each year to families during the Christmas season, and is the time of year I learn and then buy more gear for the following year. I now have an AD360, 3 x AD200, 2 x large Godox flashes and 2 x mini Godox flashes for my gear, plus reflectors. I have enough now to do small portable gigs, or do a full studio setup.

Looks solid to me. C-stands are fine, but they're fairly heavy and cumbersome. Might not be an issue depending on where and how you shoot.

As for softboxes, you can go super cheap and the quality of light won't be that big a difference than super expensive. The only real difference I've seen between my $60 Interfit 36" octabox and my $700 Profoto 36" octabox is there's a slight color cast on the Interfit, and the build quality probably wouldn't stand for setting it up and tearing it down constantly...but at $70 if it lasts a year I don't care (mine has technically gone 2 now)

The only big downside to either of those is still the setup, which can be a pain. I'd go for something in the middle that has the quick setup (they basically just fold open and lock into place without needing to insert the rods individually each time); I use the Elinchrom Rotalux 53" (they make a 39" too), but I saw Glow made one and there's a couple others out there. Just makes it a little easier/quicker to setup and teardown.

Have you considered getting a modifier that may be more outdoor-friendly, like a beauty dish? Something less likely to catch the wind might be a useful tool for your kit as well.

My goto outdoor modifier is elinchroms MaxiLite (Fireball). Does great outdoors and tolerates windy days.

This was a very windy morning shot. No problems with the Fireball. Sun from back. Fireball out front 30 feet away.

Photo from ImageMaker...'s gallery.
Image hosted by forum (865644)

Please be considerate of those at work that periodically look to the forum for latest thread updates. That simply isn't appropriate for the workplace these days. I know it sucks, but I certainly don't need to have somebody come across as I scroll through the thread, get offended at what I have on my screen, and then run screaming to HR.

It's the stupid world we live in these days, where people worry more about what others have on their screen or in their workspace than perhaps things like "getting their job done" or "meeting their own deadlines" that would be more important.

In the future, if you are not in the glamour board, then please just post a link to the image with NSFW before the link.

I've seen a lot of great examples of the hard light in mid-day look achieved with Magnum/high output reflectors, is there anywhere that you could see a direct comparison of what different high-output or "hard light" modifiers would look like? That's something I've wondered for a while...how would a Colt45/Magnum/etc reflector compare against a Snub38 vs a 7" standard reflector vs. a 16/22" silver beauty dish/etc. Obviously they're all different modifiers, and you'd use them at different distances/etc.

Mainly I'm interested in a high efficiency lighting setup that could match the sun in clear/mid-day lighting scenarios, sun coming from behind, etc, with two AD200s in the AD-B2. Or even one if possible.

I would go with a 40 inch brolly over a soft box... just cause the brolly's are cheaper and you don't swear as much when the wind gets one and punches it to the ground.