Informal Portraits on a Budget with Minimal Equipment

I've got an XT, a cheap Bower ETTL flash (http://www.adorama.co​m/FASFD35C.html?search​info=bower%20flash&ite​m_no=1) that can tilt and swival and have a number of less expensive lenses including the Sigma 17-70mm and a manual M42 Jupiter-9 that actually produces some very nice images. I do have an off-camera ETTL cord on order. I would like to take informal portraits - street, pets, etc. - using a minimum of equipment and cost and haul-age. What would you recommend in the way of equipment? Any interesting techniques? Thanks!

I don't know about that flash but I was playing with the 550EX mounted directly to the camera, pointed back over my head into the corner of our living room (9 foot white ceilings and walls) and really liked the light on my subject about 12 feet in front of me.

Figure out how to bounce the light inside. Outside is another issue.

Cool idea. Yeah, I've been doing most of my shots using straight up ceiling bounce and a small white rubber-banded card for a catch light. Works nice as long as I'm more or less level with the subject's eyes. Need to play around more with wall bounce/side lighting.

When you say mininum of equipment - would you be adverse to a lightweight light stand and collapsable umbrella? Chuck in a small reflector and you could accomplish a lot with what i'd call cheap and very portable equipment

Flex

So I'd be placing the off-camera flash on a stand and pointing it into the umbrella? Interesting. Tell me more. Do you have any examples using this technique?

Yeh that's what i'm meaning. I'd recommend having a read of the lighting 101 tutorials on strobist.. here

There's a huge thread on fred miranda about portrait using one light setup which really inspired me.. here

hope those are of help

Flex

Ah, I fail the two flash requirements on the strobist -- no PC connector, no manual flash mode. Interesting reading though. Popped in the local camera shop for a UV filter today and someone was carrying out an umbrella setup and talking about the strobist.

The FM portrait article looks very interesting!Thanks, Flex! That seems to be along the lines of what 'm looking for. Cool.

JackProton wrote in post #2810432
Ah, I fail the two flash requirements on the strobist -- no PC connector, no manual flash mode. .

Thats easily fixed.
For less than US$30 I picked up a really good manual flash, an optical trigger with a PC sync plug on it, and a length of PC cord, all from a local trading site (the flash cost NZ$1) and a local shop.

Sounds good. Got any links to these or similar items?

JackProton wrote in post #2814612
Sounds good. Got any links to these or similar items?

ebay.com is a good place to start.

I have no idea where in the world you are, so I can't really suggest any good local trading sites. But there are plenty out there.

Any good camera shop will be able to help you with a PC sync cord, and adaptor for the flash and your camera

Your welcome Jack,

My 430EX doesn't have a PC connector either, there's a few ways around this, cheap wireless transmitters and receivers. One sits on your cameras flash shoe mount, the other on your Flash guns shoe mount. But i'd read mixed reviews so i bought..

An adaptor to sit on my camera's flash shoe mount (my 400D doesn't have a PC socket):
http://www.7dayshop.co​m …th=777_1&produc​ts_id=8381

An adaptor for my flash gun to sit on:
http://www.7dayshop.co​m …th=777_1&produc​ts_id=7847

and I bought an extension cable cos that little cable on the flash adaptor doesn't go far!

As for manual flash controls, you will need that. In the US you can buy flash guns really cheap compared to the UK. I'm sure someone on here could point you in the right direction (not sure if you're in the US). You may even get one with a PC socket and if you're camera already has a PC socket then you'll only need a cable.

Hope that's of help

Flex

Thanks guys! That is helpful.

BTW, I'm in the US. Anyone with a flashgun suggestion?