I want to Live the Strobist Life

Well when I returned to photography in earnest last summer I was convinced I wanted studio lights, but...after reading the web for a while I have bought into the strobist lifestyle. Now I need to start assembling my "stuff" and find the strobist discussion group kind of inefficient to use so since this is my home on the net I thought I'd start here.

First, what light stands and umbrella adapters should I get. Although more expensive than some of the options I am leaning toward Bogan nanos currently with the Bogan adapter.

Second, I have a 580EXII but want to get 2 Sunpak 383s to go with it. My plan is to trigger the 580 with PW and then initially use peanut slaves to trigger the other strobes, what is your opinion on this?

I also am thinking about getting 2 of the Westcott white collapsible umbrellas with removable black backs.

Overall goal is to travel light, but there are so many options I need guidance so please chime in and give me your opinion!

Thanks,

I LOVE my nano stands (well, technically one 3323 and one nano, since I bought my first a while ago), and the Westcott umbrellas are also great (I've got a doublefold and a bigger, I think 43" normal one). Ball-bungees are also great. I ball-bungee an umbrella to each stand and attach an improvised rope/snapclip strap for carrying.

Check my gear list (link in my sig) under the lighting section. I did not go the cheap cheap route and am very happy with my bogen/westcott setup and with my bogen nano stand and collapsible westcott umbrella I can fit the pair with the bogen umbrella mount on the stand into a 22" mini light stand bag along with two pocket wizards and mounts for them for a VERY light and portable solution. One of these days I intend to do a write up on the strobist stuff I bought in the hopes of showing people how much better quality the little more expensive equipment really is over say the impact stuff.

Ben did you get the impact stuff? I did a piecemeal strobist kit. I got the impact umbrella swivel but will get a higher end one next time. I want to get a small nano stand as I got a giotto stand that I love but it is no way portable. That one is for my home. Very sturdy.

Well to truely live the Strobist life style, you need to quit your work so you can blog every moment you're away and live off of diet mountain dew.

To "Live the Strobist Life" you will need to change you name to Pineau, have a couple of kids, and move to Hawaii.

Enjoy! Lon

"Run & gun" lighting doesn't have to be complicated. I used Vivitar SL-2s to get the same effect & they worked well.
Simple "every-day-emergency" location lighting

Slightly more complicated, but still easy for one person to carry: Simple 2 Light Portrait Set-up

And then there's this solution: VERY simple "outdoor studio"

slimninj4 wrote in post #4863117
Ben did you get the impact stuff? I did a piecemeal strobist kit. I got the impact umbrella swivel but will get a higher end one next time. I want to get a small nano stand as I got a giotto stand that I love but it is no way portable. That one is for my home. Very sturdy.

Yes I tried the impact stuff and thought it to be very cheap and ended up returning it and going for the bogen/westcott gear thats in my gear list linked to in my sig. Been a lot happier with that.

FlashZebra wrote in post #4863468
To "Live the Strobist Life" you will need to...

be a Macgyver of lighting, use household items to create light modifiers with cereal boxes, black straws, etc.

Hello, Dan. I'm just getting started with flash myself. Are you going to the seminar Monday? Looks like Wescott is one of the exhibitors. The info is in another post in this area. I'm going to the one in Tulsa Sunday.

Also, are you aware of the local web site,
http://www.oklahomapho​tographers.net/

Looks like there are lots of guys there with good info on studio lighting including one that invites people to play at his studio at Wiley Post Airport.

Happy flashing.

I don't know if you want peanut slaves? I bought a couple to try using with Vivitar 285h's and could get neither one to trigger either flash. I ended up buying a couple shoe mount triggers off eBay that both have worked great so far.

Speedlight Flash Slave Trigger W/ Hot Shoe
http://cgi.ebay.com …1QQtcZphotoQQcm​dZViewItem

They cost me $10 including shipping from Korea, here in a week.

lefturn99 wrote in post #4865361
Hello, Dan. I'm just getting started with flash myself. Are you going to the seminar Monday? Looks like Wescott is one of the exhibitors. The info is in another post in this area. I'm going to the one in Tulsa Sunday.

Also, are you aware of the local web site,
http://www.oklahomapho​tographers.net/

Looks like there are lots of guys there with good info on studio lighting including one that invites people to play at his studio at Wiley Post Airport.

Happy flashing.

No, I wasn't aware of the web site but will check it out and yes, my son and I are both going Monday. I plan on coming home with a bunch of door prizes .

Heap64 wrote in post #4867435
I don't know if you want peanut slaves? I bought a couple to try using with Vivitar 285h's and could get neither one to trigger either flash. I ended up buying a couple shoe mount triggers off eBay that both have worked great so far.

Speedlight Flash Slave Trigger W/ Hot Shoe
http://cgi.ebay.com …1QQtcZphotoQQcm​dZViewItem

They cost me $10 including shipping from Korea, here in a week.

Good to know, I saw some triggers on flashzebra's site after I started this post, anyone used them?

Using the PC cord that comes with the flash?
Sometimes the polarity of the connection makes a difference:
http://photo.net …ch-msg?msg_id=00AAi9&tag=

PhotosGuy wrote in post #4869635
Using the PC cord that comes with the flash?
Sometimes the polarity of the connection makes a difference:
http://photo.net …ch-msg?msg_id=00AAi9&tag=

Yes I was trying to use the peanut on a new 285HV with the PC cord that came with it? I had two peanuts and two 285's neither works. I was trying with the same Vivitar cable each time.

The shoe triggers are working great.

I figured I would keep the peanuts around and try them with someone else's flash someday.