Help me out here..

scotteisenphotography wrote in post #6039676
alright...i have 2 generators... but i'm talking about..not harsh midday light..but maybe an hour or two after it... the lights don't have to be very far...i'll be able to get pretty close...i'm not sure why i wouldn't

For the typical setup you can think of, what flash-to-subject distance do you anticipate? How bright would you need the light to be (what aperture)? What modifiers do you anticipate using - umbrellas, softboxes, etc.? With all of these questions answered, you can use the detailed performance information on the AlienBees web site to determine if their flash units have enough power to do what you want.

All exposure control of flash units like the AlienBees is totally manual. A good handheld light meter would be highly advantageous. In fact, I would not be without my Sekonic L-358 when working with my lights. I don't see a handheld light meter in your equipment list.

Scott, I just checked the link.

I will keep my posts directly oriented to your request on the thread.

That ring light seems to be an interesting buy, but from my flawed teaching experience, I think you would benefit a hundred times more from a light from which the source is not directly the camera point. Another feature I would recommend for a light set is the Modeling lights. It allows you to work and tweak your lightning for hours, without wasting flashes, memory, etc.

Alienbee Beginner Package with the AB-800 seems an awesome place to start. You can call and see for the price to add a single unit, bringing you to a 2-light setup. And then of course, get a nice reflector anywhere.

3-light setup?... In my opinion, it will only confuse you if you are just getting started with studio photography (this happens all the time, joe newb gets a 3 or 4 light setup, takes a thousand photos, and is still unable to see which source is burning his subject, and how to fix a darker spot).

That's all I got to offer. Best of luck to ya.

[EDIT: I SECOND THE LIGHTMETER COMMENT FROM S.DOUGLAS, SEKONIC OR MINOLTA]