Off camera lighting purchase advice

Flash is not something I use a lot of atm. I have a 430ex that I use during receptions if I absolutely have to, but that's the extent of it so far. However, there have been some situations where I wished I had an off camera setup to shoot in specific conditions - namely full sun or super dark reception hall. On camera is fine for a little bit of fill during receptions or sunny days, but when it's really dark I'd like to have the flexibility of setting up a flash or two for some dramatic lighting.

So I have started looking at possible setups and my head is swimming. I don't want to spend over $500 if I can help it, although I would go more if you guys thought it was worth it.

I guess my question is what should I be looking at to get started? Some options I have been looking at:
1. My 430ex, stand, umbrella, trigger system
2. One Vivitar 285hv, stand, umbrella, trigger system
4. One Vivitar 285, my 430ex, stands, umbrellas, triggers
3. Two Vivitar 285's, stands, umbrellas, triggers

From what I have read Sunpak 383's are also a good option but no longer available.

For triggers I have looked at everything from Ebay Cactus triggers, to Elinchrom, to Pocket Wizards, to the Paul Buff ones. I am very confused as to what I need in this area. It seems for what I'm wanting long range and super reliability aren't necessarily a must.

HERE is a link to a stand kit I was thinking about. Seems decent for the price. Again though, I'm not sure if I need 2 flashes or not.

Any advice to point me in the right direction would be really appreciated.

Chris

I'd suggest that you get a 580EX II and then you could do ratioed off camera flash work. I have the older flashes (550's + 420's) but the 580/430 use the same Canon Wireless principles.

The 580 has to be used as the Master flash and it's set up on the camera. I use a Stroboframe bracket for on-camera flash mounting as side shadow from a flash in a hot shoe when shooting vertically is the sign of an amateur. The Canon Wireless system is also line of sight as the Slave MUST see the pulse coming out of the Master, so having the Master flash directly above the camera in both vertical and horizontal shooting positions means that I can set up the slave to my right, and I think that the lens would block it out if the Master was just in the hot shoe.

Your 430 becomes your Main light (ironically because it's less powerful than the 580) while the 580 is the Fill light.

Once this is set up I turn the face of my 420 towards the camera position while keeping the head pointed at the subject. This helps with line of sight. I have Velcro strips on the camera side of my 420's so that I can attach a small black card to act as a flag. This prevents flare. I often add a second flag card to the other side of the flash which forms a snoot to avoid flash spill.

Now from the camera position I can control the output of the slaved flash without touching it. You'll have to go through the 580's instructions which will tell you how to set up this flash to use ratios, but once you are there you can use the slaved flash in a high ratioed, dramatic lighting with little fill from the the Master. Or you can choose to use a lot of fill, reducing the contrast. The point is that you can choose and not have to go fuss with the slaved flash during a speech.

By the way Aunt Gertude's point and shoot flash will NOT trigger your slaved flash, so you can use it in places where many flashes are going off.

The ratios themselves are a bit weird. A classic portrait lighting ratio is 3:1, and if you look at the flash you will see flash ratios like this: 8:1 * 4:1 * 2:1 * 1:2 * 1:4 * 1:8. So you'd pick the dot between 4:1 and 2:1 right? Sadly no. you pick the dot between 1:2 and 1:4! Stupid, but once you realize how to set it up it works just fine.

The expense for this is going to exceed your $500. You'll need a 580, a bracket, and off camera cord, and a light stand for the 430. But it's portable and works very very well.

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Thanks for the detailed response. I really appreciate it

Chris