Am I missing anything?

I've been shooting landscapes/nature for years and I have finally decided to make the leap to learn more about OCL/portrait photography.

I've been trying to soak up everything I can here, as well as Strobist.com, etc.

What I want to light:

- Mostly outdoor/environmental portraits- 1-2 people.
- Some studio portraits.
- Will light with speedlights for now, if I really get into this maybe mono's someday.
- No need for ETTL. I want to learn to shoot manual for this.

I want to keep it relatively light/portable.

What I have now:

- 5d2, lenses, 430EX.

What I'm planning on getting:

- "Light: Science and Magic" is on its way.

- Impact 2 stand/adaptor/32" umbrella kit (seems hard to beat)..
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Flash_Umbrella_​Mount.html

- Wireless triggers - ?RF-602's

- PC to hot shoe adaptor for my 430EX.

- Set of gels.

- 43" refector. Can I use a lightstand to hold this?

- 2nd flash, manual. ?Vivitar 285. I've got my 430EX if I want ETTL for on camera work.

- ? Cheetah 24" Qbox. I'd love a boom for this, but that may have to wait.

- Probably should get a light meter, but I don't want to bust my budget.


I'm sure I'm forgetting some items, so what are they?

versedmb wrote in post #10026741
- Impact 2 stand/adaptor/32" umbrella kit (seems hard to beat)..
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …Flash_Umbrella_​Mount.html

These are quite easy to break after a year of use. I'd suggest getting some manfrotto BAC stands instead. Yes, they are more money but remember! - Buy it right, buy it once.

Some notes:
-Don't forget sandbags. I'd recommend 25 pound sandbags.
-The vivitar 285hv is quite a popular flash and it's one that I'd recommend
-I'd also recommend using cybersyncs as oppose to the RF-602. The RF-602 might be great ebay alternatives and I personally have never tried them, but I am personally done with ebay electronics. They may be cheap now, but once you need replacements, that's when costs rise.

oh and if you are looking for a meter, go with the Sekonic L358. It's 250 at B&H, and it's a great meter to use!

Thanks for the input.

If I'm considering a better stand, how do the Westcott stands compare with the Manfrotto?

Also, if I skip the Impact kit should I just go with a larger Westocott 43" umbrella?

Marloon wrote in post #10027510
oh and if you are looking for a meter, go with the Sekonic L358. It's 250 at B&H, and it's a great meter to use!

you can get that meter at Amazon right now for 10% off with code METERAMZ

259 - 26 = 233 shipped

Marloon wrote in post #10027504
These are quite easy to break after a year of use. I'd suggest getting some manfrotto BAC stands instead. Yes, they are more money but remember! - Buy it right, buy it once.

Some notes:
-Don't forget sandbags. I'd recommend 25 pound sandbags.
-The vivitar 285hv is quite a popular flash and it's one that I'd recommend
-I'd also recommend using cybersyncs as oppose to the RF-602. The RF-602 might be great ebay alternatives and I personally have never tried them, but I am personally done with ebay electronics. They may be cheap now, but once you need replacements, that's when costs rise.

Keep using the RF-602's - the price difference is well worth it IMO

I love my 602's!

Michael,
I have both Cyber Sync and RF-602s. For your intended purpose the RF-602s are a good choice.

They have a hotshoe connection which solves the 430 connection problem.

Umbrellas will be relatively hard to use outside if there is any wind.

The lighting exercise page on my tutorial site describes how I use speedlites, shoot through umbrellas, and reflectors to emulate north window light. The basic principles are valid for outdoor portraits as well.

Speedlites are not very powerful so they will have to be kept close to the subject. Thus a 32" umbrella is probably large enough. (and just a bit better in a breeze.)

As a starting point, until you can get a meter establish a baseline exposure for your speedlite with the umbrella. Set it 8 feet from a test subject that includes a crumbled up white paper towel. Set the Camera to ISO 200, Tv 1/200, Av F8 and take a test shot. If clipping blinkies are visible in the crumpled up white towel stop down one F stop and make another exposure. If the blinkie are gone, open up 1/3 F stop and make an exposure, if the blinkies reappear you now know that the speedlite delivers F11 at 8 ft. Thus, you can move the light closer, at 5.6ft it will be F16. Or reduce the power on the light to 1/2 which will give F8. etc.

Do the same thing shooting through the umbrella.

Now you know that, once you have the ambient exposure for the outdoor setting (say 1/200, F11 at ISO 100) you know that F11 ISO 100 means full power at 8ft for the speedlite.

A little experimentation and testing will help you understand how to use the speedlite for fill or as a main light with the sun. (That is difficult but not impossible.)

David,

That's some very useful info - thanks. I'll check out your website tutorial.

I'm still stuggling a bit with whether to get an umbrella or just go with say a 24" softbox. I'll be shooting mostly close to sunset or in the shade. I have no delusions about doing mid-day beach shots trying to overpower the sun.

I'd suggest that whatever older flash guns you intend to use in M mode, make sure it is one that you will want to purchase multiples of so you can have an across-the-board understand of one flash unit system and translate it over into your workflow -- minimizing as much downtime as possible with changing adjustments on each speedlight.

I have a plethora of Nikon SB-28s because I found the interface to one that best suits my preferences when needing to make adjustments manually.

I'm not saying buy a bunch now, but be sure the one you purchase is a purchase you'd later not mind duplicating.

Sunset and shade are by far the best light for outdoor portraits.
I have the Q24 as well as shoot through umbrellas and other modifiers.
The main reason to use a modifier is to create a large light source that will provide a gradual transition from highlight to shadow.

Getting the light source close to the subject is also a requirement. I generally find that, without wind, an umbrella is a quick and easy modifier. The Q24 softbox is BIG, especially when considering that it is only 24 inches. That said its a good modifier and easy to setup. Either will work.

I'd be inclined to start with a 32" shoot through umbrella and a reflector and then see where your creative instincts take you.

Ravi makes a good point about selecting your flash units with expansion in mind.

I have settled on 580EXs because I want the external battery pack capability. ( I also have one SB-28DX, also because of the battery pack.) I got the SB for its manual capabilities and use the 580EXs for TTL as well as manual.

And, the RF-602s receivers work with both the Canon and Nikon flashes. Its the transmitter that is camera specific.

Luminodio wrote in post #10030156
I.....
I'm not saying buy a bunch now, but be sure the one you purchase is a purchase you'd later not mind duplicating.

Makes sense, thanks.

dmward wrote in post #10030171
...The Q24 softbox is BIG, especially when considering that it is only 24 inches. That said its a good modifier and easy to setup. Either will work....

I'd be inclined to start with a 32" shoot through umbrella and a reflector and then see where your creative instincts take you.

Thanks again David, good food for thought.

I'm trying to reallly think through what I will actually use, instead of purchasing several items only to find out that they won't work for what I want to light.

I would skip the vivitar 285 in favor of one of the YN flashes. The 460 II is very popular among strobists. I have a couple of the vivitar 285's and its a workhorse flash, but the design is about 30 years old. You can do better, cheaper with the YN's

gonzogolf wrote in post #10030230
I would skip the vivitar 285 in favor of one of the YN flashes. The 460 II is very popular among strobists. I have a couple of the vivitar 285's and its a workhorse flash, but the design is about 30 years old. You can do better, cheaper with the YN's

Thanks, I've been considering the YN's. How long does it take for delivery typically?

versedmb wrote in post #10029559
Thanks for the input.

If I'm considering a better stand, how do the Westcott stands compare with the Manfrotto?

Also, if I skip the Impact kit should I just go with a larger Westocott 43" umbrella?

I use shoot thru all of the time. I also have a few raven light stands. They are quite portable. Umbrellas do like to fall over in the wind *LOL* I ususally have an assistant to help.

You may want to check out David Zisers ZUMBRELLA.

versedmb wrote in post #10030432
Thanks, I've been considering the YN's. How long does it take for delivery typically?

Thats vendor dependent. I've heard from 2 weeks to as long as a month.