Best studio kit for starter

[Oakleigh Photography]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a 150w flash kit for simple portarit photgraphy beginner level

John

[Graham_of_Rainham]

Re: Best studio kit for starter

If you are ALWAYS going to use it within reach of a power supply then something like the Interfit INT175 Venus 300W Twin Umbrella Flash Kit will do as a starter. However if you just want a single flash that gives you the all round capability and flexibility then an FL-50 will do the job.

Consider also Continious "Cool Lites" that use daylight fluorescent bulbs. They are so much easier to use and get right as you can see all the shadows, catch lights, flairs, etc., and metering can be done a lot simpler with the cameras spot mode to get the image just as you want it.

Have fun, and do show us the results.

[dbutch]

Re: Best studio kit for starter

There are some good deals to be had on the Lastolite Lumen8 2 head kits at the moment, they take Bowen S attachments and perform well

Cheers

Dave

[Oakleigh Photography]

Re: Best studio kit for starter

As you can probably gather by now im interested in photographing pigeons and the top men use one flash head directed into the umbrella to focus the light inside a photographic box complete with turntable. the back is usually a light blue colour with the sides of the box frosted in order to keep the bird from trying to escape and also to let light through. Continuous light would cause probably too much heat and the flash would bring out the true colour of the bird.

So the kit would probably only need to be one, but there again I would also like to get some good pictures of my children. Those mentioned are probably a little out of my price range but maybe worth while getting out the plastic friend if it will do a good job

http://www.pigeonstud.com/portraits.htm

The birds lower down is what im trying to capture. I have the camera the box and all I need now is the lighting

Any ideas would be most welcome

John

[dbutch]

Re: Best studio kit for starter

John

For that situation I would have thought that something like an FL-36 raised up with a Stofen diffuser might well give an even light if you have the box to reflect off.

Have you a on camera flash other than the pop-up?

Might be worth even trying the pop-up with something like tissue paper infront of it to see if that kind of diffusion atleast works with the box

I tend to think that a studio flash is not needed.

Dave

[Oakleigh Photography]

Re: Best studio kit for starter

Hi Thanks for the replies. During my time looking at flashes could someone explain what is the difference between a strbe flash and normal flash or are they the same

John