Lighting / backdrop accessories - advice sought

[FaxFan2002]

All,

I'm hoping you can give me some guidance. My better half has had a 350d and a semi keen interest in photography. She has recently shown more of an interest and is keen to take things further and since it is her birthday soon has requested some lighting accessories / backdrops etc. for taking portraits of newly arrived baby boy.

She has a variety of lenses (fish eye, macro, telephoto, 18-50mm) and a decent sigma flash (EF-500). So I *think* the lighting and background accessories are the way to go.

Any advice / guidance / websites / prices / second hand stuff?

Many thanks.

[eddiewood]

Originally Posted by FaxFan2002

All,

I'm hoping you can give me some guidance. My better half has had a 350d and a semi keen interest in photography. She has recently shown more of an interest and is keen to take things further and since it is her birthday soon has requested some lighting accessories / backdrops etc. for taking portraits of newly arrived baby boy.

She has a variety of lenses (fish eye, macro, telephoto, 18-50mm) and a decent sigma flash (EF-500). So I *think* the lighting and background accessories are the way to go.

Any advice / guidance / websites / prices / second hand stuff?

Many thanks.

Have a look on eBay for Portaflash 336VM lights, stands etc, it was/is sold at Jessops as a kit and can now be had individually cheap as chips.

I have collected (over several months) two 336VM heads and stands, two softboxes, a snoot and a brolly.

You can also get a backdrop and stand should you want to go that far, but I tend to use a wide white sheet of paper hanging from a door/wall.

As with anything else you get brand snobbery with studio kit, the Portaflash stuff works fine for me.

You don't need one, but I also use a Sekonic L-358 light meter, it makes setting up the flash heads easy. Should you ever look at getting one, I can highly recommend it. Again bought second-hand

[FaxFan2002]

Thanks for the feedback, i've checked ebay and I'm not enterily sure exactly what I need I've found:-

Portaflash 336vm flash head

Portaflash 336VM Flash Head on eBay (end time 16-Jul-09 20:23:41 BST)

Does this fit inside one of the softboxes?

Jessops 336VM fit softbox, 70cm x 100 cm, brand new on eBay (end time 17-Jul-09 22:06:02 BST)

The softbox I've seen has a continous light, rather than a flash head. All a bit confusing to a newbie and I want to surprise the missus as much as I can. Help please?

Thanks.

[eddiewood]

Originally Posted by FaxFan2002

Thanks for the feedback, i've checked ebay and I'm not enterily sure exactly what I need I've found:-

Portaflash 336vm flash head

Portaflash 336VM Flash Head on eBay (end time 16-Jul-09 20:23:41 BST)

Does this fit inside one of the softboxes?

Jessops 336VM fit softbox, 70cm x 100 cm, brand new on eBay (end time 17-Jul-09 22:06:02 BST)

The softbox I've seen has a continous light, rather than a flash head. All a bit confusing to a newbie and I want to surprise the missus as much as I can. Help please?

Thanks.

The 336VM flash has a modelling light (an ordinary small bulb) and a separate flash bulb. The modelling light is either 40 or 60w and can be switched on/off as required. The 40w is useful in a dark room where you don't want ambient light but still want to see the subject

The 336VM can be fired using a sync cable attached to the camera or as a slave flash. As a slave you can trigger it by using the external flash on your camera, they will fire at the same instant. Put the external camera flash on low power and point it away from the subject if you don't want the external flash providing too much extra light.

That softbox description says it will fit, the Portaflash ones I have are smaller, about 30cmx30cm (or 40cmx40cm?). A softbox is VERY useful for reducing the harshness of the light, the bigger the better, but they get expensive and the small ones I have do the job and are easy to store rather than having to put them together when I need them.

Should you go for the second-hand Portaflash stuff you will need to collect the bits over time as they can be hard to find. Jessops still have some items, you can get a new flash for £50 and a stand for a fiver, so don't go mad on eBay!

Portaflash System - Jessops

In addition to the flash head and stand you will need the bracket that attaches the flash to the stand. I have the Portaflash tilt bracket, as the name suggests, it is used to tilt the flash when on the stand.

http://www.jessops.com/ce-images/PRO...L701036064.jpg

I have two 336VMs and softboxes, I think I have them on LS1 and LS2 stands, not sure tbh. Doubt it matters much anyway, just get the £5 one from Jessops, they might even have a bracket.

[Y15HAL]

Faxfan, Did you managed to get your equipment in the end?

I'm hoping to purchase similar stuff too, just wanted a verdict from a fellow newbie!

[FaxFan2002]

Yes!

Elemental G2 kit - Twin 250w Studio Kit

Works a treat according to the missus, the only downside is she insisted on a new camera!

[eddiewood]

Originally Posted by Y15HAL

Faxfan, Did you managed to get your equipment in the end?

I'm hoping to purchase similar stuff too, just wanted a verdict from a fellow newbie!

eBay item 200395266514 five hours left.

[Y15HAL]

Sounds good!! Did you pick it up on eBay? I missed out on the suggested link because I have just noticed this post.

Does the missus have any sample shots that you could post up?

Sorry to be a pain!