https://plus.google.com/u/0/115065563322811017070/posts/9rptkr9Vzpc
Reshared post from +Dave Rich
#Photography #Equipment #Lighting
With tax time coming, and my proclivity for giving Uncle Sam interest free loans throughout the year, I would love some advice from the Photography Community here. Over the course of this year, I plan to dedicate a lot more time to learning and advancing my skill, as well as taking some photography jobs that have been previously offered to me, however, I am somewhat lacking in the equipment department, and that's where you, my dear fellow photographers, come in.
I have a camera, and I know enough about them and the assorted lenses to make informed decisions that fit with my style of photography (when it concerns portrait style subjects), but lighting still confounds me.
I've read the wonderful book written by +Scott Kelby (Light It, Shoot It, Retouch It, which I won for my local Photowalk 2011 submission.) where he goes into quite a bit of detail about the lighting setups and the effects they produce. I've read countless articles by +Alex Koloskov concerning "lighting on a budget"… I've read most of what +Brent Burzycki has posted about how he sets his lighting up for shots and effects. But I still find myself with more questions than answers.
I think one of the areas in which I'm having the most difficulty is the relation of "power" from the lights, and exposure, so I still need a bit of exposure in that area. *Pun not intended.
There are expensive lights, there are cheap lights, there are lights cheaper than cheap. There's CFL, MH, Tungsten, etc. There are strobes, always on, slave and master, etc.
In a nutshell, I'm in a position to get started in portrait photography, mostly on location, and I know the on-camera flash is more than worthless. I know I need some lighting equipment, and I've got a good handle on "why" I need it as well as what it can and can't do, but "WHAT" do I need, to start, as far as lighting is concerned?
Most of my "work" for the first 1/2 of this year is going to be focused on business headshots and some for pay portrait work with friends, family, and acquaintances. I'm blessed in the fact that they want me to take the pictures more for me to learn (and start getting some financial recompense), and not so much so that they can get "free" or "cheap" pictures done.
So, here I ask.. In your opinion, what would be a decent, portable, affordable base of equipment to get started in this area? Something I can at least "start" with, and build upon later, as I learn and get better and better.
Sorry for rambling, and if you've made it this far, many thanks, and your feedback is, as always, very welcome and sought after.