Portrait Bug / Setup

[elknut]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-16-08 AT 11:10AM (MST)[p]A question on portrait setup using a D200?

I now have some base equipment:
2 - sb600
1 - sb800
2 - Bogan light stands with mounts (1-6? & 1-8?)
1 ? Westcott umbrella 45? white
3 ? bounce cards (followed ?Better Bounce Cards? web site)

I'm fascinated with light and getting it just so. I've converted a room into a home studio (well kinda) and now I'm looking at softbox, diffusers, and illuminators. Things are getting more expensive with larger setups (my wife is wondering when this is going to end).

My question: what's the next step i.e. do I jump into a 40? softbox at $200+? I want to learn to take in-home studio shots, however I don't think I'll ever really be a studio shootest. I do think I'll move into environmental portraits ? so what setup do you consider bread and butter equipment for portrait and controlling light?

I guess I don't want to spend more money on studio type equipment that in a year I'm going to move on Ebay.

 

[TFinalshot]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-16-08 AT 04:30PM (MST)[p]for outdoors i use one or two sb800's. one is remote the other on a strobo press "t" frame with a dem flash diffuser and attached to a nikon external power pack SD-8a (not that necessary, but if you shoot a wedding you will thank God you own one).

When using the SB's I also use bogan stands. . . and small umbrellas, bigger umbrellas dont make more light in fact with such small flashes you should be using a 16" umbrellas and position them as close to the sujbect as you can get with out spilling light. with small light sources you have to get them close or you will get hard light. If you have a larger, more powerful light you can use a bigger diffuser and put the light farther away.

My studio gear consists of AB 800's and BIG - like 7' big photoflex octoboxes, soft boxes, and umbrellas, grids, snoots, barn doors, gels, booms and etc. It's all sitting in my basement right now waiting to get put back into use. . .

If I were you, unless you only want head shots indoors (your SB's are too small for full body), buy one AB 800 and a good soft box and a good reflector I made my own for my studio, and I have bunch I purchased. For outdoor shots, i use a silver and a mixed silver and gold lastolite tri grip. . . . buy one!

Also, use natural north aspect indoor window light and a reflector. shoot at 5.6 ISO 400 and you can get some very nice results. . .