Experienced photographers only please....advice?

Question

In two weeks I will be shooting my first fashion model. The set is indoors and is of a night scene with the model on a rooftop (props). I would assume the set will be dark. My question is what else should I bring with me besides my D300, my two SB-800's and my three lenses? I cannot afford studio strobes and would prefer a portable light source like my sb 800's. I thought about getting the following:

light stands (2)

softboxes to mount on sb 800's (2) what size I'm not sure yet. either softboxes or umbrellas?

and thats all I can up with.

also thought about a wireless setup for my flashes versus the way I shoot now with the pop-up flash up to trigger the sb800s.

if you can give me any advice as to what to use that would make the best of what I have now, I would greatly appreciate it. ten points also

Answer 1

If you intend on doing this regularly, it is time to invest. Studio lighting can get pretty expensive. I suggest looking into Alienbees. They are great lights at a very reasonable cost. I still use them along with other lighting now.

Answer 2

I would recomend having some additional lighting on the walking area.  That will help your camera foucus better onthe subject.  Try some white light lamps with low watts.  Try Home Depot for cheap stuff.

Answer 3

You should test it out with a friend. Go on a rooftop(or somewhere) in the dark, and just bring the stuff you have posted. If you don't like it, improve it, by adding More equipment

Craigslist might have some people selling there used equipment

Answer 4

I don't exactly understand what you are saying.

You have had a set built?  Is it in a rented studio?  If it is, why doesn't your client rent the studio lighting as well.

The major problem with shooting with SB800's that you have no modeling light so you can pre-visualize the lighting set up.  Using precut strings is a little tacky for a pro shoot.

Any way, you need to do a per test of your lighting a day before at least so you can make any adjustments as necessary ... "learning" on the clients dime is a good way to lose a client.

Good luck ... talk to the studio owner about renting his studio lights for your shoot

Answer 5

i dont like soft boxes, they are fixed and i dont like that,   if you make some difussion screens one can move them closer to and further from the model or light source - changing the levels/effects of difussion, it gives one more control that fixed soft boxes

the rest sounds good to me, maybe another flash so you can do key,fill and backlight, also some gels if you want colour backgrounds

Po

Answer 6

If you can afford only one light diffuse, you'll find a softbox much more useful than an umbrella, as it keeps the the light in a 180-degree arc, and can be baffled or scrimmed to control it even more. For the SB800's, try the Chimera Mini. I've had mine for years and carry it everywhere. With the required speed ring (includes attached hot shoe adapter) it's a bit over $100. Well worth it.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/13...

Light stands are a must, of course, unless you have some other way to elevate and hold the strobes. They're relatively inexpensive.

As for wireless control, the Nikon SU-800 commander works very well, as long as all the strobes are in front of you.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/41...

As for lighting, you can definitely make this work with two lights, but you're going to be limited. That means you need to make two lights act as though they are four or five by using light modifiers. A good way to do this is by using reflective materials to reflect the light, mimicking another flash. You can use all of the following on a single setup. Each has a different look:

1. An inexpensive and not-too-large wall mirror. When reflecting a strobe, it will look almost identical giving you a virtual second strobe. Great for reflecting the main light into the model for use as a rim or back light. Use more than one to turn a single light into three or four, or more, light sources.

2. Foam core covered in aluminum foil. More diffuse than a mirror. Not as reflective (or fragile). Can be colored with markers to add a warm or cool fill.

3. Plain white foam core. Very diffuse reflector and can be taped together to make a very large reflector.

Those three light modifiers are time-honored tools to make the most out of a limited lighting setup. Each has multiple uses. For instance, you can use the foam core to reflect fill light, or as a makeshift and very inexpensive umbrella on which to bounce one of the strobes for softer light.

Sure, it's nice to have a full studio setup. But sometimes we have to make do with what we have at the time, or what we can afford. Besides, nothing will prepare a young photographer better than having a less than optimal setup.

Might be good to know: Joe McNally lights everything this way, and he's one of the top journalistic/portrait photogs in the country.

http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/

My portable setup (separate from my studio setup) includes four SB-800's, commander module, three compact light stands, Chimera Mini softbox, assorted color filters, and a roll of Cinefoil (matte black heavyweight foil used for scrims (blocking light).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/44...

And for additional tips and tricks, THE STROBIST is an incredibly popular and useful blog dedicated to pro lighting with only portable strobes.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/