I got asked to do headshots of attorneys for a law firm in my area. They will be used for their website and brochures. I don't own any lighting equipment (beside my SB-800) or backgrounds or background stands. I've borrowed this stuff from a fellow photographer before, but would like to get my own little, portable setup.

This job will get me about $500 and I figured I could just use that $ to get what I need. With this budget, what is the best stuff to buy (backdrop, backdrop stand, lights, etc), and is it possible to get what I need for $500. I just need something simple for headshots and portraits for now, until I could afford something more elaborate. Any suggestion would help. Thanks!

I would buy a good solid light stand (Bogen or Avenger 13' stand), umbrella bracket, a 60" umbrella, and set of Pocket Wizards. This will be right at $500.

Then I would scout out the environment where you will be shooting and use the environment for your background. You can use your SB-800 as your light around 1/2 power and you should be good to go!

Cheers,
Zack

Here's my setup for hedshots -
D200 handheld
Tripod with a mounted SB-800 shooting into a silver 32" umbrella. I either use the on-board flash to trigger the Sb-800 or toss on a SB-600 to triger it - but neither of these flashes are my main light.
Total out of pocket cost was around 50 bucks for the umbrella and bracket to attach it and the flash to the tripod.

No backdrop is needed if you are creative.

For instance, This shot was taken in the coordinators house. She has a long halway leading out of the kitchen. I set her in the doorway to the hall - turned off all the lights in the hall making it black, and set the light 45° off from the camera in the kitchen.


Chack out Zach Arias most of his stuff is done with a single light.

Thanks!
Erik, when you say you toss on a SB-600 do you mean you use it as a on camera flash along with the SB-800 on the light stand? I do have a SB-600 also.

Zach, about the PocketWizards, would I need 2 or just 1 to trigger the SB-800. I apologize if thats a stupid questions but I'm not too familiar with how they work.

What I use for headshots costs much more than $500. However, it depends on what they want. A traditional head and shoulder with a background is hard to pull off for $500 in equipment. I use a Norman P12/12 with three heads, softbox, umbrella, backround light with snoot, pocket wizards, three light stands, and a folding backdrop on a metal pop-up frame. The image below is taken at their office space.

Click to view attachment
this is left-right reversed for the headshot below.

Click to view attachment

Cory

You would need two Plus II transceivers. One for your hotshoe and one to go on the SB800. The nice thing about the SB800 is that it has a built in PC sync.

As to Cory's post, that is the industry standard setup for a head shoulders headshot in all traditional applications. No way you can pull that off for $500 as he stated but it gives you a great idea of how much you would need to do this on a regular basis and thus gives you a good idea that you'll need to charge more money!

I have that much gear now but when I shoot headshots for a company, I don't shoot traditional head and shoulder portraits with hair lights and muslin backgrounds. One reason is because I didn't have much gear to start and having a single light source became part of my visual style. I get requests for this type of work but the requests I get are requesting the style I shoot. The style I shoot has come from NOT having that much gear. So, when I do them, I still take one light. MAYBE two if I need a kicker light somewhere.

All this to say... When you are taking on a job like this you need to determine what your client is specifically requesting. If the style of the job is up to you, then you can walk in with whatever gear you want to use that facilitates your own personal style. If they are wanting the traditional head and shoulders portrait with an old masters background then you are going to have to walk in with the gear to get the job done correctly.

Cheers,
Zack

Zack makes a great point. The photo below is taken with almost the exact setup he talks about (except with a single Canon flash).

You have to consider what is going to be best for the future of your business as well. Are you building resources you'll never use again, or are you building resources that you'll be using frequently? Make sure that this shoot reflects what you want to do more of in the future (esp. since lawyers are often heavily connected).

Personally... I prefer the environmental portraits over the plain backdrop portraits because of the editorial style and it links the person directly to their place of work and shows (or gives the impression) that they have pride in their company and in their work.

Love this thread! Great info

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/

this is probably one of the best online resources for using speedlights.


I started to build a traditional lighting setup and decided that speedlights might be better suited to my style. I dumped every bit of my traditional studio gear and got some portable stands and a tiny hotshoe softbox. I just finished my first shoot using nothing but speedlights and everything turned out great.

The most lights we used were 3 speedlights for a high key setup but 90% of our shots used just one speedlight either in an umbrella or a small softbox.

As for the background some of the best shots used about 5 dollars worth of fabric. Another we set up shots used a brown leather sofa. as the background. Once you get some distance between the subect you can use tons of stuff for great backgrounds. Paintings, doors, walls, drapes, just about anything.

Thanks everyone. I'm reading the strobist and it mentions PC cords. If I have the pocket wizards and an SB-800 (D-200 body) do I need the PC cords?

Here's what I'm going to look into purchasing for now. A good lightstand, umbrella/hotshoe bracket, set of pocket wizards, and an umbrella. Am I leaving anything out?? Zack this is everything you mentioned.

Before buying a set of pocket wizards (which is a big investment, IMHO) practice using your SB-600 and SB-800 with Nikon's creative lighting system. You should be able to wirelessly control at least one strobe - that's what's so cool about Nikon's flash system.

Here's a tutorial on how to set it up:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/ittlslave.htm

A photographer on another forum I visit used Nikon's wireless flash system for an outdoor family portrait session and it turned out great! (you'll need to register for the site)

http://ilovephotography.com/forums/index.p...=140533&hl=

Ever since I figured out the system I've been having so much fun practicing off camera flash!

-janelle :-)

In this case does the on-camera flash have to fire to trigger the other flash. I've used my SB-800 as a Master flash and triggered another SB-800(my fathers) for some creative lighting. What if I want just 1 flash to go off (the off camera flash)? Is this possibly without the Pocket Wizards? Or a Flash cord?

Yes, the on camera flash will trigger the other flash. On the D70, I used the pop-up flash to trigger a SB-600 off camera. In my experience, the pop-up flash did not noticeably effect the images. Practice on someone and see how it works out.

If you want only one flash to fire, then a pocket wizard is your best bet.

Yes. You can control the output of the on camera master flash.

The advantage with the Creative Lighting System is that you can control the output of the off camera flash from you on camera master flash. The disadvantage is range and sensitivity to the ambient light level. If the ambient light is really bright, or if you get too far away from the remote flashes you can expect some mis-fires.

NOTE: This is all coming from memory so a trip to the user guide or 5-10 min playing around will help you figure it out.

Basically the master flash will allow you to control up to 3 groups of off camera flashes as well as the on camera master flash. Your off camera flash will be in one group and the on camera master will be a seperate one (the master flash is always at the top of the SB-800 LCD when it is in master/commander mode).

For each group you can determine the mode the group will use. Each mode has a different letter code:

--

Flash Not Used (if it is the master flash it will still fire other flashes)

iTTL

ITTL flash (camera decides amt of light output)

AA

Automatic (flash decides amt of light output)

M

Manual (you decide how much light should be output)

Manual control + pocket wizards is my prefered method (check out the strobist link referenced above for the reasons why).

So to summarize what you would do to set up a one light off camera flash:

1. -Set your on camera SB-800 to commander mode
2. -Set the SB-600 to group A
3. -Set the commander flash mode to "--"
4. -Set the group A mode to "M"
5. -Adjust the flash output to 1/4 power and use that as a starting point. Adjust the flash output as needed (a flash meter is really handy here... but your histogram will get you there if you don't have one)

The best advise is to test and get really comfortable with the setup before it is time to shoot.

Hope this helps!
-Mike

OR.... just get a couple Pocket Wizards and throw Nikon's CLS in the trash where it belongs. Sorry, as much as I love Nikon, I can't stand this CLS thing they have come up with.

Cheers,
Zack

I'm going to go with the pocket wizards. What's the deal with the PC cords? Do I need them or not?

I "think" the PW's come with a PC to mini plug needed to hook up the receiver to your SB800. That's the cord you'll need.

Cheers,
Zack

Thanks Zack I appreciate all the help!

The Plus models came with the cable, the Plus II should, too.

Tony, Thanks for starting this post! LOTS of valuable info in here. I love OSP.

You'll need cables to go from the PW to your light. I think the kit only comes with one cable. They used to only come with the receivers, but now that they're transceivers, the cables probably come with every one -- unless they're in a set of two. I don't know.

But, because the SB-800 has a PC connector, you won't need to buy anything else. Unless, of course, you start using different lights.

OSP is amazing!

Heh.... agreed. Pocket wizard = realiability and full control. It's what I'm using for my current setup.




BUUUUUTTTT.... with the current equipment you have ( 1 SB600 and 1 SB 800) you have the capability to do this without purchasing $300+ in new wireless triggers. A lightstand, umbrella and holder is all you need right now to do this. All of which can be purchased for under $100.



Take the remaining $300 and put it in the bank.

As you find yourself doing more off camera lighting, then make the investment in the pocket wizards.

my $0.02

Some Vivtar 285 flahes and optical slaves go a long way if you're on a budget!

I actually re-thought my situation and budget and ordered the umbrella, light stand and the umbrella/hotshoe bracket. I'm going to do the job with this and eventually invest in some Pocket Wizards.

If I have 1 of the 2 flashes mounted on the camera, can I trigger the off camera flash without firing the 1 on camera at all? (SB-800, SB-600 with the D-200) I think I asked this already.

Using the SB800 as a commander on camera you can fire the sb600 off camera.
You can also use the popup flash to fire both the sb800 and sb600.

You can turn the oncamera flash off so it does not add to the exposure. HOWEVER the pop up flash usually creates catchlights and possibly aditional specular highlights. I think this can be attributed to the pupup flash dying down from the preflashes. Its very minimal and the catchlights are the only major concern.

Nikon actually makes a filter to remedy this. Its a little peice of plastic that covers the flash and only allows IR light to pass through. Some people use exposed slide file taped over the onboard flash to only allow IR light to pass through.

I feel using Nikons CLS as nothing more than an IR trigger to fire the strobes in MANUAL mode is a cost effective alternative before you get Pocketwizards. But its has drawbacks and I persoanlly cant wait till I can get a set of PWs. And like everyone said if your not gonna use CLS or iTTL why pay for nikon flashes.

I just figured everything out with the pop-up flash controlling the off camera flashes and all that good stuff. Thanks everybody for all the help.
Pocket Wizards are presently on my wishlist. Hopefully I'll make that purchase soon.