Lens or flash

[RedGoblinz]

K, so my friends birthday celebration is coming soon, and i'm asking him whether he wants to allocate a little of time for a tiny "photoshoot" (practice for me!) If he says yes, then i'd be happy.


My question would be, should i buy a lens or a flash first? I'd have to buy the flash sooner or later for an outdoor night event.

What do you guys think? The only lens i have now is the 18-55IS Kit lens, the 5.6 aperture doesnt really produce very soft skin.

What do you guys think?

[djb28]

Lens for sure. A good lens makes things easier. You can use ANY lighting. I just did a Photoshoot of a baby. I used a cool white light and an LED small light and the flash on the camera with a diffuser. I dont see the point in buying all that fancy light and strobes unless you are shooting a million dollar model! and get paid like you shoot million dollar models..

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[RedGoblinz]

Forgot to mention that the "photoshoot" is probably gonna be outdoors.

[Rentham]

Originally Posted by RedGoblinz

the 5.6 aperture doesnt really produce very soft skin.

What?

Originally Posted by RedGoblinz

What do you guys think?

I think you should stop relentlessly posting threads asking us what to buy. Learn to use what you have.

Originally Posted by djb28

I dont see the point in buying all that fancy light and strobes unless you are shooting a million dollar model! and get paid like you shoot million dollar models

What?

[OsmosisStudios]

The level of fail in this thread is astounding.

[dlambert]

Take a little time and think this through. If you're getting something specifically for this one shoot, the make sure you know what you're trying to accomplish on this shoot. Pick your location, figure out what sort of lighting you're going to have -- maybe even go there and get a couple test shots w/ your current kit to find out what sort of results you can get with your current equipment. Once all that's done, if there's something specific about your results you want to change, then maybe you're ready to solve your problem with equipment. And if you're solving this problem for just one shoot, renting might be a better way to go than buying.

A fast lens is a great option for ambient-light photography. I've had my 50mm f/1.8 in my bag since the first day I owned a DSLR, and I still reach for it fairly often. Primes also tend to be nice for portraits when you've got time to pose a subject the way you'd like. You can get the super sharpness of a prime and the great bokeh of a big-aperture lens for a fraction of the cost of a big-aperture zoom.

Flash, though, is a whole other animal. When you start lighting (especially off-camera), you start putting the light where *you* want it, rather than working only with ambient light, and it's a whole other factor for you to consider when you're setting up a shot. I never cease to be amazed at people who are really good at lighting, but it'll take some learning to get this right, so don't underestimate that learning curve. Along these lines, if you intend to use flash at night, be sure to allocate some practice time, as this isn't as straightforward as you might imagine.

[djb28]

Why What? I have strobes, I have off camera flashes. I have set them all up and used them for shoots. I have also used regular old lightening, like I stated , available at any store. Honestly the results are not that much different, depending on what I am shooting.

To tell someone to go out and buy expensive rigs, makes no sense. A little creativity and light placement will give you great results. I think a great lens is a good place to start. The two pics I posted are 4 dollar lights. Do you really think they are bad? The customer told me how they wanted the lighting to look and I used what I thought was best. They liked it, I got the shot I wanted.

[A@EPOCH]

I'm going to avoid as much of the fail as possible and suggest you pick up a 50mm 1.8, great lens for as little as $100... also I would suggest looking at some other resources on this website to avoid things like "5.6 doesn't make for good skin tones."

[RedGoblinz]

Originally Posted by Rentham

I think you should stop relentlessly posting threads asking us what to buy. Learn to use what you have.

I dont live in a solitary island. I dont have cash to blow and just "test whether i need it".

And yes, i know flash is a whole different thing, and i intend to learn it some time, i've even read how to properly use things i dont even have yet.
But i have to start somewhere. And i dont have lens rental here.


Anyway, thanks for your reply. I'll just go with the lens first.

[RedGoblinz]

Originally Posted by A@EPOCH

... also I would suggest looking at some other resources on this website to avoid things like "5.6 doesn't make for good skin tones."

Wooops. I think i said that 5.6 doesnt work well cuz i took a pic of my own eye, and my complexion showed clearly in the photo. Thanks anyway, least i have 1 less reason to buy the 50mm. Hey, this is part of learning. Thanks!