must haves for starting home studio?

[candleman]

should i be getting a (extends to)6' light stand or (extends to) 8'?

dont know about the mpex stands.. my 6' is a heap of trash.. the 8' is allot sturdier, higher quality.

Originally Posted by candleman

dont know about the mpex stands.. my 6' is a heap of trash.. the 8' is allot sturdier, higher quality.

i was leaning towards the 8, thanks

[sarahdavis]

Originally Posted by ntinlizi

isnt that the point of this thread? to ask fellow photographers what they use and how they are used?

Exactly ~ That's what I thought, which is why I was reading it....

[sarahdavis]

Originally Posted by ntinlizi

i was looking at this "starving strobist light kit" so i can play around and learn..then later down the road i can upgrade to better exquipment... Strobist Starving Student SX4 Lighting Kit & 45" Optical White Satin Umbrella with Removable Black Cover
should i be getting a (extends to)6' light stand or (extends to) 8'?

Wow, even I could afford this umbrella! Is this the type of stand you're looking at for it? LumoPro 8' Black A/C Stand

Thank you everyone for all the links and especially the people who listed pro's and con's of different types - THANK YOU!!!

[Sime]

Defo some great links and reading in this one... I use a 430 and a 580, the 580 (exII) mostly... I have some Elinchrom BX400 series lights.... I don't have a battery for them, so I don't take them out of the house - but I could use them with a generator.... (I guess :P) I use my shoot through umbrella mostly, I have 8' stands (Go high, you will love the extra flexibility at some stage, of being able to get your light right up high)

You can do a lot with a 580 (And a 430) but if you have a 430, you can't control a second 430 off camera.. whereas with the 580, you can use it to control another 580 or a 430 off camera.. Or you could use cheap triggers - I have Alien Bee triggers (They shipped them to a friends place in NY and she brought them over to the UK for me)

I'd love to hear how you end up, with what kit and how it works for you.. Post us a couple of photos :-)

Sime

so i ordered the starving strobist light kit sx4 from midwest photo exchange....i got it and it was missing some things! when i called they said that the (2) speedlites, hot shoe, & flash extention cord were not included in this perticular kit (even though it shows pictures of them in the kit online!) so they are senting me the missing items free of charge for the confusion! the speedlites wont be in until sept. 15, so hopefully ill get them by the end of the month! but until then....i've already got a couple senior portrait session (outdoor shoot), bridal shoot (outdoors), 1 yr baby shoot (dec.),a wedding (next july), and a potential wedding (next oct. 2010), and the work just keeps pooring in !

Originally Posted by sarahdavis

Wow, even I could afford this umbrella! Is this the type of stand you're looking at for it? LumoPro 8' Black A/C Stand

Thank you everyone for all the links and especially the people who listed pro's and con's of different types - THANK YOU!!!

so apparently this kit doesnt come with lights or hot shoe! the sx3 has EVERYTHING you would need. but if your just looking at umbrella and stand, i got (as an extra to the kit) a 8' light stand & reversable umbrella from adorama i think it was like $95.