Flash Trigger and Softbox help

[nignag]

Hello everyone,

I am going on a trip to Nepal soon where I will be in close contact with the village people and their kids. I wish to take portraits of them using a small, portable soft box with a stand, hot shoe flash, as well as a flash trigger. I'm really inexperienced at setting up this sort of DIY lighting so I would appreciate if you guys can recommend me what soft box, stand, and flash trigger to purchase and where to purchase them. I'm only looking to buy one of each.

I'm currently using a Nikon D300s, along with a SB-600 flash.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

 

[sjackal]

A small camera and natural light sounds better in that kinda of situation.

 

[catchlights]

I already find my SB800 is not powerful enough to use with softbox, SB600 will even worst. Unless you want shoot at very high ISO or very close up.

Keep it simple. Find good natural light and set up there for shoots.

 

[nignag]

Thanks for the reply guys!

Actually yes I do plan to shoot very close up, to be exact, head shots. The reason I'm thinking of setting up that soft box is because I heard that it's gonna be gloomy weather.

 

[JasonB]

Softbox and flash and stuff during travel and shooting villagers. Hmm, more important to work on overcoming resistance and shyness than to add obstacles to it.

 

[daredevil123]

Hello everyone,

I am going on a trip to Nepal soon where I will be in close contact with the village people and their kids. I wish to take portraits of them using a small, portable soft box with a stand, hot shoe flash, as well as a flash trigger. I'm really inexperienced at setting up this sort of DIY lighting so I would appreciate if you guys can recommend me what soft box, stand, and flash trigger to purchase and where to purchase them. I'm only looking to buy one of each.

I'm currently using a Nikon D300s, along with a SB-600 flash.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

You are not going to have the time nor energy for lightstand nor softbox. Kids will be running around and they will not line up and pose properly for you to shoot. Just up your iso and shoot with natural light. The most you can manage is probably a small palm sized led light.

 

[daredevil123]

Thanks for the reply guys!

Actually yes I do plan to shoot very close up, to be exact, head shots. The reason I'm thinking of setting up that soft box is because I heard that it's gonna be gloomy weather.

And how gloomy can it get? I just shot in ha giang where it is gloomy most of the time and i have no problems shooting portraits and head shots with ambient light. Even in the darkest village homes i have no problem when paired with a smaller than palm sized led light.

 

[SOGTGH]

unless got some helper, nv bring soft box or umbrella for outdoor, very troublesome, unless is small enough to manage. cos the location is not fixed, and you always have to shift your equipment.

 

[daredevil123]

unless got some helper, nv bring soft box or umbrella for outdoor, very troublesome, unless is small enough to manage. cos the location is not fixed, and you always have to shift your equipment.

outdoor is fine. But traveling alone with light stand and softbox is just asking for trouble.

 

[nulbonklr]

Hello everyone,

I am going on a trip to Nepal soon where I will be in close contact with the village people and their kids. I wish to take portraits of them using a small, portable soft box with a stand, hot shoe flash, as well as a flash trigger. I'm really inexperienced at setting up this sort of DIY lighting so I would appreciate if you guys can recommend me what soft box, stand, and flash trigger to purchase and where to purchase them. I'm only looking to buy one of each.

I'm currently using a Nikon D300s, along with a SB-600 flash.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

Who wouldn't love to setup lights to shoot. But sometimes, it's just not practical to do it.

 

[HighTone]

If really need to, then get a reflector loh.. but I think I won't bother carrying those things I guess.

 

[tznyein]

you can buy foldable softbox. carrying bag size is around 12"x8"x3" only. you can mount on tripod.

Softbox like this > Flash Diffusers - 75cm Softbox ( double Layer) - Sgcamerastore.com :: Professional Photography Accessories / Videography Equipments / Studio Lightings / Studio Kits / Studio Equipments - (Powered by CubeCart)
or Use Umbrella

Trigger like this > Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Look for the cheapest shop from their web. they are good and reliable.

 

[daredevil123]

you can buy foldable softbox. carrying bag size is around 12"x8"x3" only. you can mount on tripod.

Softbox like this > Flash Diffusers - 75cm Softbox ( double Layer) - Sgcamerastore.com :: Professional Photography Accessories / Videography Equipments / Studio Lightings / Studio Kits / Studio Equipments - (Powered by CubeCart)
or Use Umbrella

Trigger like this > Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Red Dot Photo (Singapore) - Products
Look for the cheapest shop from their web. they are good and reliable.

Are you seriously encouraging TS to carry all that equipment to shoot in Nepal?

 

[eleveninth]

lols.

If ya traveling together with someone at least u got a val. If solo i suggest you enjoy and take landscapes and portraits with natural light.

if still insist get the firefly easy enough to travel around when folded, then you can get your guide to help u hold the light hahaha

 

[shockingpants]

Lol, if you really want to explore DIY lighting when traveling, I would suggest a light tripod (which you will probably be bringing anyway), a flash/umbrella holder with adapter for tripod head, and a 33" shoot thru umbrella (Light, small, and it can double as an umbrella in the most dire of situations). Only thing you need to take note of is the length of vertical column. You will need a reasonably long one so that the umbrella doesn't hit the tripod legs. (One of the reasons why there are light stands and there are tripods)

Nikon cls should take care of the triggering for you with no additional accessories needed.

 

[daredevil123]

Lol, if you really want to explore DIY lighting when traveling, I would suggest a light tripod (which you will probably be bringing anyway), a flash/umbrella holder with adapter for tripod head, and a 33" shoot thru umbrella (Light, small, and it can double as an umbrella in the most dire of situations). Only thing you need to take note of is the length of vertical column. You will need a reasonably long one so that the umbrella doesn't hit the tripod legs. (One of the reasons why there are light stands and there are tripods)

Nikon cls should take care of the triggering for you with no additional accessories needed.

By the time you set all those up... the subjects are all long gone. Not every child or monk is willing to wait 15-20mins for you to setup and TFCD.

 

[ed9119]

great discussion ..... featuring this discussion in the Clubsnap Photography Community fb page

ClubSNAP Photography Community | Facebook

p/s my advise ..... keep it simple .... as long as you are not shooting group portrait the entire village indoors 1 flash (where you can +/- the output manually ) handheld attached to a remote receiver and on-camera trigger and maybe a small handheld LED light.... AND MAYBE one $5 table top tripod

and get in enough practice back home here first before you go off .... u go there to hopefully shoot great subjects .... not to use them as guinea pigs to learn flash work

best of luck !!

 

[lardy]

I had a trip to Nepal in December 2011 for a school community trip to teach the villagers (children/teachers) English.
I personally feel that you should either have everything on-camera, or just shoot ambient light.
At best, bring a reflector or something which can also act as something to "attract attention" because they'll really be very excited when they see cameras and all the funky gadgets.

I was there for 2weeks, and at the beginning it was pretty interesting because the kids will swarm to you and you will have more than enough to shoot.
To the end of my 2weeks spent there, I got so sick and tired of them swarming towards you and asking for "one more one more", I just kept my camera and had to shoot discretely.
Soooooo im not sure if you'll wanna bring huge flashy equipment like softbox and tripod and the whole shabang there.

If you're interested, Link to album
and I was part of this community project they're heading up to Nepal once again this december!

 

[eleveninth]

^ gd advice from someone with experience there.

 

[glengoh]

Maybe you shd just practise with the setup here and iron out the problems before attempting it overseas. Let Me know if you need help.