I'm not getting the lens afterall... Instead...

[SharonLowe]

And another question... am I going to need sync cords or what? I am not going to be able to afford the remote stuff and after reading the warning about radio waves it probably isn't going to work for me anyway considering the hubster is a ham radio operator and is looking to get his own tower soon.

The lights will come with synch cords. You should be able to wire the camera to one and trip the others with your main light.

 

[DVC Jen]

Thanks Sharon.

Will I need to get sync cord/s or will they come with the lights?

 

[Miss Kelly]

Sync cords come with the lights, but if you plan on exclusively using a sync cord, you may want to get some extras. I've heard they go out quite often.

When I done high key, I used 2 AB800s to blow out the backdrop and 1 AB800 with a Giant Softbox in the front. Sometimes I used a reflector to the right, but most of the time I didn't. I got pretty good at having little to no cleanup to do in photoshop on the backdrop.

 

[Lizziejane]

Jen, as you know, my AB's arrived yesterday and I'm LOVING them!

You will get a sync cord with every flash head you order. So I now have 3 cords. I never thought about this until today, but if I want, I can now use one of these sync cords if I want to move my speedlight off camera. Kewl! You only need to use one sync cord, as the flash that is plugged into your camera will trip the other lights.

If you're ordering, you'll need:

the flash heads and a stand for each, although you may already have good stands. I up'ed the anti and got the heavy-duty, air cushioned ones and they sure are sturdy! Each flash head comes with a 15-foot power cord and a 15-foot sync cord;

modifers - grids, barndoors, umbrellas and/or softbox. I got all of them(Christmas came early for me!)

if you want wireless triggering - a transmitter and receiver.

That's it! Easy peazy!

I have a question about high key stuff. Is your background supposed to be so bright that the blinkies go wild, or should it just be at the upper limit without going over the limit?

 

[Miss Kelly]

I have a question about high key stuff. Is your background supposed to be so bright that the blinkies go wild, or should it just be at the upper limit without going over the limit?

Yes! I think mine shows red when overexposed. Everything should be blinking (or red) except for your subject. Have Fun!

 

[SharonLowe]

Jen, as you know, my AB's arrived yesterday and I'm LOVING them!

You will get a sync cord with every flash head you order. So I now have 3 cords. I never thought about this until today, but if I want, I can now use one of these sync cords if I want to move my speedlight off camera. Kewl! You only need to use one sync cord, as the flash that is plugged into your camera will trip the other lights.

If you're ordering, you'll need:

the flash heads and a stand for each, although you may already have good stands. I up'ed the anti and got the heavy-duty, air cushioned ones and they sure are sturdy! Each flash head comes with a 15-foot power cord and a 15-foot sync cord;

modifers - grids, barndoors, umbrellas and/or softbox. I got all of them(Christmas came early for me!)

if you want wireless triggering - a transmitter and receiver.

That's it! Easy peazy!

I have a question about high key stuff. Is your background supposed to be so bright that the blinkies go wild, or should it just be at the upper limit without going over the limit?

For print, it is usually better to have it just at the upper limit and also, if you have all the blinkies go wild (I love that phrase!), you might be bleeding into your subject so that they have overexposed bits on them too, which you don't want. You can make minor tweeks if necessary with your post production software.

 

[Code]

So this thread got me curious about what Alien Bees are... then I started reading up about studio lighting... a bit of googling led me to the Strobist blog and I spent a good chunk of the day reading through it and going through the Strobist Flickr group, and now I really want to get a basic amateur setup - a few umbrellas, stands, flashes, wireless triggers, etc... Oh boy more expensive photo gear to drool over.. my wife will be so happy

 

[Master Mason]

So this thread got me curious about what Alien Bees are... then I started reading up about studio lighting... a bit of googling led me to the Strobist blog and I spent a good chunk of the day reading through it and going through the Strobist Flickr group, and now I really want to get a basic amateur setup - a few umbrellas, stands, flashes, wireless triggers, etc... Oh boy more expensive photo gear to drool over.. my wife will be so happy

yea I feel your pain... I am fairly certain that I have some lights in my near future as well.... I was planning on a new lens.. but I am thinking the lights will come first.

 

[Lizziejane]

my only complaint about my alien bees... it's like I'm back to being a complete beginner thing all over again! When I got my first SLR, 9 out of 10 shots were blurry. Now, 9 out of 10 shots have the lighting all wrong! I guess it doesn't help that my first real "try-out" with them involved a 10-month old on the verge of walking.

 

[DVC Jen]

my only complaint about my alien bees... it's like I'm back to being a complete beginner thing all over again! When I got my first SLR, 9 out of 10 shots were blurry. Now, 9 out of 10 shots have the lighting all wrong! I guess it doesn't help that my first real "try-out" with them involved a 10-month old on the verge of walking.

YIKES - that is a hard situation period. Jane I am willing to bet those photos look a heck of a lot better than you are giving yourself credit for.

I did Em's best friends family on Saturday and while the photos turned out as some of the best I have done (helps when you are comfortable with the family and can relax) but these plastic rings around one of my lights - the thing that holds my soft box in place is melting and two lights fell over (we caught them thank goodness) but that bend two of my cheap umbrellas.

I am sooo ready to order my ABs on Friday.