Full Spectrum Photography

Something I get asked at least once a month is "what kind of lighting should I buy?"

I suggest not buying hot lights (lights that are always ont) unless you are also planning on using them to shoot video. They tend to be very comparatively weak and hard on your subjects eyes when compared to "strobe" lighting. As the name implies they also provide a lot of heat which can do anything from warming up your studio to melting/burning some of your accessories.

Hotshoe flashes operate on AA batteries and throw out a lot of light in a fraction of a second which makes them ideal for photography. The lights you buy are of utmost importance, but the accessories you buy with them (stands, brackets, etc.) really don't matter as far as brand or price.

Below is a group of items that can get most people started in lighting while keeping the cost somewhat low:

SB-600 for Nikon camera owners


430ex II for Canon camera owners (may or may not require sync)



******Please note that you should buy a flash that coincides with the brand of camera body you own, for compatibility reasons.


Accessories:
General Purpose Light Stand


Universal Umbrella bracket


Shoot through umbrella


For more information on photographic lighting and equipment, check out Strobist.