What kind of portable lighting do you guys and gals use?

[Kustomkarma]

I have been using an array of inexpensive softboxes, stands, etc. to carry out my lighting duties for the past few months. I generally shoot with ambient light and use an off camera flashgun mounted on a stand with a radio trigger as a fill. I am finding that the flash can't recycle fast enough to keep up with my shooting style (not to mention all the batteries I go through) so I'm ready to to step up to some kind of battery powered or plug in style strobes that I can take out in the field. What do ya'll usually use to meet your lighting needs? If a couple of photogs could post up their equipment lists that would be super helpful. I'm not sure which brands are good or exactly what I should buy.

[Dear Daniel]

2 - Einsteins

1 - ABR800 ring flash

1 - Canon 580 ex ii

1 - Cyber Commander and receivers

1 - Vagabond mini

various PLMs, umbrellas, stuff

[Retrodolls Pinup Photography]

I have a few Speedotron explorers, and some other random portable lights. They work well and I love them.

[Samantha Grace]

I mostly use the natural light if, in a portable situation or this....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JS-Studio-33-White-Photo-Umbrella-Light-Stu...

[richardwangphotography]

Kustomkarma

For faster recycle go and buy a Quantum Turbo. 

Go to ebay and buy the cheapest one you can find.  Then go and buy a Power Sonic 832 8 volt battery.  Swap it out with the old battery in the Quantum and you're good to go for 10 years.  Be warned, Quantum charges BIG money for the power connection cords.

If you shoot Canon, there's an even cheaper option.  Go buy some clones of the EP_N4 battery packs.  It hold 8 AA batteries.  Buy the cheapest one you can find.  The Canon OEM and clones are all made in the same factory.

Now if all your using your speedlights are for fill, you should look at a LED video light with barndoor and gels.

I have a couple of Yongnuo's  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JJIBC2/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details  Works great, dimmable and cheap.  Plus it let's you use the camera's meter.  Nothing better when you have to run and gun.   A year ago, this type of light would have cost you $500 each.

.

.

.

And since photographers would rather talk gear than take pictures, here's my portable studio lighting setup.

2 x 580 EXII

2 x Yongnuo 560

All speedlights powered by either Quantum's or EP-N4 clones

All batteries are Sanyo Eneloop 2nd generation rechargeables

1 x Saberstrip

2 x 28" light modifiers

1 x 36" strip light

Pocketwizards

Manfrotto Nano stands

2 x Lastolite "broomhandle" (The second most versatile piece of kit in the inventory)  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8Y614/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

Gaffer tape (The most versatile piece of kit in the inventory)

Sandbags made from US Post Priority Mail bags

Radio Flyer wagon to haul all this stuff around

.

And finally....An assistant.

[Bill Tracy]

I try and get away with just a speed light if I can, and I'll always bring it regardless.  I have the Nikon SB-900.  I'll also drag along 1 or 2 AB800's.  If it's going to be windy I'll bring the beauty dish, otherwise I have a variety of umbrellas, brollys and my latest modifiers are a set of the newish parabolics from P. C Buff - I have the 86" and the 51" silver - both with diffuser socks.  I use the oldest vagabond still - the blue one, and I have my eye on the mini for sure -lol

[richardwangphotography]

I don't get it.

Why are you guys hauling studio equipment on location?

I understand the whole "Big lights. Big fee" thing, that's why I went all Profoto.  And sure, all my gear is conceivably portable...if I had a truck.  But it just seems like overkill.

[Kustomkarma]

Howdy Everybody!

First let me thank the PL folks for bringing this conversation up again! Secondly, let me thank everyone that has replied as it's really interesting to see what everyone uses.

Since my first post I have collected a Norman 202, P500, a half a dozen LH4 heads, some reflectors, and a softbox the size of a dining room table. I use these when I shoot indoors or when I want to flood an area with light or overpower the ambient light. That last shoot I did, I used three point lighting and turned everything up to full power to blow out the background - it worked out really well. When I'm out and about, I use my little Lumopro 160, a shoot through umbrella or a flashbender reflector for fill lighting. I try to shoot early in the day and use as much ambient light as possible. I'm using little inexpensive Cactus wireless modules and a Quantum battery I picked up used - and yes the cable was pricey but worth it. I've been spending a lot of time with aperture settings and now shoot in RAW + format (I'm a Pentax guy.) I like to travel light when I'm on location as I move around a lot. Sometimes when I'm shooting car shows I bring my brother (the human flash stand) to move around with the flash and a remote. It's always fun to watch people try to figure out what's going on when I have the camera and my brother is 10 feet away with the flash. :)

[Jeff Erickson]

When we're doing bandshoots, our photographer usually just slaps us in the room with his set up, says "Look hard, think about all those rock and rollers who love Cadillac Rock Box and give me serious attitude."<You know, the usual mantra for a rock/metal band.

We also use natual lighting too. Then he'll take all the proofs, confer with us, and then he'll use Adobe Illustrator or PS to clean em up.

As for anyone who knows a good videographer, we're looking for one to shoot a video for us.
Four videos

Seven Years

Hail Mary
Bottle of Whiskey (Cold Loaded Gun)
Ghost of my Past

[Markp.com Retro Photography]

Depends on the shoot! :)

[Edson Carlos]

Because perhaps you're not trying to achieve what they are?

There are photographers that aim to capture what they see a certain way, and it requires the means to do so, which in turn requires them to haul the tools to the location.  Jason Holmes is a brilliant example of a photographer that pulls up with a literal VAN FULL of equipment to light his scene. I don't believe it's at all possible to get his result with anything less than what he pulls out for a shoot. As an example, there were 4 lights in the footwell area of my mustang so that the white interior of my mustang was lit to perfection in the scene, and the car was simply in the background.

richardwangphotography said:

I don't get it.

Why are you guys hauling studio equipment on location?

I understand the whole "Big lights. Big fee" thing, that's why I went all Profoto.  And sure, all my gear is conceivably portable...if I had a truck.  But it just seems like overkill.

[WarwickBoudoir]

I rock bees. Priced right very reliable. Plus I like pink strobes!

[Bill Tracy]

Haven't you seen one of those beach shoots where they have huge tent-like scrims to kill the harsh sunlight and all sorts of other equipment?  Sometimes you need to bring whatever you can to get the results you want.  Like I said, I try and get away with just a speed light, or even just a reflector for fill, but sometimes there's just no way to get the look the client wants with just those.

richardwangphotography said:

I don't get it.

Why are you guys hauling studio equipment on location?

I understand the whole "Big lights. Big fee" thing, that's why I went all Profoto.  And sure, all my gear is conceivably portable...if I had a truck.  But it just seems like overkill.