Question for the portrait photographers

[John]

I'm in the process of converting our garage into a small portrait studio. I simply want an area to photograph the family and friends. At present, I'm very limited in equipment. I have a couple of tripods, a Canon 300D, a Canon Elan ll, and a 420EX flash. After I finish the tape and bedding, I'll probably go with a flat neutral gray for the walls. I plan on dying some muslin for a backdrop.
I need your input on the lighting, and I don't have a lot of money to through at it. Your suggestions are appreciated. The studio project is in an album below. Thanks.

http://www.picturetrail.com/pa-paw

[mavrik]

http://buyporters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=45-0617&Category_Code=F3U

[John]

I thought I'd post some images of the area which I hope will become a small studio. Bad or good, I could use some feed back. Thanks.

http://pic13.picturetrail.com/VOL487/1867918/5750002/74710473.jpg

http://pic13.picturetrail.com/VOL487/1867918/5750002/74001881.jpg

http://pic13.picturetrail.com/VOL487/1867918/5750002/74210176.jpg

[tekzero]

hey man lokos good, good luck with that project, and hey mavrik, how do those hook up to your camera so that those flash at the right time the picture takes, i always wondered how its actually hooked up

[Big Mike]

hey man lokos good, good luck with that project, and hey mavrik, how do those hook up to your camera so that those flash at the right time the picture takes, i always wondered how its actually hooked up

If you go to the linked page and look below at the "related items" you will see some of the ways that can be used to fire the studio lights.

The most common is probably the PC cord. High end cameras have a PC output socket but if not you can get hot shoe to PC adapter like the one shown.

If you don't want cords attached to your camera, there are wireless radio flash triggers, like the one shown.

You can also trigger flashes with an optical slave using a flash on the camera....or infrared with an infrared flash trigger mounted on the camera.

[raider]

I have one of those remote triggers, but with my Britek bb-50, it causes it to charge and flash uncontrollably - anyone know why this is and/or how to fix? And if it's just because of the stobe I'm using -- anyone want it for $80? Will have to get a wired one if it won't work.

[mavrik]

The flashes I think I posted above are always on. I don't think I posted the strobes, but all the rest of the answers tell you about strobes.

M

[motcon]

are you dead set on a flash/strobe set up?

and don't dye muslin...you can buy it in any color that you want.