# Are There any good, portable lights?



## Davylyn (Mar 12, 2013)

We're looking for some good, portable lighting to get better shots in darker areas without flash. Mostly for wedding receptions where lighting is usually terrible from being dim and inside. This lighting would mostly be for key moments such as first dance, father daughter dance, cake cutting, etc.


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## curtyoungblood (Mar 12, 2013)

I think you need to be a little more specific on what you're trying to accomplish.  First, are you shooting video or photography at these reception? (I ask because of your signature). The answers are very different.

Are you trying to light the whole room, or just the part of it you are using? 

It sounds like you're trying to light large areas of a reception with enough light that you don't have to use a flash. If this is true, don't forget that receptions are usually terrible and dim because that's exactly how the bride wants it. If you start pumping in a lot of light to "fix it", you're not going to be shooting wedding very long.


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## cgipson1 (Mar 12, 2013)

Sure.. here you go!  Profoto ProDaylight 800 Air HMI Basic Kit 901142 B&H Photo Video


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## tirediron (Mar 12, 2013)

Or the much more budget-friendly Elinchrom Quadra Ranger kit.  BTW - when you ask gear questions, always include a budget to get the best answers!


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## kathyt (Mar 12, 2013)

I like using like lighting the Dj provides, and getting down really low. It creates a really dramatic effect for first dances. For other reception things I use multiple speedlights and/or bump my ISO.


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## ghache (Mar 12, 2013)

kathythorson said:


> I like using like lighting the Dj provides, and getting down really low. It creates a really dramatic effect for first dances. For other reception things I use multiple speedlights and/or bump my ISO.
> View attachment 38555View attachment 38556




 i would never trust or expect the DJ to have a good lighting setup everytime.
i would keep flashes with me all the time


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## KmH (Mar 12, 2013)

Still photography of moving people works best with strobed lighting (flash).

Since videography is 25 or more frames per second constant lighting works best.
For constsnt lighting to be usefull for still photography, it needs to be very bright because of the fast shutter speeds (1/125 for cake cutting, 1/250 or faster for dancing) needed to stop motion in a still photograph.

Portable flash units can't recycle anywhere near fast enough for doing video.


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## hirejn (Mar 13, 2013)

Portable lighting without flash -- sounds like you mean continuous. One trick celebrity photographer Joe Buissink uses is to place a battery powered video light on his camera's hot shoe. It's called a Frezzi, I believe. It's not cheap, but probably much cheaper than a high-end strobe, and problem solved. You can adjust the power, switch it on and off, and it's compact.


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## Davylyn (Mar 13, 2013)

A big thanks to all you =) I am new, so forgot to include basic things like that haha. We are mostly videographers, though our team also offers photography. (There are five of us, so together are capable of both). I did not include a budget, but for now I'd just like to see what is out there regardless of price. I will check  out everything you all have posted! Thank you! Although - I am not planning on brightening up the reception haha, and wouldn't dream of using any lights at all without the brides permission. I WAS a bride, trust me, I know to ask before I breathe


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## Cannoneer (Mar 20, 2013)

On another notes . For smaller areas ive had lots of success with a few video lights on gorilla pods tripods. Can hang em or put them almost anywere and very easy to carry but in large room they usually dont cover large areas


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

cgipson1 said:


> Sure.. here you go!  Profoto ProDaylight 800 Air HMI Basic Kit 901142 B&H Photo Video





tirediron said:


> Or the much more budget-friendly Elinchrom Quadra Ranger kit.  BTW - when you ask gear questions, always include a budget to get the best answers!



Can't go wrong with either


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## Derrel (Mar 20, 2013)

Check out Doug Gordon's blog to see how a top-level studio uses continuous lighting for events and location portraiture. His Torch Light demonstrations on the Doug Gordon Experience on creativelive.com were a real eye-opener to me. The ability to shoot wedding events using LED fill-light is made possible by using a modern, high-ISO camera, like the Nikon D4's that Doug and his staff use. This is the newer, up-to-date way of doing event photography, NOT using flash. Since your group is also into video, continuous lighting would make much more sense, be easier for multiple shooters to use, and would eliminate all those *white-outs* when speedlight flashes go Pop!!! 300-400 times on a couple being videotaped.  Doug Gordon's Blog


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## davisphotos (Mar 29, 2013)

I do a lot of work with flash, but I also have a small, really cheap video light that I absolutely love for doing low light shots where I want to keep the ambiance of the location and just light up the couple. I think I paid $40 for it on Amazon. In fact, I like working with the video light so much, I'm planning on getting a couple more much higher quality ones soon. 
For flash, I use a Quantum QFlash with a small octadome for most of my portraits, and a couple Canon 580EX flashes as well. I've done a couple weddings with studio lighting, and while the results are nice, even with an assistant, it's a huge amount of extra work.


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## desmondlewissmith (Mar 29, 2013)

Quantum Q5D and Pocket Wizards is my lighting of choice.  I mostly shoot weddings with natural light, then goes on camera flash if necessary, then goes off camera flash for my more stages art.


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