blinging out my bees

[jdub]

So I've been reading so much about Alienbees that I'm going cross-eyed! From

what I've read people are dissatisfied with the accessories that come in their

kits...so what have you supplemented for their stuff?

I'm going to purchase two lights for upcoming formals (like prom) and would

like to hear what you would "bling out your bees" with...I'm trying to keep it

around $1,000. Their foldable soft boxes? Yes, no? I'm a natural light

photographer but I would use these again for winter weddings so I want to

invest but can't break the bank...

Also, what light meters do you love?

Thanks!

[randmcnatt]

If you're used to natural light you won't miss the accessories much, just get the biggest soft box you can carry and think of it as an emergency northlight window. We keep an AB with a 40" umbrella on hand in case we get an appointment after sunset, but haven't used it at all in about two months. Our only new accessory so far is a plastic fanlight globe we got at either Lowes or HomeDepot; it attaches like it's made for it and helps diffuse the light for bare-bulb shots. The folding softboxes look like a sweet deal, but we haven't tried them yet, sorry. If we shot more with strobe I'd have a pair, for sure.

 

I chose a Gossen Digipro F. It's simple and Just Works, and uses standard batteries.

[d_g5]

I use a 5x5ft black painted pvc pipe light panel that has some clip on flags for both sides to eliminate spill. I usually use a 44 inch silver umbrella with my storbes reflector. This creates a nearly hotspotless window light. Cause of the power output of my 440 watt britek strobe I can get just the light I need!

 

If thats inconvienient for me I use my 60" inch westcott umbrella (translucent with removable cover)

[watchin]

Have 3 AB800's, the 48" brolly-box(35" diameter), one of the older 32x40 softboxes, and a couple of 40" umbrellas. Out of all that I usually use an umbrella and the brolly. The softbox is great for studio but a pain in the field, if you decide on one go for the foldable I'd say.

 

As for the meter Seconic 358 does everything I need.

[marknagel]

I'm very pleased with the 48" Amvona Umbrella softboxes on Ebay. I Have 3 shoot through and 3 bounce through. Mainly use shoot through.

 

M

[g._armour_van_horn]

GJ, what's a brolly? I've been assuming that it was a British term for umbrella, but your message suggests that it's something different.

 

Jenny, I love my Minolta AutoMeter IVf. I got it on eBay for about $150, tried it out for a day and decided to send it in for calibration, and have been having nothing but good results since.

 

Van

[badtz]

Another vote for the amvona umbrellas. They are great for (in my case) a learning amateur on a budget.