New lighting equipment ... Need help

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum. My wife purchased a complete lighting system for me at Christmas. Now begins the long road of using it to its abilities. The system is the Opus Pro OPL-L15022 Standard Kit. I'm well versed in using my 35 mm equipment, but this lighting stuff is beyond my limits. Where can I go to learn the most without joining an online school? I want to get into portrait and still pictures. Backdrops I do not yet own.

HI Toronto, welcome to the forum. There is a URL below which will lead to one site that I find useful on occasion. Hope this helps as a start. :)

I suspect that if you Google "photography and lighting", you will find lots more.:thumbsup:

Regards,

WesternGuy

http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/

I moved this to the Studio and Lighting forum - and you might find some help in other threads here. Can you post a link to more info about what you have? I'm not familiar with that brand.

The 2 things I learned in using flash/strobe lighting that I never knew or would not have figured out by myself without spending many hours experimenting are:

1) Aperture controls the amount of exposed flash light.
2) Shutter controls the amount of exposed ambient light.

The ability to mix the 2 light sources successfully in your photography is the art. You may know this already; I continue to struggle.

Try here too - photographyreview.webphotoschool.com/. I'm not fond of any one particular brand, so don't get hung up on that. I just like to promote stuff on this site when it's applicable.

An external site I recommend is strobist.com. Again, don't get hung up on any one brand of equipment.

Post some photos for us to review and learn from also either in the Viewfinder forum or if you feel inclined, the Critique forum.

Tim

Thanks everyone, I thought this might be the beginning of a journey. Test..test...test and try more.

Thanks another view... Can you post a link to more info about what you have?...Here is the info.

OPL-L150

Flash Output 250ws
GN(ISO 100) 3M 113
Angle of Illumination 55°
Recycle Time 3 seconds @ full power
Flash Triggering Photo cell, Sync cord, Test button
Modeling Lamp 60w
Flash Output Stepless 1/8 to 1/1
Modeling Lamp Output Stepless 1/2 to 1/1

see L15022 kit
http://www.opusprophoto.com/products...ries_kits.html

The main thing I was hoping to figure out is if you had strobes or hot (continuous lights), and obviously you have strobes. I'm not an expert on all this, but strobes have the advantage of not getting hot like hot lights so food won't melt, models don't get sweaty, etc.

Beginning of a journey? Absolutely. I didn't check out the websites mentioned but I know there are a few out there that will help. This book is good too and I'm sure there are others. Keep trying things and reviewing your work to see if you're getting the results you want.

Thanks, another view, that's the direction I was looking for. Watch for the results, and know that you were instrumentral in developing one of this years top new photographers. :)