Portable studio lights

Thankyou Gentlemen for all the replies.
I have a friend here who has the Elinchrom Quadra setup, so I have heard of that. Colin that series of the full sz firefighters is amazing & the group lighting setup none the less so!
I understand the professional quality look is not easy, I think I will stick with the strobes as that is what I have and know how to use. I may hire some studio gear & practice with it before next year.
I found a very similar thread when searching for image e.g's so I am thinking sports action enthusiasts like me get asked to do this a bit.
These examples were done with 2 or 3 lights, but each player individually then the group put together in post! Not an option for me for 21 teams or indeed my level of post processing skills
http://i39.tinypic.com/v3gdoj.jpg
And again while these look cool & edgy, maybe the family of a child in shadow might not be happy.
Other people involved with my group have done the following e.g's
http://i44.tinypic.com/20759aa.jpg
http://i40.tinypic.com/14a9478.jpg
And normally the dark cave behind is not what we like, but I think it has a different feel and it's own appeal and style.
This is my version from last year, lots of room for improvement, but outside the green painted area, you can see the dark floor, that I am complaining about.
So I will go with the speedlights up high and stick with the light everyone evenly I think. It is not as exciting, but I think safest in this instance.
Then hire a portable studio light setup & have a try with that in the off season
I will also go out again to the events & just see if there is a change room or something that might work....you never know it might be outdoors weather:rolleyes:
http://i40.tinypic.com/a2q1rd.jpg

& Ken, your Rugby team look gorgeous, I am homesick! Being an expat Southlander!

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Originally Posted by GrumpyDiver

Lex - we must be birds of a feather. My graduation present to myself was a Leica...

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A Leica M240 would cover nearly 2 semesters of tuition at my school. :rolleyes: But yes, I've delayed some loan payments to keep paying my loans off quickly. I'm working full-time as an engineer at Ford, taking 8 credit hours a semester toward my masters, and photography is the only thing between me and madness. :D

It's interesting as the Leica R3 was worth roughly a full year's tuition (2 semesters) when I bought it about 35 years ago.

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Originally Posted by GrumpyDiver

It's interesting as the Leica R3 was worth roughly a full year's tuition (2 semesters) when I bought it about 35 years ago.

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Whereas my most expensive camera (very used 1D mkIII) is about 1/6th of my current, relatively cheap, in-state, single-semester tuition. Apparently I'm doing it wrong. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by RustBeltRaw

Whereas my most expensive camera (very used 1D mkIII) is about 1/6th of my current, relatively cheap, in-state, single-semester tuition. Apparently I'm doing it wrong. :rolleyes:

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Long term investment on my part - the R3 and all the glass still works fine (from 19mm to 400mm); as does the wifes; I last shot it last month. I'm willing to bet it will still be working long after the 1D mkIII gives up the ghost.

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Originally Posted by GrumpyDiver

I'm willing to bet it will still be working long after the 1D mkIII gives up the ghost.

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No bet. :D

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Originally Posted by RustBeltRaw

No bet. :D

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I'll bet we can still get CF Cards for our 1D3's long after Manfred can't find film for his R3 :D

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

I'll bet we can still get CF Cards for our 1D3's long after Manfred can't find film for his R3 :D

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Or not. I can still buy film, but I sure can't find media for the 5-1/4" and 3-1/2" floppy drives that are lying around the house. They were more ubiquious than SD and CF cards in their day. Just try to buy a PCMCIA 1.0 memory card; I have one on an ancient laptop that is about half the age of my Leicas. ;)

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Originally Posted by GrumpyDiver

Or not. I can still buy film, but I sure can't find media for the 5-1/4" and 3-1/2" floppy drives that are lying around the house. They were more ubiquious than SD and CF cards in their day. Just try to buy a PCMCIA 1.0 memory card; I have one on an ancient laptop that is about half the age of my Leicas. ;)

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Ah - but film is already all but dead ;)

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Originally Posted by Colin Southern

Ah - but film is already all but dead ;)

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People can make Daguerreotypes today. Will they be able to make or obtain film with emulsion on it decades from now?

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Originally Posted by Mike Buckley

People can make Daguerreotypes today. Will they be able to make or obtain film with emulsion on it decades from now?

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Ilford, Fuji, and the Impossible Project say yes.