3 Strobe/Flash & ChromaKey Background Pro Lighting Kit!

 Here's a GREAT New Portrait Studio Package XV! All BRAND NEW!

This is a GREAT 3 Light Starter Portrait Studio setup, at an absolutely unbelievably LOW price! You'll have everything you'll need to get fabulous portraits (also great for product photography)! With 3 powerful 120WS Master MonoLight strobes, you'll have two strobes to appropriately light your victims (er, your "subjects, that is:) from two opposing directions, which will allow you to get professional-level results with the necessary interplay of light and shadow, resulting in the depth and texture characteristic of pro portraits, plus a third strobe for a backlight. Also, professional strobes (like these) come with all the bells and whistles already built-in - like what, you may ask? Like Modeling Lights, (see below), variable power with the flip of a switch, removable and interchangeable umbrella-capable reflectors, built-in umbrella holders, integral power supplies, and the capability of using an almost infinite variety of light modifiers (such as umbrellas, softboxes, SoftCases, snoots, honeycombs, barndoors, etc.).

In addition, you'll also have the third PS-200 to use as a backlight strobe to light your background (providing the depth and separation between the victim and background for professional results, as well as blowing away all those annoying shadows behind our victims that plague our amateur pictures (the backlight is the secret of eliminating the ugly shadows that are found in most amateur images); plus three Light Stands - one for every one of your strobes, AND two Transparent "shoot-through" umbrellas (the "Poor Photographer's Softboxes") to creatively soften the light and effectively help to hide the lines, sags, and wrinkles often found on our older victims (it makes them look younger, more vibrant, and attractive - and often results in the photographer being called names, like "Artist" and "Genius" :). Umbrellas also help us eliminate the reflections and glare from reflective surfaces, such as glass, chrome, jewelry, paintings, etc. And in addition, you'll also receive an umbrella-capable reflector with each PS-200 strobe. And with custom carrying cases too, your whole studio can be neatly and safely packed up for location shoots, and/or tucked into the corner of any closet, when not deployed in a studio setup. But that's not all! Now, you'll also get a fabulous ChromaKey Background wich will let you create absolute MAGIC with your images! Just read the details about your new ChromaKey backdrop below. So who da man? ;o)

Over all, this is a fabulous starter package which will give you everything you need to start you off in portraiture or product photography the right way, and is infinitely upgradable! Unlike other kits, this starts you at the pro level, and allows you to expand whenever you like - without being stuck with amateur equipment that you wasted your money on. And you get all this for less than you'd pay for just one single strobe from a competing manufacturer (and less than what a few dinners would cost you at a nice restaurant - and this professional lighting equipment is absolutely guaranteed to last longer than any dinner you'll ever have ;-). And don't forget the FREE, $20.00 value, Cell Phone Antenna Booster that's included with this kit! For more on portraiture, see just below).

Why am I selling this kit for such a low price? Because I know photography and I know photographers (sheesh, I AM one, y'know). Those among you who order and use this package will discover how much this kit improves your pictures, and how much fun studio photography is. Then, when you're ready for more photographic equipment, who will you come to? That's right - me (well, hopefully me, anyway:). So while I'm not making much on this kit, I WILL be making something much more important: friends. And, hopefully again, future customers, too (hey, we all gotta eat, don't we?:). If I can help you enjoy photography, and improve your photographs, that'll be enough for me; even if you never order another thing from me (but do try to order something else in the future, if you can). Once you get up to speed with this equipment, your next acquisition might be a custom background/backdrop to add the final professional look to your images; but don't push yourself, just have fun making great photographs (who knows, perhaps you'll become a rich and famous photographer); but at the very least, with this starter kit, you'll be able to make some fabulous images - and have fun doing something you're sure to love. Oh, and - my phair photographic phriend - if you do become a rich and famous photographer, please don't forget who you got your first studio lighting package from, OK? Thanks. :-)

NEW! No waiting for an Auction to end! Bid Now = Buy NOW!

Dear Visitor: Welcome to my eBay Fixed-Price or eBay Store auctions! This format allows you to make your purchases INSTANTLY! No bidding (and no chance of being outbid, no chance of the price increasing, and no chance of losing out on the auction). This is just like making any regular purchase; simply placing your bid, places your order! Order one item or package, and one gets shipped right away; order 2, and both get shipped right away.

So just decide how many of these fabulous packages you want, and as soon as you place your order (and pay), your new goodies will be on their way to you - right away! Personal/business checks will delay shipment 5-12 business days; orders paid for with e-checks will ship as soon as e-check clears.

 Want a whole professional 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, or FIFTEEN strobe photographic lighting studio in one dynamic kit? Maybe some NEW Continuous Digital lights? Only a strobe or two? Something really, really special for the photographer you love with all your heart (like, perhaps, yourself:)? Look no further!

You can find ALL these things right now in my other auctions (except for the luscious lovely to the left; I'm gonna keep that one for myself:)

<-Looks almost like natural light, doesn't it? Not completely! Strobes made this lovely image better. The give-away? The main light looks like it's coming from the left (which it is - for the main light - a window), but look at the catch lights in her eyes! That's coming from 2 strobes; one just behind and (barely) to the right of the camera, and the other just to the left of the camera (a Minolta Maxxum 7, btw)! From now on, whenever you're looking at pictures in magazines, notice the eyes for clues to the lighting setup - and where the catch lights appear in the models' eyes. The secret to ALL magnificent images? That's an easy one; it's the LIGHTING! A photographer is a LIGHT writer! See below for more information and lotsa photographic tips and tricks...

Portraiture! The art making people look great (or at least better than they really are:). This is the most popular and useful branch of photography today, and nothing's going to change in the future, so even if you're not into portraiture now, you might as well plan on doing some (or a lot) of portraiture work soon. Also, remember that EVERYONE you'll ever see, meet, or pass in the street is a portrait customer! When do people need their portraits made? The answer to that question would take at least a week just to scratch the surface of all the possibilities! But for just a few examples, consider these reasons: birthdays, graduations, school yearbook pictures, sports teams, bands & musical groups, etc., anniversaries, new babies, holidays, religious reasons, and a million more reasons. Basically, everyone you'll ever know (even if you live to be 101) will have a hundred different reasons to want their portraits taken. And one client with a few kids can pay your rent every month!

It doesn't matter if you've never made a pro picture in your life, or even if you're a product photographer, a still life photographer, a fine art photographer, a landscape photographer, or even an architectural photographer; as soon as people find out you're a photographer, they'll start asking you to take pictures of them, their kids, or their friends and relatives. So no matter what type of photography is your first love, sooner or later (most likely sooner), you'll most assuredly find yourself making pictures of people. And every single one of us has parents, friends (and sometimes spouses, children, and relatives coming out of our yin-yangs:). If you're a beginning photographer, portraiture is the fastest and easiest way to find clients, because everyone you meet - and everyone you know - is a potential portrait client!

It's also a great way to meet those beautiful girls and gorgeous guys, while making money as well as new friends (i.e., "Hi, I'm a photographer, and you're just the type of model I need for my portfolio; I'd love to shoot you one day... Um, with my camera, that is"). ;-)

Reality Check: This package is specifically designed to be among the least expensive Professional-Level Three Strobe starter portrait packages available anywhere. And at the fabulously-low sale price, you're getting an amazing bargain, too! When making portraits, we need - at a minimum - two strobes to light our victims (um, our "subjects, that is:), one strobe for the highlight side of our victim's face, and another for the shadow side (fill) of the face, plus a third strobe to serve as a backlight (which not only eliminates those pesky shadows, but also gives us the depth and separation between our victim and the backdrop characteristic of professional photography). Ideally, we'd want a fourth mini-light for a hair light (ever notice how the pros' pictures always show the shining, glow on the hair? The hair light is the secret of this healthy and shining hair), and a boom set to hold it. But in an ideal world, we'd all be rich and famous photographers; in the real world, though, many of us don't have sugar-daddies (or sugar-mommies:), and we have to start someplace (see my other auctions for the larger and/or smaller kits).

This kit is designed to get you started in portraiture or product photography at an amazingly low price, with the Professional Level equipment that you'll need in order to make great Professional portraits and product shots. After a few profitable portrait sittings, you can add other equipment, like a boom set, a hairlight, a custom backdrop, and a background support set. But realize that - with this package - you'll have everything it takes to start making great images. If you want a larger portrait kit, or a package that includes a background, just check my other eBay auctions and my eBay store!

How do the pros make their older subjects look so much better than they really look? That's easy - when you know how! Just soften the light with umbrellas (or a softbox or softcase), which helps hide all those lines, wrinkles, and sags on so many of our older victims. No portrait setup would be complete without these secret weapons (umbrellas), so this kit includes two umbrellas for you!

Just open the boxes that will arrive at your front door, and you'll be in business! Add one photographer, a camera, some film (or digital cards), and a victim to photograph, and you're ready to fire away! Although I have several lower-priced entry-level 2 and 3 light kits available, if you're serious about making great people pictures (and especially if you're just starting out in studio lighting techniques), this is the package to buy, because the strobes are pro equipment with modeling lights, variable power, interchangeable reflectors and accessories, and capable of using all kinds of light-modifying equipment (check my other auctions for other portrait packages that include additional strobes, a background support set and a custom backdrop). And now you can own this complete starter portrait studio package without taking out a second mortgage on your house! Heck, you can own this great package for LESS than what you might pay for just ONE competing strobe, or a couple of dinners at a nice restaurant! For more information on this, just click the "tell me more about photography" link below.
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Shop with confidence!
Bid with confidence!
Buy with confidence!
From a Profoundly Proud
GOLD eBay PowerSeller!

This GOLD PowerSeller proudly provides a plethora of perfect photographic products - PLUS - pure, powerful, and peerless customer service!

Don't get stuck with what someone else wants to sell you!
At Photographer's SupplyStation, YOU make the choices!
Choose the equipment that fits YOUR needs!

Take Care, gentle photographer - when choosing your lighting equipment. There are many strobes and much lighting equipment of lesser quality, fewer capabilities, and much less versatility being sold online nowadays. Of course, it's you who will make the decision about who you will buy from, and which equipment you will buy; however, before making your purchasing decisions (and forking over your hard-earned cash:), ask yourself a few questions: Do these strobes come with modeling lights? Do these strobes have removable reflectors? Does it come with variable-power capabilities? Is it expandable and are there accessories available for the strobes to easily and inexpensively expand your lighting capabilities? Does it come with a guarantee backed by an American-based manufacturer/distributor to provide warrantee service or replacement? Does it even come with a warrantee? If the kit includes umbrellas, are they appropriately matched to the strobe's output power? Does it come with an American power plug, or does it require adapters just to make it work (at extra cost to you, as well)? And how much help and information can you expect from the seller? If the equipment you're considering buying fits your needs, even without the capabilities I usually like my equipment to have, then make your purchase knowing what you're ordering and what you're going to have to work with when your equipment arrives. I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't buy equipment with lesser capabilities, just that you should understand what you're getting before you spend your hard-earned money. But, of course, you're the customer, and you decide what to buy, and from whom to buy it.

Here's why I like my strobes to come with the capabilities I've described: 1) If a strobe doesn't come with a modeling light, you'll have no way to know what your picture will look like until after you get the prints back! In fact, modeling lights are probably the greatest capability any strobe can have (especially for beginners in studio lighting). See below for details on modeling lights. 2) If a strobe doesn't have a removable reflector, then you can't control the light spread (coverage angle) - you're stuck with whatever output angle the strobe comes with, so it's far less useful to us (sometimes we want a narrow light spread to highlight our subject; other times we want to remove the reflector completely for a broad 180º light spread to light backgrounds, large areas, or groups, for example). 3) If a strobe doesn't have variable power capabilities, you'll need a larger studio area because you'll have to physically move the strobes farther away from your subject in order to reduce the light when needed (with variable power strobes - such as these - we simply flip a switch). 4) If you're only buying 2-3 master strobes, you're much better off having them be of the same power; it makes it quicker and (much) easier to set up your shots and allows you to get perfect exposures more easily. 5) One of the greatest disappointments for new strobe owners is to discover that they cannot (easily and inexpensively) expand the capabilities of their lights (by using color filters/gels to allow us to change the color of our backgrounds and subjects or to direct and modify the light with barndoors because the strobes we bought didn't have the ability to use these helpful accessories, etc.). 6) And finally, if you're buying umbrellas with your kit, the size of an umbrella should be matched to the strobe's output; too large of an umbrella will result in too much light reduction (and consequently forces you to use either a very slow shutter speed, or a much larger aperture, which cuts down your depth of field, and may be out of reach for many zoom lenses), and too small an umbrella will allow light spillover and substantially decreased effect. That's why I always match the correct umbrella size to the strobes' output power in all my packages (if you want larger or smaller umbrellas, just ask; you da boss:).

So use your head, choose your equipment carefully, review the seller's feedback, check out the supplier's web sites, and no matter where you buy your equipment, have fun and make some great pictures! Thank you for visiting this auction, your time and consideration are most sincerely appreciated. You might care to review my business philosophy, if you like.
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The NEW PS-200 Monolight

This brand new Britek PS-200 is a great starter Monolight for the beginning professional, the pro with tight budget constraints, or the advanced amateur who is ready to bring the professional look to his or her photographs (without mortgaging the house).

Why are photogs so in love with their studios? BECAUSE (in our studios) WE CAN CONTROL THE LIGHT! And a "studio" can be a corner of any room, as long as we can CONTROL THE LIGHT. In our studios, we can play God! We can make it daytime or evening or night; we can shoot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can CREATE anything we can imagine - as long as we can CONTROL THE LIGHT!

After all, the word "photographer" itself (from Greek) actually means Light Writer, or "one who writes with light."

The term is meaningful because those of us who make photographs are slaves to light. Light is both our nemesis and our salvation (when we can control the light). Without the right types of lighting equipment, we can never progress to professional level studio pictures. Or location pictures.

Sure, we can make beautiful photos with available light... when the light's just right, at the exact time we need it, and at exact place we need it, if it's not raining, if it's not snowing, if it's not too cold, if it's not too hot, if it's not too dark, if everyone we need to make the photographs are available at the exact time the light's just right for our needs, under all the right conditions.... beginning to see now? When we can control the light, we can make the best photographs.

Why do photographers want powerful flash equipment (strobes)? Because (both indoors and outdoors) with strobes, WE CAN CONTROL THE LIGHT! Sound familiar? Starting to get the picture, now? (sorry, I just couldn't resist ;-)

BTW, did you realize that both the photo above, and the photo on the left, were both taken against the same background? Yup. The backdrop was a pure white canvas. Why does the picture on the left look like it has a brown background? BECAUSE I COULD CONTROL THE LIGHT. Even with a cheapie old (really old) digital Fuji (no speed control, no slr, no aperture choice, etc.). How? See the "technique section below).

Hmmm... Light!

What the heck is a "Watt Second?" And what's a "GN?"

As we can see from the back view, The New PS-200 is well-stocked with controls and comes with all the extras already built-in.

The PS-200 is a "Monolight," which means that all the required components are included in the one package (as opposed to other strobes which may have the flash head in one segment, and then need an additional and separate power supply in order to get it to work; at an additional cost, too). With these units, everything is included; just plug them in, and fire away!

The "ready" light goes on to let us know when the strobe is charged and ready to fire; the "test" button lets us fire the strobe to test its proper functioning or to take a meter reading; the "sync" terminal lets us attach a sync (or PC) cord to the sync terminal on our cameras to control the firing of the strobe with the shutter button on our cameras; and the "optical slave sensor" lets us fire the strobe automatically with the flash of any other strobe or flash unit (so we don't have to use a sync cord at all, if we don't want to). The Full/Half Power switch lets us choose the power output with the flip of a switch. The other controls are pretty much self-explanatory.

BTW, a "Modeling Light" (see the picture of the modeling light, below) is a separate, additional, light (in addition to the strobe's "Flash Tube") that's built into the strobe and throws continuous light over the same area as the strobe's flash tube will (see the picture below for a close-up). You turn on the modeling light (before your shot), so the photographer can see what the modeling will look like, as s/he adjusts the lights before he takes the shot and fires the strobe ("Modeling" is PhotoSpeak for the highlights (light areas) and shadows (dark areas) that fall upon the subject, giving it the depth and texture necessary for professional results). This great feature (modeling light) is usually only found on much more expensive lights.

This unit can be activated by the PC Cord (included, of course), the Test Button, or the Slave Sensor (which means that any other flash, even your camera's little built-in flash, can automatically fire this unit by it's light alone, so you don't even need to use a sync (PC) cord unless you want to). BTW, a "PC Cord" (Push Contact), also called a "Sync Cord" is a wire that connects the strobe to your camera, and fires the strobe when you press the camera's shutter button.
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The PS-200 comes ready to go, with built-in umbrella holder, built-in light stand connector, and the ability to set the direction or tilt of each light to perfectly fit your needs for every shot!

See the image above for a description of each of the controls on the unit.

We can see the difference between the Modeling Light Bulb and the Flash Tube (the circular tube surrounding the modeling bulb) in this close-up shot of the PS-200's business end (with the reflector removed, of course).

The modeling light is a fabulous photographic aid for every photographer - but especially valuable to the amateur, because it let's us "see" exactly where the light will fall when the strobe flashes. This feature alone is worth at least a hundred rolls of ruined film (which you'll save by having a modeling light)! One of the major questions (and hesitations) I had when I was beginning to learn photography, was "If you use strobes, how do you know what the subject will look like, or how and where the light will illuminate the subject, if you don't have continuous lighting to judge by?"

The answer was really simple: You don't. UNLESS your strobes also have MODELING LIGHTS! With modeling lights, you can see exactly where the strobe's flash will illuminate the subject, because the modeling light falls on the subject the same as the strobe's light will fall on the subject (less intensely, of course)! And this is why the pros pay lotsa money for good strobes that come with modeling lights. That's why the professional photographer's pictures look so much better than ours do: they have the right equipment for the job! They can CONTROL THE LIGHT! And now, so can you. back up to rear view of PS-200
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Complete: Each of these PS-200s comes complete with umbrella-capable reflector, sync cord, AC cord, Flash Tube, Modeling Light, built-in umbrella holder, and standard light stand connector; it's ready to plug in and fire away! Since these strobes are A.C. units, they're ready to rock! No batteries or powerpacks or light heads or connector cords are needed; just plug 'em in, and (just like Elvis) you're ready to rock and roll. As with all quality strobes, these are capable of using many additional custom accessories, of course (e.g., snoots, barn doors, softboxes, stands, unbrellas, honeycombs, gel holders, etc.). BTW, pros use umbrellas to "bounce" the strobe's light off of (or sometimes through) to make the light softer, reduce or eliminate shadows, and "mellow-out" the picture. Softboxes (and SoftCases) and umbrellas are specifically designed for this purpose (and yes, these are able to use custom-fitted softboxes & softcases).

These are brand new, 100% guaranteed, with the manufacturer's full one year warrantee . These are NOT seconds, blemishes, or anything other than brand new, absolutely perfect, current models! Just 'cause the price is great, doesn't mean these are in any way less than perfect! Questions? Requests? just e-mail any questions or requests, to me at PhotoSource3@pss3.com.
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Point of Information: Why, you might be asking yourself, have virtually all photographers switched to using strobes, when "regular" continuous lights (photographers call them "hot" lights) are everywhere, and it's easier for us to see how the lighting will look with them? Well, the continuous lights, like the ones in our houses (tungsten lights), or halogen (and similar) are called "hot lights" for a reason: they get hot. Really hot! And the special photographic hot lights get twice as hot as household bulbs! This tends to make certain things, like flowers, foods, animals, and those darn pesky models, wilt. Especially models. They get very, very, unhappy when they wilt. Whine, gripe, groan; you'd think a little melting makeup, and running mascara, limp hair, and sticky lipstick, and beads of sweat running down their lovely curvaceous (umm, let's say noses) was a big deal or something, the way they complain! ;-)

Next, there's a little problem with the "color temperature" being way off with hot lights, so we have to use special films (3200K or 3400K) or filters, or special photographic bulbs, when using them (strobes are perfectly balanced at 5500K to simulate sunlight, so we can use all the regular daylight films we've come to love/hate over the years). You'll notice that most of your pictures taken indoors without using a flash turn out with a yellowish color cast; that's because household lights are loaded with yellow and red light. The solution is to either use special films, or special filters. But why create more problems for yourself? Using strobes eliminates all these headaches (and heat!). Also, with continuous lights, they're always shining; usually right in our subject's eyes, causing squinting and annoyance (and ugly looking pictures). With strobes, nothing is shining in their eyes, and the flash is too short to cause any of this discomfort to our beloved subjects (until AFTER the flash, when they might be chasing all those little light blips around the room:). Additionally, with strobes, we can control the light much better! We can adjust the power output with the flick of a switch. We can modify the light with umbrellas, softboxes, softcases, filters, scrims and gobos, doo-dahs, and thingamajigs, etc., etc. We can direct the light with barn doors, snoots, honeycombs, and many other accessories. In short, with strobes, we can play God with our photography; WE CAN CONTROL THE LIGHT! And we can do it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, whenever we want, no matter what the weather is, and without regard to daylight or night. There are yet other, more esoteric, as well as mundane reasons why strobes are the preferred means of photographic lighting in the modern world, but we'll pass on those things for now. You've probably had enough information shoved down your throat already (sorry, but I can't resist trying to educate everyone about photography).

Specifications: PS-200 Pro Studio Monolight

Here's a brief explanation (using, for this example, your (well, it might be yours soon:) new PS-200 strobe, which have a power level of 120WS, and a GN of 125):

The "120WS" (or the 80WS, or 20WS, etc.) is the output power of your strobe and a watt second is equal to the electrical term "joules," a high-falutin power level. The Guide Number (GN) of these PS-200 units is also 125 (for ASA/ISO 100 film), with a standard reflector. Often, the Watt Second power output is close to the guide number. What good is knowing the guide number? Well, the GN gives us a method of calculating exposure (for any strobe and any film) in this way: to calculate the correct approximate exposure for any subject at any distance, simply divide the distance (in feet) that the subject is from the strobe, into the strobe's GN (guide number); the result is our approximate "F" stop.

For example, (presuming you're using ISO/ASA 100 film), our GN is 125, and the subject is 12 feet away, then: 125 (GN) divided by 12 (feet away from the subject) = 10.4, so we'd use an exposure setting of just under F11. If our subject is 8 feet away, then: 125 divided by 8 = 15.6 which would give us an approximate F stop of F16. See? Umm, if you don't understand it, don't worry about it (it took me years to fully comprehend). Suggestion: If you're serious about improving your photography, you should consider getting a handheld flash/ambient light meter see links here (sorry, I don't carry any at this time, but I will offer some suggestions).

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NEW! No waiting for an Auction to end! Bid Now = Buy NOW!

Dear Visitor: Welcome to my eBay fixed-price auctions! This format allows you to make your purchases INSTANTLY! No bidding, No waiting (and no chance of being outbid, no chance of the price increasing, and no chance of losing out on the auction). This is just like making any regular purchase; simply placing your bid, places your order! Order (bid on) one item or package, and one gets shipped right away; order 2, and both get shipped right away (once you pay for them, of course:).

So just decide how many of these fabulous 3 Strobe Portrait Kits you want, and as soon as you place your bid/order (and pay), your new goodies will be on their way to you - right away!

Here's a fabulous deal on an excellent quality light stand. This Brand New Britek light stand extends to a height of 7 Feet, and folds down (fully assembled) to only 2.8 feet for easy packing and transport (true, they're called 6 1/2 foot light stands, but they really go up to 7 feet).

These stands have a black finish which reduces unwanted glare; three vertical sections (19mm, 16mm, 13mm), and three double-braced legs (16mm), which provide excellent stability in the studio or on location. They're topped with a standard 3/8" stud with 1/4" thread, type A. Sturdy as all get out, yet only weigh about 3 lbs. (so you can pack up a set of three stands for under 10 lbs. for location shoots - believe me, schlepping around anything heavier can give you a hernia, especially when added to all your other gear). Yet these babies can be folded up and put in the corner of your closet and take up very little space.

I've been using these same stands for over 3 years now, and couldn't be happier! You'll probably love 'em, too. They're sized perfectly for multiple uses: with a low height of under 3 feet, they're great for background lighting; at their full 6.5 feet, they're perfect for lighting standing subjects, lighting from above for kids or sitting subjects, or even hairlights; and adjusting them anywhere in-between, they're perfect for subject-level lighting, whether you're photographing kids or adults (or things)! BTW, as stated above, you'll be buying brand new stands here, NOT my used ones (those are mine! you can't have them; I like them, and I'm gonna keep them; you go buy your own! (hey, at this great price, buy several. :).

Reality Check: Hey, if you're rich, I'd suggest buying a set of bigger, heavier (& more expensive) stands for your pro studio setup, and another set of lightweight stands for location shoots; but my studio is in my house, and I don't have 20 foot ceilings for the 15' stands anyway, so these stands work just fine for me. 7.5 feet is plenty high for most uses, and we have larger stands should you need more height. And they're sturdy enough for studio work, and light enough for location work. Realize, though, that these stands, while certainly a great deal and a marvelous value, are the working photog's Chevys and Fords; not Rolls Royces. Treat them with minimal respect, and they'll see you through to old age; but if you're looking for the Ferraris of light stands, go buy something else. This sturdy light stand is rated to hold a load of 10 pounds (but, personally, I try to keep the load under 9 lbs when it's fully extended) either way, it's likely to be able to hold darn near any lighting unit you're using. Of course, there are bigger and heavier stands, too.

All the sections of these stands are quality tubular stock, NOT the cheapie solid ones (which are heavier and less versatile, as well as cheaper). The only "cheap" part of these stands is the price - not the quality! Bid now, while they're still in stock.
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As this view from the top shows us, the brand new FotoCity carrying case provides us with a completely customizable and incredibly roomy interior sections.

Use the top zipper compartment for your filters, lens cleaners, and all sorts of camera accessories.

The heavily-padded interior not only protects our valuable equipment, but allows us to customize each compartment to fit our specific needs! The large center pad, as well as both smaller separator pads have velcro attachments, and can be removed completely, or relocated to virtually any position that would fit your needs! You won't find a better camera case at anywhere near this price. Of course, you can also use this case for cameras or any other products that you can fit inside this roomy case.

As this rear view illustrates, the two end "D" rings allow you to attach the case to your belt for use as a "fanny" pack, if you don't want to use the shoulder strap (also included, of course).

Made of heavy-duty Cordura Nylon material, this case will become your favorite in quick order - guaranteed!

IF - for any reason whatsoever - you don't agree this case is the best you've ever owned, simply return it for a complete refund (excluding shipping charges, of course).

What is a "ChromaKey Background?" A "ChromaKey" backdrop is a solid-color background of a special color tone that makes it easy to select just the background or just the subject of your image in any image-editing program (like Photoshop) in order to isolate your subject and either make the background "disappear" or to copy or cut out your main subject. Why do we want to do that? Because in today's age of computers and digital photography and/or digital videography and moviemaking, we often want to make it look like our subject is in a place or location other than they really are. Other times, we may want a deep, solid black background or a pure, totally white background (without having to arrange special lighting set ups and determine and use arcane camera settings to achieve this optically). This technique is equally useful for both portraiture and product photography. Just imagine the possibilities! A client's child, holding a basketball and standing on the court next to Kobe or Shaq! Or maybe a girl in a bikini on a beautiful beach in Hawaii at the golden moment of sunset. Or a diamond ring "floating" in the air in front of the Milky Way, or an automobile on top of a fabulous mesa in America's most beautiful National Parks. Or a baby asleep in her father's hands with a solid black background showing only the hands and the baby magically suspended in a magnificent image. With these fabulous backdrops, the only limit to what you can do is your own creativity. All this for less than one dinner would cost you at a nice restaurant.

When you go to the movies and see Spiderman (or, for the more mature among us, Superman or Batman:), soaring over Metropolis or Gotham City, and bouncing from skyscraper to skyscraper - in reality, they are really NOT "flying" above the city, but the SuperHero is attached to wires (of the same color as the chromakey background), soaring in front of a "Blue Screen" ChromaKey Background in a studio's sound stage! Then, the digital artists delete the blue (or green) ChromaKey backgrounds on their computers, and then drop in image of a cityscape (or black, white, or any other conceivable background image or color) and Voila! Movie Magic!

And that's exactly what today's photographers, videographers, and moviemakers use these ChromaKey backgrounds for! ChromaKeys come in two colors: Green (hence the movies calling it a "green screen"), and blue; each of which are a tone of color that is very rare or nonexistent in nature, and that makes it easy to select and differentiate from whatever your subject might be. Why do we have blue AND a green ChromaKey backdrops? Just to make life easier for us hard-working photographers; who make a personal choice. But either way, the tone of the blue and green is designed NOT to replicate a natural subject of a similar color, but just in case we have both color ChromaKeys available for you. Check out my other auctions for a blue or a green ChromaKey backdrop (or even a set of ChromaKey Backgrounds: one green and one blue) if your needs so dictate.

Ever have your cellular phone fail to find a signal when you really needed it? Those of us who have cell phones, have them because we never know when we'll find ourselves in a situation where it will save our butts (or those of our spouses, kids, or friends) from some emergency.

Other times, when we're on our cell phone with an important call, we discover that we've just "dropped" the call during the most important part of our conversations. It's happened to all of us, and I really hated it when it happened to me!

We've all seen the ads on TV and in the magazines and newspapers for these Cell Phone Antenna Boosters, and hundreds of thousands have been sold for $19.95 each! And, yes, they DO help (I've tried them on my own cell phones). They're easy to install (just peel and stick them on the phone behind the battery). To be perfectly honest, though (and I always am:), they're nowhere as "Wonderful" as the TV ads make them out to be (what is?:), but they really do help pull in the cell signals when you're in a "fringe" area or inside buildings. I certainly don't think they're worth $20, but in an emergency, these little antenna boosters could make the difference for you. And one thing's for sure: you can't beat the price! It's FREE!

I just happened to come upon a fabulous deal for these cellular phone antenna boosters, and I feel that it's something we should all have - after all, when an emergency happens to us, we'll NEED to have a connection that will work (but no guarantees:)!

Sure, I could have sold these for five or ten (or maybe even fifteen) dollars each (as others are doing) and I could have made a great profit on them - but I'm NOT the average eBay seller (you might care to review my business philosophy, here), and I feel that if you're kind enough to purchase this great pro lighting equipment from me, the least I could do would be to give you one of these as a FREE gift! So I'm including one of these Cellular Antenna Boosters with EVERY order. For FREE! Just my way of saying: "Thank you for your patronage!" So "Who da man?" Huh? Who da man? ;-)

Point of Information: BTW (btw means "by the way" for any "newbies" paying us a visit), a "Reflection" umbrella is one that reflects the strobe's light back onto the subject, and thereby softens and diffuses the light. This technique is often used in portraits, delicate items, and for photographing reflective surfaces, and performs many beneficial services for all us hard-working, and under-appreciated photographic artists. Keep it a secret from others, though, and let them think we get our beautiful images through some sort of secret and esoteric magic, passed down through the centuries, from master to disciple. It helps increase our value ;-) - and please don't send me any e-mail explaining that photography hasn't been around for centuries, I know that. Duh. Actually, photography (in one form or another) has been around for about 150 years.

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Transparent White "Shoot-Through" Umbrellas: 32"
The "poor photographer's softbox"

Ah, now here's a truly valuable and versitile addition to every photographer's tool kit! The transparant material of this great umbrella allows us to either use it reflectively, as described above, or - and here's the true value - to direct our strobe through this umbrella, resulting in a truly fabulous way to soften our light - without losing a few stops of exposure (and without costing us an extra hundred bucks or so)! This is almost the exact same thing that the softbox does, and this gives us yet another method to control our lighting. When you start using this kit, you'll quickly see the differences between using the reflection umbrellas, and the shoot-through umbrella. The more tools we have, the more creative we can be, and that's why I include the most valuable photographic tools in these packages. I promise you, studio lighting is a blast, and this package allows us to greatly improve our photography! And with these umbrellas you have the equipment you'll need for both reflective-umbrella and softbox-style Transparent Shoot-Through lighting! You're getting two of these transparent umbrellas with this great package.

Where? Photographer's SupplyStation of course!"PhotoSource3" on eBay
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The Business of Photography - Selling Portraits: We have our portrait session where we make dozens and dozens of exposures (sometimes, we might even take a hundred pictures or more in a portrait session; especially if we're working with a family or group). Then, we send our clients home, telling them that we'll call them as soon as their prints come back. We then send the film or disk to our lab and have them make contact sheets for us; when we receive the contact sheets from the lab, we carefully examine each image, and pick out the very best 5 or 10 or 20 images (we never let our clients see ALL the images - there are always a bunch of exposures that turn out terrible)! There are those pictures where the client's eyes are closed (everybody blinks, and sometimes they blink just when we press that shutter button:); in other shots, the client moves their head or glances away and messes up our carefully-designed lighting. So we pick out the very best ten or twenty images out of all the pictures we made during the portrait sitting. The client never sees the imperfect images, only the very best of all our shots. Then, we have our lab make an 11 x 14 print of the best image, and then we have the next 5-10 best images made into 8 x 10 prints for us. The, we make 4 x 6 prints of perhaps about next 3-5 best images from the session. We then put the 11 x 14 print and maybe 3-4 of the 8 x 10 prints into beautiful frames. We set up all the pictures in our studio and call the client in to see all these lovely images (or we bring the pictures to our client's home or office for viewing). Of course, there are some portrait sessions wherein we make only a few pictures; perhaps a business executive wants one picture of himself for the company annual report, and isn't interested in any additional shots. But even then, always make at least a dozen exposures; that way we're sure of getting at least a couple of good images (just try to imagine how embarrassing it would be to call our client and tell him/her that we have to do the session all over again because none of the two or three pictures we took turned out good enough).

Why the frames? Because we also make quite a nice profit on selling picture frames, as well as pictures (albums, too)! The client ends up seeing only the most beautiful images (and thinks we're phenomenally-talented photographic artists:). They see how wonderful the pictures look in the lovely frames, and end up ordering lots of prints, and lots of frames. Always ask the client if grandma and grandpa would like some prints; after the client orders the 11 x 14s, 8 x 10s, 5 x 7s and 4 x 6 prints, always ask how many wallet-sized prints they would like. Write up a great order! Make a lot of money by making a lot of people very happy. Can you think of any better way to make a living? And, unless you're a gynecologist, in what other profession can you ask a magnificently beautiful girl (or guy, depending upon your outlook:) who you've only just met, to take off her clothes, and have her do so quickly and happily? Huh? AND get paid for doing it! Damn, I love photography! :-) BTW, no matter what your models may look like, always tell them they're beautiful/handsome; it makes them feel good about themselves, helps them loosen up for the camera, and is absolutely true - everyone has beauty, if only we have the eyes to see it. And therein lies the secret of every great photographer: he/she has developed the "photographic vision," the eyes to see the beauty in everything.

Buy a copy of Popular Photography, and every other photographic magazine you can find. Look for the ads that all the custom labs always have running in these magazines; also find the ads for wholesale suppliers of picture frames, albums, calendars, custom mugs, and poster-size prints. Call, e-mail, visit the web sites, or write to every supplier and ask for their wholesale price lists. Choose the labs and photographic suppliers you like, and compare prices and delivery times. Try out a few different sources, and after a while you'll have your favorite suppliers. You'll find that the prints and other supplies are surprisingly inexpensive, and you'll have a truly great markup for your profit. Wham, bam, you're on your way to a fun, creative, and wonderfully rewarding way to make a living doing something you love. What more can we ask out of life? OK, someone to love, perhaps? If you haven't met him/her yet, there are few better ways to find new friends (and lovers:) than through photography (after all, making people look great tends to impress them favorably, right?).

So give it a shot; there's no downside; if it works for you as a profession, great! If not, at the very least, you'll have a wonderful and creative hobby (along with the admiration of your friends and family). And at best, becoming a successful photographer means fame, fortune, and world travel; and the joys of the artistic creativity that accompanies such success aren't too difficult to learn to live with, huh? And don't forget about all the exquisitely beautiful / handsome models you'll be "forced" to work with, either! :) Hey, it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it, right? Life has few guarantees, but one thing you can be absolutely certain about is this: you can't possibly succeed unless you try.
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 Here's a GREAT New Portrait Studio Package! All BRAND NEW!

This is a GREAT 3 Light Starter Portrait Studio setup, at an absolutely unbelievably LOW price! You'll have everything you'll need to get fabulous portraits (also great for product photography)! With 3 powerful 120WS Master MonoLight strobes, you'll have two strobes to appropriately light your victims (er, your "subjects, that is:) from two opposing directions, which will allow you to get professional-level results with the necessary interplay of light and shadow, resulting in the depth and texture characteristic of pro portraits, plus a third strobe for a backlight. Also, professional strobes (like these) come with all the bells and whistles already built-in - like what, you may ask? Like Modeling Lights, (see here), variable power with the flip of a switch, removable and interchangeable umbrella-capable reflectors, built-in umbrella holders, integral power supplies, and the capability of using an almost infinite variety of light modifiers (such as umbrellas, softboxes, SoftCases, snoots, honeycombs, barndoors, etc.).

In addition, you'll also have the third PS-200 to use as a backlight strobe to light your background (providing the depth and separation between the victim and background for professional results, as well as blowing away all those annoying shadows behind our victims that plague our amateur pictures (the backlight is the secret of eliminating the ugly shadows that are found in most amateur images); plus three Light Stands - one for every one of your strobes, AND two Transparent "shoot-through" umbrellas (the "Poor Photographer's Softboxes") to creatively soften the light and effectively help to hide the lines, sags, and wrinkles often found on our older victims (it makes them look younger, more vibrant, and attractive - and often results in the photographer being called names, like "Artist" and "Genius" :). Umbrellas also help us eliminate the reflections and glare from reflective surfaces, such as glass, chrome, jewelry, paintings, etc. And in addition, you'll also receive an umbrella-capable reflector with each PS-200 strobe. And with custom carrying cases too, your whole studio can be neatly and safely packed up for location shoots, and/or tucked into the corner of any closet, when not deployed in a studio setup. But that's not all! Now, you'll also get a fabulous ChromaKey Background wich will let you create absolute MAGIC with your images! Just read the details about your new ChromaKey backdrop below. So who da man? ;o)

Over all, this is a fabulous starter package which will give you everything you need to start you off in portraiture or product photography the right way, and is infinitely upgradable! Unlike other kits, this starts you at the pro level, and allows you to expand whenever you like - without being stuck with amateur equipment that you wasted your money on. And you get all this for less than you'd pay for just one single strobe from a competing manufacturer (and less than what a few dinners would cost you at a nice restaurant - and this professional lighting equipment is absolutely guaranteed to last longer than any dinner you'll ever have ;-). And don't forget the FREE, $20.00 value, Cell Phone Antenna Booster that's included with this kit! For more on portraiture, see just below).

Why am I selling this kit for such a low price? Because I know photography and I know photographers (sheesh, I AM one, y'know). Those among you who order and use this package will discover how much this kit improves your pictures, and how much fun studio photography is. Then, when you're ready for more photographic equipment, who will you come to? That's right - me (well, hopefully me, anyway:). So while I'm not making much on this kit, I WILL be making something much more important: friends. And, hopefully again, future customers, too (hey, we all gotta eat, don't we?:). If I can help you enjoy photography, and improve your photographs, that'll be enough for me; even if you never order another thing from me (but do try to order something else in the future, if you can). Once you get up to speed with this equipment, your next acquisition might be a custom background/backdrop to add the final professional look to your images; but don't push yourself, just have fun making great photographs (who knows, perhaps you'll become a rich and famous photographer); but at the very least, with this starter kit, you'll be able to make some fabulous images - and have fun doing something you're sure to love. Oh, and - my phair photographic phriend - if you do become a rich and famous photographer, please don't forget who you got your first studio lighting package from, OK? Thanks. :-)

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This GOLD PowerSeller proudly provides a plethora of perfect photographic products - PLUS - pure, powerful, and peerless customer service!