Ah, photographers are an impatient lot. I'm exactly the same way; whenever I order something (especially photographic goodies), I want it, I want it all, and I want it NOW! I remember how excited I was when I ordered my first pro lighting setup; it only took 3 or 4 days to arrive, but it seemed like forever. The day it (finally) came, I was up all night setting it up, and marvelling at how the strobes "flashed" and sparkled, and was consumed with planning on all the new things (and people) I was going to "shoot" with my new toys! So I can empathize with my customers' situation, and I will do all I can to make sure your new equipment leaves quickly, travels safely, and arrives ready to go for you. I do my very best to assure that your orders ship immediately after I receive your payment, and 99% of the time, orders ship out either the same day, or the very next business morning after your payment arrives. Just check my eBay feedback, and you'll see that I'm perhaps the fastest shipper on the planet! :)

You can review the payment and shipping choices you have here, and you can see my business philosophy here. If there's something you want, but don't see anywhere on my site or in my eBay auctions, feel free to contact me and ask. If you like, I'll be glad to make up a custom photographic package designed to perfectly fit your needs. Remember, you're not dealing with some faceless mega-business here; you're dealing with a real person who would like to help you out in your photographic pursuits in any way I possibly can. Thank you for visiting my web site; take care, and, as always, take (or better yet, "make") lots of great pictures!

Which type of lighting would be most suitable for your needs? The answer is the same as in ALL questions in photography: it depends. It depends upon what you want to achieve, and what equipment you're using (regular film SLR cameras, digital cameras, or video/movie cameras). The first thing to realize is that you can use film cameras with continuous lighting equipment, and you can use many digital cameras with strobe (flash) equipment. SO, which way should you go? Read on....

For film cameras strobe (flash) lighting will probably be best; however, if you're using mostly digital cameras, then you might consider the digital continuous lighting equipment. The digital continuous lighting equipment (click here: HERE) can be used with film cameras (35mm, medium format, large format) as well as with digital cameras, video cameras, and movie cameras. Why, you might be asking yourself, have virtually all still film 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. Bitch, bitch, bitch; 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! ;-)
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Next, there's a little problem with the "color temperature" being off with hot lights, but all we have to do is use the correct films (3200K or 3400K) or 81A filters (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. Additionally, with strobes, we can control the light 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.

But technology is fast-moving, and for those of us who have digital cameras, video cameras, or are movie makers, the new digital continuous lighting equipment - the "hot lights" - are perfectly-balanced for digital still pictures as well as video and movies, and the digital continuous lighting equipment can also be successfully used for regular still film photography (35mm, medium format, etc.) as well. But what most dealers fail to tell us is that when using hot lights for film photography (e.g., 35mm, etc.), we need to buy tungsten film OR use an 81A filter on our cameras, both of which are inexpensive and easily acquired. In addition, the Digital Lamps I offer are SO powerful that they can be placed far enough away from our subjects to minimize the heat problems which are so common with the older, standard hot lights. In addition, my 1,000 watt quartz-halogen continuous lights run much cooler than the older models because they come with a fan cooling system built in.

Basically, you can successfully use hot lights with film cameras, or use strobes with many digital cameras. But depending upon which types of equipment you're using for the majority of your work, you'd be better off with the following lighting equipment:

So, to (finally:) answer your question, here's my advice: IF you're going to be using mostly still film cameras (35mm, medium format, large format, etc.), then go for the strobe (flash) equipment. In many cases, strobes can also be successfully used with digital cameras (click here -> HERE <- for more - and important - information on this subject).

But IF you're going to be using mostly digital cameras, then go for the digital continuous lighting equipment; continuous lighting can be easily and successfully used with still film cameras (by using tungsten film or a simple 81A filter) as well as with digital cameras, for which the light is already perfectly balanced.Also, continuous lighting equipment is easier for the beginner to use because we can see exactly where our subjects will be illuminated before we make an exposure. So the equipment you're going to be using the majority of the time will dictate the type of lighting equipment you should acquire. For example, if you're using digital cameras 80% of the time and film cameras 20% of the time, you'll be better off with continuous lighting equipment. If your work should be the reverse (e.g., 80% film cameras and 20% digital cameras), then you'd be better off with strobes.

HOWEVER, if you're going to be using video cameras or movie cameras, your only choice is the digital continuous lighting equipment. So, the lighting equipment you should acquire is based upon your needs (what you'll be photographing or filming and what you intend to do with the resulting images), and the type of equipment you're going to be using (still film cameras, digital cameras, video cameras, or movie cameras). Of course, only you can make the proper decision regarding your needs. I hope this helps; if not, feel free to contact me if I can be of any further help in any way.

If you've decided on strobe (flash) lighting, then check THIS out for some additional suggestions.