no, no flash needed. You would trip one strobe that would be wired to your camera via a sync cable (and maybe hotshoe adapter since your camera doesn't have a sync port I dont think) and the other would be triggered with an optical slave trigger.

Does this mean I do have a sync port ?

On the 50D’s left side are two large rubber flaps hiding the same four ports as the 40D, along with one new one. Behind the left flap are the PC Sync port for connecting external lighting and a terminal for N3-type cable releases.

It works that way, yes.



Light placement? Place the light in whatever manner you want. Your friend's not paying you is he? If he isn't, you get to call the shots. That's what a photographer do in these situations, no money = captain of the boat = can do whatever the fuck he wants in terms of how the photo turns out.

Hell in an extreme case you could try to not use lights at all and just use on camera flash like Terry Richardson. That style is the rage lately.

I'm thinking I may go with an AlienBees setup....

so much for the $300 budget

Haha yeah...funny how it works out that way...lol

how much lighting experience do you have

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0240808193/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0240802756&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1079PTF27EE67NYZT1Y2

then may i suggest devoting energy and time in the foundamentals of lighting before worrying about the type and brand of lights. Right now you're like getting off a trike and trying to decide whether to buy a Cannondale or Trek to take to the Alps with no training wheels