Reddit reviews CowboyStudio NPT-04 4 Channel Wireless Trigger for External Speelights with 1 Trigger and 2 Receivers (NPT-04+extra receiver)

Definitely this. Even learning to bounce flash can dramatically improve the quality of your photos. Some of my favorite photos that I've taken have been in large part due to the lighting used. A few yongnuo flash units, umbrellas, stands, and triggers and you can really get into some lights for cheap. They won't support high speed sync, ETTL, flash groupings, or anything like that which means you're setting everything manually. What better way to learn, though! For under 300 bucks you can get a 3 flash setup and start taking some really great photos. If bounce is your thing you can get the Yongnuo 565 which puts out tons of power and does a great bounce (was the sole flash in that second photo). The only thing I wish it has was high speed sync.

For a flash, these are $44 atm http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-YN-560-Speedlight-Flash-Canon/dp/B004GZLFHM/ref=pd_rhf_ee_s_cp_5

I have 3 and they are pretty reliable.

Then you can get a cheap wireless recieve kit like this
http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=pd_cp_p_1

cowboy studio wireless trigger and maybe a pair of light stand

Yes, cowboystudio is one example.

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412178484&sr=8-1&keywords=cowboystudio+trigger

I got [these] (http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369691507&sr=8-1&keywords=wireless+flash+trigger) which are just some what cheap flash triggers. One part goes on the hot shoe of the camera and the other one or two receivers have their own hot shoe that you put flashes onto.

Do you want a RF trigger or to run it off your camera via a flash-based system?

EDIT:

Looks like the "cheap" part is going to require you to get an RF trigger and run it manually. You can get a few different kinds of manual off-camera flash for under $40, but a $60 Neewer TT860 will work great manually and you can use it with TTL on the camera as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Neewer®-Speedlite-Camera-High-Speed-Cameras/dp/B00E3K94T6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1420084596&sr=8-4&keywords=E-TTL+flash

A Cowboystudio dual trigger is going to run you $27 and works pretty darn well. Just keep stuffing dollar tree AAAs.

http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420084639&sr=8-1&keywords=cowboystudio+trigger

Seriously, get yourself a Yongnuo. They're like, $40, and functionally similar to any branded speedlight. A demo pack of stage gels to slide over the strobe, maybe even a cheap as chips speedlight trigger, and you're set up for about 90% of speedlight work for less than a quarter of the price of an actual Nikon speedlight alone.

There's literally no reason to not go for it, and it opens up your shooting a lot.

Here is a cheap setup I put together. Fire away!

Triggers = $29.00

Speedlights 2 @ $80.00 = $160.00

4 Umbrellas - Tripods - Flashmounts - Carrying Case = $70

Total = $258.94

I picked up 2 of these flashes and this wireless trigger, and this(or similar) set of reflective umbrellas and stands. All that stuff is pretty universal and should work on most cameras.

It's nothing fancy, but it's less than $200 for the whole setup and it gets great results. I use the same stuff for portrait work.

The Tokina lens looks great, but unfortunately it's designed for a crop sensor. I can put it on my full frame camera, but it's going to leave me with a big black circle around all of my pictures.

This: (http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415031310&sr=8-2&keywords=cowboy+studio)

Get more level with the object, and throw in some catch-lights. As for keeping the background true black, you can place a piece of flat cardboard on the end of each light box to discourage light from going to the side instead of just straight out. We call them flags, but I like to call them blinders. Call them anything you like, it's your studio.

Lastly, invest the best you can with two [Yongnuo flashes] (http://www.amazon.com/Yongnuo-560-Standard-Shoe-Flash/dp/B004GZNBH4/ref=sr_1_16?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1412171284&sr=1-16) and a [Cowboy Studio radio transmitter set] (http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-NPT-04-Speelights-extra-receiver/dp/B005IQRMN4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1412171336&sr=1-1&keywords=cowboystudio+trigger).

I have the flashes I linked to and they are fabulous - been through a lot with them and they are still going strong. Yongnuo has a ton of different types of flashes, so you have a plethora to choose from depending on what you're looking for.

Lastly, should you be into the flash option, I would say you can save yourself the trouble of outfitting them both with transmitters and just have one with the transmitter and one on S (slave) mode.

Alright, so lets say I get the Yongnuo YN-560 III,

How can I find out which transmitters work with it?

Amazon is recommending this

So, I can have a remote in my hand, a transmitter on the camera, and the flash elsewhere. I hit the remote, it triggers the flash and the camera?

After we lost a set of family pictures (and having to pull teeth to get another set) to crappy, non-responsive mommytographers after our second was born, I decided to finally get a real camera and learn some photography basics. We've got our third on the way now, so I'm starting to evaluate the kit I've acquired over the last few years in light of this.
If you're looking to get a flash, just grab the cheap AmazonBasics manual one and bounce it off the ceiling behind you; you'll get 80%+ of the utility of the flash for $30, adding the Cowboy Studio radio trigger gets your flash off camera for cheap as well. Regardless, learning how to use flash is another skill to research (the Strobist is a great resource) and takes a ton of practice. However, babies are slow enough that you should be just fine bumping your ISO a bit and shooting your 20mm wide open.
Really, though, I'll echo what other posters have said: knowledge beats throwing money at kit. What you have is plenty sufficient for good pictures, and buying more kit will barely move picture quality if you don't add knowledge. Practice with mom, practice with a doll, look at pictures of babies, etc. In addition, learn to post-process. Your first attempts will suck, but shoot RAW and practice. You're better off spending $150 on good PP software than another lens, but you can still make do just fine with open source software.
 
We have a similar setup: EM10m2, 14-42 kit, 25mm f/1.8, 40-150 f/4-5.6, 7.5mm f/3.5 fisheye, as well as a smattering of old adapted lenses (most useful is the 50mm f/1.7 that fills the classic "portraiture" role)

Negative.

These: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005IQRMN4?cache=fd675d6458efc54de88cdcf1a1306e57&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&qid=1412569082&sr=8-4#ref=mp_s_a_1_4

Thanks!

I used two of these and this set of colors.


Easy results for under $100. around $100.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and this for my off-camera triggering system.

Anyhow...

As far as preparing - what do you have for gear? (I'm not trying to be a gear whore here - just curious what you're working with). If you don't already have something in the 35-50mm range - get something. Canon's cheapest option is the 50mm f1.8. It's an extremely cheap lens for the image quality - but it also feels cheap. If you've got the extra money - find an MK I model - as it has a metal mount. (I believe that's true. I only owned the plastic MK II & 50 1.4)

If you're shooting Nikon - I'd highly recommend the 35mm 1.8 or 35mm f2.

If you don't have a flash - pick up one (or two) of these - and learn to use them: Yongnuo YN560

Pick up some triggers, too. Then you can fire your flash wirelessly in order to bouce/move it around without a cable. Here are some cheap ones. Mine only fire about 9/10 times - I guess I'll take that gamble though. Link

If you don't have a reflector - [get one of those as well.] (http://www.amazon.com/Neewer-110CM-Collapsible-Multi-Disc-Reflector/dp/B002ZIMEMW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335429041&sr=8-1) - Also learn to use it.

Find a used tripod on CL. Buy something good. DO NOT BUY A $25 TRIPOD AND EXPECT IT TO HOLD $2000 (or whatever) in camera. Find something used. You can find decent manfrotto w/heads for $80-$100.


So enough gear rambling - are you able to fire your flash off camera? What kinds of things do your grandmother and aunt like to do? Get them in their element, doing something they enjoy. I'll take that over any solid colored background.

I have been saving up for these Wireless Flash Triggers so I can take our family portrait. They aren't that expensive, but I just can't seem to squeeze an extra $30 into my budget.

If you get this CowboyStudio trigger/receivers you'll be able to trigger two flashes at once. Then you can buy individual receivers to hook up to your remaining flashes. For some reason it's actually cheaper to buy the kit with a transmitter and two receivers though.

That's the setup I use. You have to keep your flashes in manual, but it works (for Nikon and the cheap-o YN-560s). Range is good, batteries seem to last just fine, everything works out of the box.