Originally posted by rustynail925 I really dont have any experience when it comes to external flashes and lighting. i only have the built in flash and i dont really like the results of my photos when using it. How can i get
started with off camera flashes and lighting / umbrellas / softboxes / etc
Just get some old flash that allows manual power settings (or which has an auto mode). It doesn't need to be some expensive new model. And then you'll need something to trigger it. There are lots of options, ranging from very cheap to incredibly expensive, with the operating range and the reliability generally related to the cost.
That's all you need to get
started and decide if you like it or not before you spend a lot of money on it. I have a
Low Budget Flash set on Flickr; the most expensive flash used on any photo there cost me $32, and a great many of them were done with a $10 flash.