A profile view of the AlienBees 800 flash unit
So you’ve decided you want to take the next step and upgrade to some nice studio strobes to take your photography to the next level. There are some great options out there: Profoto, Broncolor, etc.
Wait, what do you mean you don’t have $4000 for a pack and two heads?
Enter Paul C. Buff’s line of Alien Bee flashes, which have long enjoyed cult status among enthusiasts and professionals alike for their insane price-to-performance ratio. Their mid-level offering is the B800 which at a price point of $279.95 delivers a max 320 watt/seconds of light. That is fully sufficient for most basic product shots or indoor portraits. Note: These can only be bought straight from the manufacturer.