Suggestions for Nikon Flash Gun?
I'm looking for some personal opinions on flash guns to use with my Nikon D7000.
It's pretty much just for portraiture.
Look on Nikon's web site. A friend of mine can do studio quality portraits with just available light in his living room.
A lot depends on where you will be taking the photos.
Nikon speed lights are very expensive.
As you know, you will need at least two sources of light, a key and fill light. Many portrait photographers also include a background light and hair light.
That said, unless you have a flash meter to adjust the lighting ratios, all your portrait photography will be based upon the "try and fail" method.
For this reason, portrait photographers usually start out learning how to set up portrait lighting using continuous lights. In this way, they can make fine adjustments in their lighting quickly, just using their eyes.
Later, when they have enough cash flow, they can buy some proper studio flash units.
If you run the numbers of what it will cost for three or four dedicated Nikon flash units you can use with your cameras Commander Mode, they may cost more than buying three Lowel Tota-lites with stands and umbrellas.
Here is a link that shows what can be done with some Nikon SB700 flash unitis
http://www.nikonusa.com/...amples.pdf
As a portrait photographer, you will have to pick the lighting setup that bests lights your subjects and only you can decide what that will be
For portraiture, you really need to be working with flashguns off the camera with a selection of light modifiers. I would think that you would want at least two flashguns and light stands. Your D7000 does have AWL so you could theoretically go with something like a couple of Metz 50AF2's and run them using AWL complete with TTL metering. Of course when off camera, TTL isn't always what you want, and you could get a similar setup with cheaper manual flashes from Yongnuo and some radio triggers, however these inexpensive products may not always be as reliable.
The gold standard, is however four full studio flashes, and while expensive it's something which gives you absolute control. However the speedlight should always remain an option as while studio lights can be made portable, it's not quite as easy to run as speedlights.
I woule recommend the SB700 or SB900