what lighting kit should i buy?

I just returned from teaching my very first lighting class in person, and was asked over a dozen times... "what should my first lighting kit be?"

The first thing I have to ask in response is always, "What's your budget?" and then there's the dance of "Well how much are lights?" and we go back and forth.

Here's the thing, lights can cost anywhere from $10 to $10,000. Having a solid idea of what you'll be able to spend on your first kit is imperative. To make life easy, here are my top recommendations for lighting kits based on certain budgets you're working with starting out.

Budget: under $250

Lighting Kit:
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