I am a bit late on this one, but here are my thoughts:
1) INDOOR LIGHTING:
Although not directly related to lighting, I would also agree with everyone that says that a 50mm 1.8 is the best thing you can buy once you have a dslr body.
total cost: 125$ – 220$, depending on your camera.
I can second @buddingphotographer ‘s recommendation of the YN-560 III. I got a radio trigger (40$) that triggers and remotely changes the settings on the YN-560 III. (59$) If your main use is events, the absence of TTL on the YN-560 III will probably be sufficient incentive to buy something else, such as the Godox recommended by @nasa (85$ + 40$). A book on lighting would be the best investment for the money, even if you don’t intend to buy a flash, and I would strongly recommend getting a course or book if you are considering any kind of external lighting. Ezra’s post linked above is a good starting point. I personally have found that the third edition of this book (6$ used) is well explained and is quite safe as secular books go. Please note that some of the other editions do contain immodesty.
total cost: 100$ – 150$
If I had to choose which of the two has improved the quality of my photos the most, I think it would be the off-camera flash. However, it took me much longer to learn to use the off-camera flash than it did to learn to use the “nifty fifty”, and I have by no means mastered it. Notice the difference an off-camera flash makes in the quality of the attached images. The pictures are not great, but I think it illustrates the point. Notice also that when used correctly the flash makes the colours more realistic. (the zucchinis in the background, especially!)
2) DEVELOPING A PERSONAL STYLE:
Don’t worry too much about this – as long as you are constantly trying to take better photos, your personal style will emerge on its own, and change over time. That is because each person has their own preferences. There is no harm in finding photos that you like and trying to imitate them.
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