what are the basics?

I've had a few people ask me what the minimum is to start taking pictures. The smart-ass reply is, "...a camera..." The actual answer is, to set up a very basic portrait/wedding photography business, with minimal investment to provide the best possible results in the most number of circumstances, here is what I suggest; please note that because lenses and equipment vary from manufacturere to manufacturer, this guideline is as generic as possible.

~camera body
~31mm or 50mm 1.4 lens
~1 memory card, 2 if you plan to do weddings, capable of holding 500 maximum quality jpegs each
~external hot-shoe compatible flash with swivel and/or pivot capabilities
~a piece of neutrally-coloured fabric (white, light beige, light grey) that is a) wrinkle-free or b) wrinkles nicely (muslin works well and is relatively cheap...) that is about 8ft - 10ft wide by 10ft or more long for draping ugly stuff or tacking up on the wall (tab-style curtains from your local dept store work well, too)

****the extras****

These are things that you can collect over time, adding to your versatility as a photographer.

~zoom lens, 70mm - 200mm range, preferably f2.8 or smaller though f3.5 will work
~wide angle lens
~release, wired or wireless - the magicalest-est tool EVER for getting difficult kids (and parents) to have their picture taken...
~tripod - nice for doing a series of portraits that all need to be similar (like headshots for your kids' soccer team) and for playing with in the dark
~backdrop stand - sew a tube at the top of any kind of fabric you have and voila
~dark or black backdrop for doing those low-key high contrast photos
~strobe kit (you can pick up an inexpensive but effective set of 2 multi-purpose strobes with up to 4 umbrellas for under $200 including shipping and duty on eBay - just make sure you get ones that say 'shoot-through' umbrellas and wireless sync)

A note about using the same location: if you are going to be doing photos in one location (including a permanent or makeshift studio in your home) you *may* want to mix things up with some fun props; these can be anything from a little sheepskin Ikea rug or a nice wicker basket and fluffy white towel for photographing newborns, to a miniature park bench, table and chairs, or rocking chair for younger children; tall stools or a funky wooden chair or two for seating variety; a set of blocks or juggling balls that spell 'boy' and 'girl' for maternity sessions (dry-erase markers write on skin and flake off easily, too). For glamour portraits you may want to look into buying some gauzy or sheer fabric, some peacock feathers, or some long gloves and beads. Any second-hand store is a treasure trove of inexpensive props, often yeilding the most amazing fun stuff for a song! And even if you normally wouldn't shop there, I have to tell you that my favourite place to look for fabric is in the $1.97 bin at WalMart. I've found everything from fun fur and oriental brocades to sassy stripes and polka dots, from shiny satins to gossamer organzas... all for $1.97 a metre - LURVE IT!!!

Comments

Kate said…
I just realized how naive I am when it comes to photography equipment! I will be forever impressed by photography.

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