Switching Gear

So your Flickr pics are getting tons of hits and you are being asked to add your photos to every group out there.  Your friends ask you if you ever took any photography classes.  You have been drafted to shoot your cousin’s wedding. You decide that now is the time to take the leap, go for broke and try your luck by taking your hobby one step further and making it a side business.  You have a vague business plan, a catchy mission statement, and your trusty point and shoot!  What’s next?  SHOPPING for gear!  While it’s always fun to spend money on the gadgets you need, this can be a stress-inducing time as some of your choices can influence your photography future.

CHECK OUT THAT BODY

Let’s face it; your point and shoot will not cut it.  You may be a photography prodigy but if you show up to a paying job and pull a camera out of your back pocket, you will not be taken seriously.  You need a solid DSLR and you need one quick!  The good news is that now is the best time in photography history to get an advanced DSLR for an un-advanced price.  These new types of entry level cameras come loaded with all the features and then some; some of these even include the ability to record movies.  Do not be swayed by the number of megapixels, the sirens of digital camera world.  Unless you plan on making poster sized prints from the get-go, completely ignore this temptation.  You should be interested in things like RAW vs JPEG, frames per second, how quickly the autofocus works, the camera start up speed, noise levels at higher ISO levels, and the list goes on (it really does, I am not just saying that).  Most entry level DSLR’s nowadays have more than enough megapixels.  People write small books and/or really long articles on the subject of selecting a camera I won’t cover it all here.  I would recommend asking friends who already own DSLR’s and use them extensively.  They will have a better idea of what you need, what you are looking for, and will be a great resource when you have questions about your upcoming purchase! (www.fuelyourphotography.com will also continue to be a great source of inspiration and knowledge)  If you need a head-start look at Canon’s EOS series, T2i is a solid starter camera, and on the Nikon side, the D90 is a probably the best machine currently out there for your first DSLR but, will run you a couple hundred dollars more than its Canon counterpart.  All this being said, don’t throw out your point and shoot just yet.  It is still a great tool when you are going somewhere and a big SLR is not allowed or an option.

LENS ENVY

After the actual camera itself, your lens selection is the next important thing; many people will tell you that your lens selection is even more important than the camera itself.  The quality of your lens affects the quality of your pictures.  A good lens will be a blessing in poor conditions and will only enhance your natural eye and talent in ideal settings.  I can safely say that you will most likely sink more money into lenses than anything else; try not to be a scrooge when it comes to this purchase.  My first lens I bought was a 100-300mm telephoto because it was cheap.  In order to take the most basic of shots I had to stand at the back of a room or across the street; it was not ideal.   Normally when you buy a Canon or Nikon DSLR you will get a standard or “kit” lens as part of a package.  These are a good bet even though they are not the greatest lens.  Their resale value is higher than lesser-known brand are designed to work with the camera you are buying and you run less of a risk of complications in the future.  I recommend getting a wide-angled lens; 28mm – 70mm or 105mm.  This is not a dedicated wide angle lens and you will not get that fisheye effect, but you will be able to take some good shots in tight situations.  I love cranking my kit lens down to 18mm and shooting at crazy angles without even looking through the view finder.  I have gotten some great results and nice surprises!  Then you will want to get a telephoto lens to zoom in on the subjects just out of your reach.  Do not waste your time with a “telephoto” lens that only goes up to 200mm.  You just can’t get close enough to things in the distance and it will frustrate you; 300mm is the standard.  Once you have the basics covered, you can branch out to different lens for specific purposes based on your field of photography.  I highly recommend getting a fixed 50mm lens with an aperture of f1.8 or f1.4.  This is a life saver for portrait photography and is small, light, and easy to carry.

ACCESSORIZE

My wife tells me that it’s all about the accessories;  besides my yellow rubber  “LIVESTRONG” bracelet and my fondness for brightly colored footwear, I don’t accessorize.  However when it comes to extra for my camera, the sky is the limit (aka how much money is in my bank account).  Here is a quick list of what I consider to be the essentials for a good shot at success.

PHOTO EDITING PROGRAM

Photoshop is the standard, but there are a whole host of options.  If you don’t want to pay the big bucks for the latest version of Photoshop (drool), you have free online options.  Take a look, because after camera and lenses, your budget may be a bit short.

TRIPOD

I have owned some cheap tripods.  Imagine taking a picture in an old church during mass and then having a piece of metal slide out and clatter to the floor.  Purgatory, here I come!  Start with something simple, but you are looking to spend at least $75 for a cheap no-name brand at your local camera store.  There are some really fun table top models which are portable and practical.

EXTERNAL FLASH

This is a must.  You will come to curse that built in flash as it is not the friendliest feature on your camera; professional DSLR’s do not even offer it.  If it’s out of your budget, most camera stores will have some sort of flash diffuser which will dramatically increase you built-in flash flexibility until you can put aside some money.

CAMERA BAG

Your camera will spend quite a bit of time in here (hopefully not too much), so do not get a cheap bag.  Get one with comfortable and easily-adjustable straps and one that is waterproof or has a waterproof liner.

Other things you need to throw into your camera bag is extra memory cards, extra batteries, a bean bag (makes a great tripod you can use almost anywhere), a micro fiber lens cloth, and patch cords to link your camera to a tv or computer.

Once you have this taken care of, make sure you get involved in some sort of photo community.  Flickr is a good place to start as it is worldwide with countless numbers of groups where you can post and get critiqued and learn from some really inspiring artists.  Their price is reasonable, but make sure you check out a photo sharing site that works for you.

Happy shooting and make sure you remember me when you are shooting for National Geographic or Vogue; I’ll hold your light reflectors or something.