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f you need some beginning photography tips, you’re probably wondering what to invest in! Finding the right gear can definitely be overwhelming. What is actually worth your money? What's actually worth your time? Let’s chat about it – from camera gear to running your business, here are my best tips!
Best Camera Gear for Beginning Photographers
Let’s talk about the best camera gear for beginning photographers to help you capture stunning photos and advance your skills! I buy some of my gear on Amazon, and some I buy from a local camera store. I love going to Don’s Photos in Prince Albert, SK!
Make sure you buy from a legit source!! If you buy from Amazon, pay attention to where it’s coming from. Look at the reviews to make sure it’s a reputable seller!
Get a Good Camera Body!
The first and most important piece of gear you’ll need is a camera body. As a beginner, I recommend starting with an entry-level DSLR or mirrorless camera. These cameras are affordable and offer the functionality and image quality necessary for learning photography.
For DSLRs, the Canon EOS Rebel T8i and Nikon D5600 are great options. If you prefer a mirrorless camera, the Sony Alpha a6100 and Fujifilm X-T30 are excellent choices.
One of the biggest questions I get as a photography mentor involves choosing between a full frame camera and a crop sensor camera!
Long story short: in my opinion, it’s worth it to invest in a full frame camera!!
A full frame camera has a sensor size equivalent to a traditional 35mm film. This sensor is larger than the sensors found in crop sensor (or APS-C) cameras!
A full frame sensor measures approximately 36mm x 24mm, while a crop sensor is smaller and measures around 23.6mm x 15.7mm. This means that full frame sensors capture more light and detail than crop sensors, resulting in better image quality and much improved low-light performance!! That’s especially important if you plan to shoot weddings, since a wedding day has a ton of various lighting to shoot in.
The larger sensor in a full frame also provides more detail and a wider field of view, so it’s overall a much higher quality option!! Definitely worth the investment.
Lastly, you need a camera body with a dual SD card slot so it can save to multiple cards simultaneously!! This is game-changing for weddings – you DON’T wanna risk losing those pics!!
Good Lenses
Once you have your camera body, you’ll need a lens to attach to it. As a beginner, I recommend starting with a versatile zoom lens that can cover a range of focal lengths.
Don’t get me wrong – The kit lens that comes with your camera is a good starting point, but it’s worth the investment to upgrade! Choosing a lens can be confusing, but I’m here to help. If you have a DSLR, I recommend the EF. It’s flexible and long-lasting! If you have a mirrorless body, use an R, or use an adapter with an EF lens! (That’s actually what I use!)
The Tamron 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC and Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM are both great options.
If you’re interested in portrait photography, a prime lens with a wide aperture is a great addition to your kit. The Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G both produce beautiful bokeh, which is when the background is aesthetically blurred from the subject!
Dual Camera Harness
You definitely need a dual camera harness if you’re going to be a wedding photographer! I’m obsessed with mine from Holdfast. It’s high-quality, luxury genuine leather and it’s extremely strong to hold all your gear. These are built to last a lifetime and I swear by them! 100% worth the investment.
SD Cards
A memory card is where your photos are stored, so it’s important to invest in a high-quality one.
I recommend using SD Extreme Pro!
Camera Bag
A camera bag will protect your gear and make it easier to transport. Look for a bag that’s both comfortable to carry and has enough space to hold your camera body, lenses, SD cards, and other accessories. I have this one and love it because of this reason!
Best Investments for Your Photography Business
CRM System (Customer Relationship Management)
Honeybook is my favorite CRM system! I use it for contracts, invoicing, and about a dozen other things. I raved all about it in my How to Start a Photography Business blog, so check that out for more details!!
Other popular CRMs are Dubsado or Asana!
Adobe Cloud
For photographers, the Adobe Creative Cloud includes popular applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, which are essential tools for editing and organizing your photos!!
While you probably won’t use it often, it’s important to have access to Photoshop! Photoshop offers the most advanced editing capabilities, allowing you to retouch images, remove unwanted elements, and apply various effects and filters.
Lightroom is a comprehensive photo management tool that offers a wide range of editing features, as well as organization and workflow tools to help photographers manage and edit large collections of photos efficiently. Basically, Adobe is the industry standard for editing!
Education
I’ll preach it til the day I die, but investing in high-quality education is sooooo important. You’ll feel much more prepared to take on the world of photography with a solid course or one-on-one mentorship backing you up!
Beginning Photography Tips
As a beginning photographer, investing in the right camera gear and business resources can help you take your photography to the next level. With a good camera body, lens, memory card, and a proper CRM system, you’ll be ready to capture stunning photos and grow your business!!