I'm often asked about equipment and gear that I like and use. Here are just a few things that I think you might be interested in as well!
Cameras:
Camera's are a personal choice. Some people are Nikon types, others are only canon and wouldn't consider anything else. I have actually shot with both those brands and it is really just a personal preference. Of course the other thing to consider is just how much money you want to spend. Most camera makes come in a both a consumer body and then a professional body. I recommend purchasing the camera body and the lens separately. Our camera's have a limited life and plus with all the new features coming out yearly, you might just want to upgrade your camera more often than your lenses. I suggest putting money into your lens, hence the suggestion to purchase the camera body and lens separately. Crisp, tack sharp photos are captured through your lens, not your camera ... Purchase a good lens and you will be set for a long, long time!
Canon EOS Rebel T6s Digital SLR (Body Only) - Wi-Fi Enabled
Or ... better yet ... here is a package deal!
Canon EOS Rebel T6i Digital SLR with EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens - Wi-Fi Enabled
Or
Canon EOS 5D Mark III 22.3 MP Full Frame Digital SLR Camera (Body)
Lenses:
When it comes to lenes it really depends on what you find yourself photographing all the time. Or maybe it's a range of things, or maybe you are just starting to learn photography and you really don't even know. I suggest a zoom lens like a 24-105mm (or the 18-135mm lens). This lens has a nice range, being a little wide at the 24mm end and then has the capacity of zooming in at the 105mm end.
There are other lenses, of course that are super amazing ... like the 70-200mm, but now you are getting up into the pretty expensive range.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II
And then there are the prime or fixed lenses that do just one thing, like the 85mm!
Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM
Gear:
Tripods are a personal thing. It's almost like an extension of your body, or at least after time that's how it feels. This is the tripod that I use. I have different heads that I can put on this stand, depending on what I am shooting.
SLIK PRO 700DX Professional Tripod
Reflectors and diffusion panels:
Gear that I use ALLLL the time are diffusion or reflector panels. What they do is ... they either filter out that harsh strong sunlight or they reflect light back onto my subject. I personally own 3 different sizes. Here are the ones I own and use almost daily!
Small reflector and diffusion panel:
Medium reflector and diffusion panel:
Large reflector and diffusion panel:
Museum wax:
Quakehold! 66111 2-Ounce Museum Wax
I use this stuff all the time. It's surprising how strong it is! This is the stuff that fine jewelry photographers use to make that diamond ring stand up on a shiny surface! I mostly use it to curl book pages back or to lift something off of a surface by just a bit or even to keep, say an apron tie perfectly curled up and in place.
Studio lighting:
This is a great start up lighting kit! The bulbs are daylight temperature, which is what you want and the fact that it's continuous allows you to use them to shoot video as well!
Ok ... hope this helps you to navigate this photography gear world ... these are just starting points ... as you get more and more into photography you will find your favorite equipment also!
Want to take a class? Check out the list below!
Launch Your Creativity (Pre-Conference)
Photography 101: Through the Artist's Eye (Jeanne Oliver)
