Huge Disclaimer Notice…
You do not need to go into major debt for the best equipment to start a business or grow your photography equipment. Will growing the available equipment in your bag help you be better at your craft, yes…will it allow you to work in more places, yes…but, do you need it, NO!
Use this as a guide to help you decide what to invest in first…and go from there! There is no right or wrong answer…some of my most favorite pictures from my early days were taken with my Canon Rebel that I paid like $250 for off eBay. Seriously!
Do I believe that having great equipment is necessary to running a profitable and growing business…absolutely…why? So glad you asked!
First, if you do not invest in your business and take it seriously, why should you expect anyone else to? Use every dime you make for the first year to invest back into your business…constantly upgrading and finding ways to get better and faster at your craft!
Second, as your business grows, you will find yourself in positions where your equipment might just not be able to handle the job…this is when you know it is time to make an upgrade!
Third, there are tons of free resources available online to learn how to take better pictures, update websites, edit more efficiently…so save your money and do not invest in courses until you at least have a Pro level camera and a few nice lenses. Trust me…it is easy to buy every action set for Photoshop and Course from your favorite photographer out there…and then those things often just sit because you are so busy you never get time to watch and implement them into your business (if they are even the right fit to begin with). So repeat after me…equipment first, paid training later!
I am a Canon user…I have NO idea about other brands because I chose Canon from the beginning and I have shot with them exclusively since 2009! This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience, read my full Disclosure Policy here.
Equipment Options for the Beginner Photographer
I started with a Canon Rebel Camera and honestly felt like it served me well while I learned how to shoot in Manual mode and to Focus and Recompose and other basic level photography items that truly changed my ability to photograph others. During this beginning stage, photograph anything and everything…the cat, coffee mug, Christmas lights, kids running, dogs jumping, whatever! This stage is all about learning to shoot on Manual and learning how to quickly change the settings on your camera while trying to capture a shot!
It is important to note…do not buy your camera with the “kit lens”. These lenses are always meant to be for general purposes and do not make great portrait lenses. Save your money and get the “Body Only”.
For the best portrait lens under $150…the, Canon 50mm f/1.8 is the way to go for beginners! This is called the Nifty Fifty by photographers for a reason! It is a great little lens!
Once you have gotten these two items paid for, another great lens to save up for is the Canon 85mm f/1.8. This lens definitely is a little more expensive than the other, but it is SO worth it. The bokeh is fabulous and this little baby really is fast and works great in low light.
Equipment Options for the Professional Photographer
The Canon 5D Mark III or Canon 5D Mark IV is the next HUGE investment that I would make. About 6 months after I started shooting for others, I use my savings to buy the Canon 5D Mark II. My Mom thought I was crazy to spend almost $3000 on a camera!! But, when I say this was a turning point for my business, I would not be exaggerating! The big reason I would go with one of these 2 cameras over the Canon 5D Mark II (cause you can buy them used and they are still awesome…I still have mine!)…the Mark II only has one card slot where the others above have 2. This is HUGE. This is an automatic back-up of every image you take. Super Important!
If you plan to shoot Weddings and/or Newborns…you will definitely want a Macro lens. This lens causes many photographers to have a love/hate relationship with it. But, it is a necessity for photographing details at weddings and details on sweet newborns. This Macro is the one that I have…
One of the most recent purchases that I truly love and couldn’t live without these days is the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art. This lens is awesome for large family group shots, detail shots, and ceremonies where there is a huge area that you want to include in the frame.
Other Equipment
When I first got started, I bought an iMac which I still have today. It is 8 years old and still works beautifully. Becuase I do not have a devoted office space currently, I use a MacBook Pro which I am SO thankful for! Having a laptop helped with a lot of back problems I had working at a desk and also freed me up to work anywhere I happen to be. Gamechanger!
I started out using Bridge and Photoshop when I began my Photography Career, but now I basically use Lightroom for everything. It is SO much faster and it has really helped me create the client experience I had hoped to have. I still occasionally use Photoshop to swap heads if needed and to create my blog graphics, but 98% of my editing is done in Lightroom. Oh, and for fast culling of images, Photo Mechanic is the only way to go!
For Memory cards, this set is all I use…I think you can never have too many cards! It is best if you can have enough that your cards do not have to be deleted until you have edited and delivered your gallery to your clients!
My camera bag is very important to me…it must be functional, durable (I am rough on my bags), and pretty too! This is my current bag and I have been using it for a year and you would not know it…my last one was from the same company and I carried it at least 5 years!
Hope this list helps…I will add to it as I find new items that help my business and/or that I believe could help new businesses!
PIN for Later!!!
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