A basic/barebones Pro setup?

As far as gear goes, what would you consider to be a bare bones or basic pro setup for doing general photography (family/kids/senior portraits, events and weddings).

I know this is probably a very broad question, but if you had to go with the critical gear only, what would your setup be?

--

I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the shutter button and hear that sound.

What do you mean by 'pro' setup?

strat60 said:

As far as gear goes, what would you consider to be a bare bones or
basic pro setup for doing general photography (family/kids/senior
portraits, events and weddings).

I know this is probably a very broad question, but if you had to go
with the critical gear only, what would your setup be?

--
I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the
shutter button and hear that sound.

Click to expand...

charon2112 said:

What do you mean by 'pro' setup?

Click to expand...

I knew I'd get that kind of response.

There are hundreds of possible answers to my question.

Answer according to what you consider the basic gear that a working, money earning photographer would use. I understand that is a broad definition.

I wanted people to answer according to their own experience and opinion, not mine.

Or just say, you have to name the essentials of your kit. I don't care how people approach the topic.

--

I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the shutter button and hear that sound.

• Canon 20D
• Sigma 18-50 F2.8
• Canon 50mm F1.8
• Canon 100mm F2
• Canon 430EX flash

Skilled photographers do not really need to be gear-heavy to get great pictures. A basic setup will suit most people just fine, even if it leaves the gear heads snickering to themselves. For people just starting out (I assume you are since you asked this questions), a basic setup is really the way to go until you find your own "style" and direction in terms of your photography.

Apart from the above specific information, generally I would recommend:

1. A solid digital body. Doesnt have to be new, though I would recommend one no older the pre-20D era.

2. Decent wide to midrange zoom lens, preferably 3rd party (affordable) and made for a digital crop.
3. A fast 50mm lens, which is essential on a budget.
4. A longer, fast, affordable prime.
5. A solid flash unit.

Stay away from the slow zooms if you can. While their range will be appealing they will ultimately disappoint you and your clients. Stick with quality lenses, even if it means a fixed focal length. Professional F2.8 zooms should come later, once you mature photographically. Dont break the bank on them when you first start out.

However, with all of this said, when starting out, equipment wont be as much of a problem as lack of experience will be. Get some experience, hone your skills, and then worry about expanding your gear later.

strat60 said:

As far as gear goes, what would you consider to be a bare bones or
basic pro setup for doing general photography (family/kids/senior
portraits, events and weddings).

I know this is probably a very broad question, but if you had to go
with the critical gear only, what would your setup be?

--
I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the
shutter button and hear that sound.

Click to expand...

--



Amateurs worry about sharpness
Professionals worry about sales
Photographers worry about light

http://archive.jmhphoto.net

Most of us who do work for money didn't suddenly go out and buy all of our current gear. We also didn't suddenly have a full schedule of clients. I started with a Elan II Film Camera and a Promaster 28-200 lens. But as you start to expect more of yourself and you try to improve your photos technically and creatively, you will attract more work. As you do this job and that job you will quickly learn where your equipment is deficient for what you want it to do or even what you need it to do. For instance a long third party zoom with the widest aperture being 4.5 is NOT going to work in a dark wedding chapel if you can't use a flash.

Also - why don't you get a budget and just get some gear and start shooting? If you have no experience shooting it is not fair to sell yourself as a professional. Sell yourself through your work. Build a portfolio.

Best place to start: Some model of Digital Rebel and a piece of good glass. The Rebels are inexpensive but can yield high quality results.

Good luck.

A FF body and 17-40mm lens/
mark
http://www.markpix.com

Jamie H's suggestion is sound, I'd recommend a very similar setup.

This is a combination of budget & versatility.
You should be able to do many different assignments with this.
My suggestions for a Nikon-based system as a 'starter' set:

Nikon D300 body
Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC Macro/HSM
Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM II
Nikon 50mm/1.8 AFD
SB-800 speedlight (with SC-28/29 cable)

And build on from there whenever you can afford/need something else. I'd suggest buying things you do not have at first rather than upgrading to Nikon glass at first.
All depends on your budget of course.

strat60 said:

There are hundreds of possible answers to my question.

Answer according to what you consider the basic gear that a working,
money earning photographer would use. I understand that is a broad
definition.

Click to expand...

A real pro would never show up at an assignment with only one camera body.

You need at least two . . .

strat60 said:

I wanted people to answer according to their own experience and
opinion, not mine.

Or just say, you have to name the essentials of your kit. I don't
care how people approach the topic.

Click to expand...

Bare bones pro setup:

At least two DSLR bodies , a good f:2.8 wide angle or f:2.8 wide angle zoom, a 70-200 f:2.8 zoom, a flash unit for each body and a monopod as a bare minimum setup.

• Another alternative:

I've done several shoots with bridge cameras, so DSLR bodies are not needed for all pro work.

--
J. D.
Colorful Colorado



Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and everything that came in it!

strat60 said:

As far as gear goes, what would you consider to be a bare bones or
basic pro setup for doing general photography (family/kids/senior
portraits, events and weddings).

Click to expand...

Events and weddings are different beasts, especially because "events" covers a lot of ground.

For portraits, a camera, zoom (I use a 35-70,) media, background/stands (you can use a wall if you've got the space and the right wall) and three lights/stands with modifiers. The three can be strobes or portable flashes, they just need to be triggered off-camera. Main, fill, and background or hair as appropriate- you can get by with two and a reflector, or one and a reflector, but it's going to be more difficult to get it right.

The subject(s) will also need somewhere to sit. If you're going digital, I'd also suggest Photoshop for cleaning up the subjects. A few props can be good, especially for baby pictures, but they're not necessary.

Don't forget insurance.

Paul
--
http://PaulDRobertson.imagekind.com

hatidua said:

A FF body and 17-40mm lens/
mark
http://www.markpix.com

Click to expand...

You have an excellent wide angle style.
Andrew

Your question is so simple, with no simple answers.

You need at least two camera bodies, 8 mega pixel or larger.

You need at least two lenses for those bodies, one mildly wide, one mildly telephoto. One or both of these lenses could be a zoom.

You need at least one flash.

You need about a zillion other things.

Anyone answering your question is really patient, or really really board, as your question is like asking the sun why it shines.

Walk in to a local camera store and purchase every other one of everything.
--



If I Say Anything To Offend, I have Made Available This Apology Especially For You:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7mIy97_rlo&feature=related

eggbert got it almost right.

You need two of everything (or same quality equivalents ) that are vital to completing the shoot to the best of your capability and as promised.

Your backup equipment should allow you to complete any assignment or job with ZERO compromises; which usually means total redundancy.

EOS 5D
16-35mm 2.8
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
580EX flash

If you wanted to be more serious:
EOS 1DMkIII
EOS 5D
14mm 2.8
50mm 1.2
85mm 1.2
135mm 2.0
16-35mm 2.8
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
580EX flash x 2

If you want to be super seriuos:
EOS 1DMkIII
EOS 1DsMkIII
14mm 2.8
50mm 1.2
85mm 1.2
135mm 2.0
16-35mm 2.8
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
300mm 2.8
500mm 4.0
580EX flash x 2

ScottTomlinson said:

Most of us who do work for money didn't suddenly go out and buy all
of our current gear.

Click to expand...

I understand that. I was just curious as I plan my future purchases, what pros consider to be the most important elements of their kits. It would help me to plan my next purchase

ScottTomlinson said:

Also - why don't you get a budget and just get some gear and start
shooting? If you have no experience shooting it is not fair to sell
yourself as a professional. Sell yourself through your work. Build a
portfolio.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I'm doing, so this helps because at least I feel I'm on the right track. I'm doing free photos for friends and family right now just to get the experience and hopefully come up with some decent photos. I'm not kidding myself that I can sell myself yet.

ScottTomlinson said:

Best place to start: Some model of Digital Rebel and a piece of good
glass. The Rebels are inexpensive but can yield high quality results.

Click to expand...

Again, I'm on the right track. I bought a 350D, a 50mm 1.8 (cheap but great to learn on) and a 70-200 f/4L (realizing now the limitations of f/4, so may sell and get the 2.8). Been using these for about a year and loving it. Just want more flexibility.

ScottTomlinson said:

Good luck.

Click to expand...

Thanks.

--

I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the shutter button and hear that sound.

Because you said weddings.... redundancy is a must.

You have the 50mm, but what do you have if it doesn't work? You need depth in similar focal lengths. Doesn't have to be identical...needs to cover the same range though.

Most important, many cards, and at least two bodies that can share lenses if one should go down. Plenty of batteries too.

Had you restricted your needs to portraiture...one body, couple of lenses, and a good idea of how to use light would be enough. That last one is the most expensive of the three, and the most important.
--
Richard Katris aka Chanan

Richard Katris said:

Had you restricted your needs to portraiture...one body, couple of
lenses, and a good idea of how to use light would be enough. That
last one is the most expensive of the three, and the most important.

Click to expand...

Nope . . . cameras can die in the middle of a portrait shoot, too!

Still need a backup body . . .

--
J. D.
Colorful Colorado



Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and everything that came in it!

Barebones...portrait shoots can be rescheduled, esp when starting out and no travel is involved. OP wanted bare minimums.

What I fly with every weekend:

two bodies (buy another if I had too...and I have on occasion)

50mm 1.4
28-75mm 2.8 Tamron
10-22mm 4.0 (just for fun)
four speedlights
two studio lights
light meter
Macbeth color chart
ext dedicated flash cord
two complete sets of radio remotes
synch cord just in case
spare batteries for everything
50+ gig of cards
laptop + 2 ext HD (this means four copies of all files when I come home)
two card readers
extra cords for all

if I have additional plans/needs I occasionally will add:

70-200 2.8

The only stuff that gets checked is the backgrounds, light stands, umbrellas, and studio lights. Scary, but I haven't had too many problems with stuff not being there when I needed it. Everything else listed above is in my carry-on bags

--Richard Katris aka Chanan

Richard Katris said:

Barebones...portrait shoots can be rescheduled, esp when starting out
and no travel is involved. OP wanted bare minimums.

Click to expand...

A backup body IS barebones essential . . .

Nothing says 'professional' like a photographer having to reschedule a photo shoot because he/she ain't got the equipment to do the job!

--
J. D.
Colorful Colorado

Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and everything that came in it!

Jamie H. said:

• Canon 20D
• Sigma 18-50 F2.8
• Canon 50mm F1.8
• Canon 100mm F2
• Canon 430EX flash

Click to expand...

Thanks for your list. It helps me put a little more concrete to my ideas of what I think I can add next.

Jamie H. said:

Skilled photographers do not really need to be gear-heavy to get
great pictures.

Click to expand...

I've realized this and try to keep it foremost in my mind.

Jamie H. said:

A basic setup will suit most people just fine, even
if it leaves the gear heads snickering to themselves.

Click to expand...

I have come to this conclusion myself, so it's nice to hear. This is the main reason I actually asked the question in the first place--I don't feel the need to buy a whole bunch of everything in order to take some good pictures. So far my 50mm 1.8 on my 350D has been giving me a great learning tool, and I've come up with some nice shots, at least I'm happy with them.

Thanks for your time.

--

I don't know anything about photography. I just like to press the shutter button and hear that sound.

I am not a pro, but have been an amateur / serious amateur for a while, including 1 year of a professional photography course. Have gone through a few bodies and a few lenses in my time, and finally getting to the point where I'm comfortable the gear I've got will help me shoot in almost any situation.

1 body really is all you need, until like others have said, a second is necessary if you're going to start charging for work. If you're still learning though and doing freebies there's no way you can justify the expense. Wait till you're earning or about to start earning. Then I would suggest full frame, the 5D's image quality is sensational and the price for these puppies are dropping to a reasonable price. If you're looking at another 6-12 months, they'll be even cheaper. Apart from sports the 5D will cover just about scenario well.

85 f1.8 is relatively inexpensive and a great portrait lens. Can be used for other purposes as well. May be a bit long for portraits on the 350D but you could use your 50 f1.8 for that. I picked one up new a few years ago for $500 AU (about $450 US, not sure where you're from?), probably cheaper now and I would say my most used and favourite lens.

I have the 35mm f2. It's not the best lens in the world, but cheap and at least on a crop sensor the image quality is close to that of the 24-70mm L. It's not as good in the corners but very good in the centre. In oz only cost me $360.

I also have the 24-70mm f2.8L and 70-200 f4 IS. Both great lenses but you don't need them straight away. Maybe look at the 135mm f2, apparently an awesome lens, one I'm looking to test out, as I am finding I don't use the 70-200 all that much.

Most of the time I just take the 2 primes and the 5D, can fit them in a small Lowepro "bum bag" that I clip around my waste. Small, unobtrusive, and covers most situations easily. If I was doing a wedding (have done in the past) I would take the zooms for the ceremony, and then possibly switch to primes for portraits.

Long post I know, but hope you get something out of it. I was in your boat not that long ago and would have liked some advice on the direction to take. Should have asked here I guess!

Best of luck.