Advice on a full setup for portraits and events.

[Seventen]

Hello,

I have been doing photography as a hobby for quite some time now. Recently I have been asked if I can photograph some events and I have turned these down due to lack of equipment suitable for the job. Due to health reasons I am undergoing treatment and have been told I need a new profession. I am not expecting a huge income from photography to start with and understand it is a hard process, but I am wanting to at least give it a go as at the moment there is not much else I can do while undergoing treatment. If it happens to fail its a hobby and i will have some nice equipment. But I will try hard to succeed. Especially with getting so many people asking me recently for events. Yes there friends of family members who saw my images and asked where they came from and they have then asked me. So this looks like a good thing to head into. For sure it will be more of a job on the side until something big comes from it but for now start small without thinking to high. I have trained as a business manager and have worked retail management in England, why dont I do it now? my language skills here in Finland are not good enough for such a job. But I feel this could help benefit me with the side of not being behind camera and dealing with advertising, banking, billing and such not behind the camera items.

To the important part.

I currently own
Nikon d5100
Kit lens 18 - 55mm
Nikkor 35mm 1.8
Tamron 70-300 VC USD

I have set myself a budget of 3000 euro. This will be spent in parts first lenses second lighting third camera. Reason I want to do it like this is I can get the lenses and practice hard to learn them with my current camera and keep building a portfolio, and then once the lighting comes I can even start to offer my services and practice how to use lighting correctly. Then the camera, I use a Nikon d5100 and will upgrade to a d7100, I tested one and this is not something I want to be learning at the same time as new lenses and lighting. I know my camera well and find this will be the best way to learn effectively.

I set about 1000 euro for each part give or take a couple of hundred. I have some ideas of what I want to buy but would like some advice to push me in the right way.

Tamron 90mm macro 550 euro. Someone asked me to take pictures of her baby and her babies small shoes and random little gifts. I thought could this lens suit this and be used as a portrait lens too, I know crop sensor its only going to be head shots but could still be handy for this.

Sigma 17 - 50mm 2.8 HSM 350 euro. To replace the kit lens really and be better for low light, Though this could work well for family shots and more full body shots.

If there is money left maybe the sigma 10 - 20mm. Mainly for my landscapes but not important to get yet, But Could be used for large groups inside houses as houses here are very small.

Lighting I have no idea where to start. but saw a kit its on the cheaper side but thought be good beginning item for portraits. http://www.verkkokauppa.com/fi/product/31245/dkqgn/Falcon-Eyes-SSK-3150D-studiopaketti

• 3 x SS150D studio flash
• 3 x flash stand, height 240 cm
• 2 x 50x70c m level of the light
• 1 x snoot
• 1 x värisuodinsarja
• 1 x fabric rack. Height 2.4m, width 2.13m
• 2 x background fabric, size 2x3m. The colors black and white
• 1 x radiolaukaisinsetti RF DD4
• Sync Cable
• Power Cords

SS150D flashes specifications:

• Power: 150 Ws
• Power control: 1/16 - 1/1
• Design Lighting: 50 W
• Color temperature: 5500 K
• Slave Sensor: Yes
• ISO100 guide number: 24
• Cooling: No
• Body Material: Plastic
• Charging time at full speed: 2.3 seconds
• Weight: 1.4 kg
• Size: 25 x 18 x 20 cm

It is 400 euros and thats the information to it. I also thought to get a decent flash the Nikon sb-700 and flashstand and umbrella which is about 400 euros.

Thens the Nikon d7100. 900 euros.

I know its still under my budget but things and be suggested or changed. Any help with getting this setup completed would be amazing please.

Thank you for your patience to read this and your advice.

 

[perry1963]

These all sound like good choices, the only thing I would change, if it were me, is instead of the Sigma 17-50 I would get Nikons 18-35mm 3.5-4.5G, It's a great lens and gives full frame coverage if you go for a Nikon full frame camera later on, I don't think the Sigma does.

 

[Seventen]

I considered this but then thought the sigma 18 - 35 1.8 would be much better then after thinking it through I would loose so much focal options between 35mm and 70mm that I thought its better to get something that can reach up to at least 50mm. Not so bothered about the lens being compatible with full frame as it is not something I will be upgrading to at least for the next couple of three years.

But thanks for the advice.

 

[Seventen]

Sorry To ask again though already not much response but would really like to buy the lenses and maybe even flash this week. If there is any suggestions weather these lenses I have selected are not up for the job please say or should there be something else I should be aiming for? I do want to keep it the 3 lenses and flash under 1500 euros. I am just a bit stuck and worried if i purchase these I have bought something not good enough.

Thank you

 

[tirediron]

The 17-50 will be suitable for group shots, and lower-light applications. The 18-35 is, IMO, just too wide to be really useful unless you're doing strictly PJ work. I would also look to add an 85 1.8 for proper portraiture. The lighting kit looks adequate, 3 150 w/s lights will be fine for single person/small group work. If you have the option, swap out the black & white backgrounds for grey.

 

[Seventen]

Thank you, the 85mm lens is something I would like to add at some point as I have read so much great things about it but at current time I thought should hold it off a little but maybe wouldnt hurt getting it already.