Beginner Lighting

cskuschel

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Hi, I am a beginning photographer...wondering what your thoughts are...can I do a small business with a Cannon Rebel? I want to use different backdrops and do children, seniors, maternity and families...what kind of lighting should I purchase (in expensive to begin with) to have a nice soft lighting. I like the look of photos in jennifernace.com

Please give me suggestions...you can email [email protected]
 
cskuschel said:
can I do a small business with a Cannon Rebel?
Sure. The Canon won't hold you back. Only you can. To run a photography business you need 1) photography experience, and 2) business acumen.
Have you got either?
 
The lighting should be studio strobes. Monolights are an inexpensive way to accomplish this. Softness is accomplished by enlarging the size of the light source with umbrellas or softboxes or reflectors or whatever. Don't subject paying customers to hot lights.

You may want to get beyond the beginner stage before you start asking people to pay for photographs, however.
 
The camera really deppends on the output desired. If you think your clients will stay say under 11x14 prints or in that area. The camera should be just fine. As mentioned above the lights and knowledge to use them will be key. Best bet is to gather some equipment and practice (you can get a foam head on ebay and set up some kind of practice dummy). Once you feel you have a good understanding of it. Offer your services to family members for free or at cost. This is a good way for live practice.

Practice with different focal length lenses. A wide lens is not flattering to people with large heads, and a long lens is not flattering to people with thin faces / heads. Also deppending on facial features (nose, brows, chins) you may need to adjust camera angles and lens focal length. Good photogs will adjust position for the most flattering angles. Cheap photo mills will just shoot from a camera firmly placed in one spot.
 

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