Equipment?

[margosoriginals]

Hello! This is my first day on this site. I recently bought a DSLR camera and 18-55mm lens (Canon EOS Rebel) and have been playing around with it. I am going to start doing portraits for family members and my cousin's wedding to get some practice. I want to buy an external flash and some umbrellas/lighting accessories. What sorts of equipment would you suggest for baby and children portraits, and wedding photography? My budget right now is about $400.00.
Also, on an unrelated note, can someone tell me how to upload photos here? Thanks so much your input is greatly appreciated!

 

[tirediron]

Read the pinned thread at the top for information on posting images on TPF.

The only thing I can suggest for your state purpose is a larger budget. Even a basic kit with two monolights and modifiers of decent quality will run you a minimum of $750, and for the quality needed for commerical work (what I assume you're alluding to) you should expect to pay at least $500/head, stands & modifiers extra. Weddings require a minimum of two bodies, two speedlights, and fast zooms covering from ~15mm to 200mm. The lenses alone will weigh in at between $3000 and $6000 depending on whether you buy new or used.

What I would sugges to start is buy nothing. Save your money, and practice with your camera; learn how it works, get a solid grounding in the basics of photography, and go from there. Find out if you will even enjoy shooting portraits. Wedding work is very stressful, and there's a LOT more to it than just walking into the church and shooting a few hundred shots. As well, we've not even talked about software.... Adobe Lightroom (essential for commerical work) is about $300 on it's own.

 

[Railphotog]

If you want to get started with your budget, pick up a Canon 430EX flash and a StoFen diffuser for it. Easy to use and works pretty good while learning. Point the flash head up and the diffuser spreads and softens the light.

 

[KmH]

$400 will get you this very portable set-up:

Impact Digital Flash Umbrella Mount Kit

Two of these flash units Vivitar 285HV Auto Professional Flash + " FREE " 4 AA 2700mah Rechargeable Batteries and Charger

And this off camera radio trigger kit StudioHut 4 channel Wireless Radio Hot Shoe Flash Trigger Kit for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus & Pentax Flashes with 2 Receivers

Or for $450

A more traditional studio type of set up that requires power cords across the floor to wall sockets you can get: http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/calumet_genesis_200_2_light_kit/cf0502k1 (Bummer, last week the Genesis 200 2-light kit was only $299.)

You can trigger the Genesis lights with the light form your popup flash on your camera as long as you don't use TTL, because the TTL pre-flashes will trigger the studio lights prematurely, or you can get and use radio triggers Cowboystudio 4-Channel Radio Remote Trigger & 2 Receivers Set for Studio Strobe

Either way, you'll need other lighting accessories like bigger umbrellas, softboxes, reflectors, backdrops, posing props, etc., and the knowledge and understanding to effectively use it all.

 

[Bob in GV]

... and the knowledge and understanding to effectively use it all.

The most important part. The rest is useless without this.

Another important piece of advice from one who, many years ago, learned the hard way; at this stage of your photography only shoot weddings for people you have no intention of ever having a civil conversation with again. Including family.

 

[KmH]

Another important piece of advice from one who, many years ago, learned the hard way; at this stage of your photography only shoot weddings for people you have no intention of ever having a civil conversation with again. Including family.

Word!

 

[Kerbouchard]

If you want to get started with your budget, pick up a Canon 430EX flash and a StoFen diffuser for it. Easy to use and works pretty good while learning. Point the flash head up and the diffuser spreads and softens the light.

+1, the next step is a flash. I generally point the flash behind me and to the left...allows me to get a nice, soft, directional light coming down on the subject, but of course it depends on what you have available to bounce off of.

 

[margosoriginals]

Bob in GV lol they have a professional photographer, so I am just bringing my camera along to practice and hopefully get some advice from the photographer. I definitely don't plan to shoot weddings until I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of equipment and uses.

 

[gsgary]

Bob in GV lol they have a professional photographer, so I am just bringing my camera along to practice and hopefully get some advice from the photographer. I definitely don't plan to shoot weddings until I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of equipment and uses.

Don't bother the photographer at the wedding he has enough to do

 

[tirediron]

Bob in GV lol they have a professional photographer, so I am just bringing my camera along to practice and hopefully get some advice from the photographer. I definitely don't plan to shoot weddings until I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of equipment and uses.

Don't bother the photographer at the wedding he has enough to do

Amen to that!

 

[GooniesNeverSayDie11]

Bob in GV lol they have a professional photographer, so I am just bringing my camera along to practice and hopefully get some advice from the photographer. I definitely don't plan to shoot weddings until I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of equipment and uses.

Don't bother the photographer at the wedding he has enough to do

And don't get in his way, and don't start strobing the hell out of everything as he is trying to shoot. LOL.

My advice would be to get a good on-camera flash first. Either a 430 EX or a used 580EX. Get a diffuser, and also a TTL cord so that you can get the flash off-camera a bit. Next, I would save for better lenses. If I were going to do weddings and portraits on a budget, the first two lenses I would buy would be a 17-50 f/2.8 or comparible ( Tamron, Tokina and Sigma all make mid-level versions ) and then I would get the Canon 85mm f/1.8 ( or the Sigma f/1.4 if you want to spend a little extra ) The cheapest you would get those two for, if buying used would probably be about $700. You could sell your kit lens for $60-75 easy though to make up some of the cost.

 

[margosoriginals]

I don't plan on "bothering" the photographer I plan on watching him. He has been more than willing to teach me the basics so far as he is a close family friend, and OFFERED his help to me at the wedding. I was really just asking for advice on photography equipment- I don't need a lesson in photography manners.