First Dslr and starting up a photography business whats best for me?

[mcguire717]

Thanks for the help. I should have mentioned that this is a plan to evole this into a business over several years. Right now it is in the beginning learning process and then as part time to bring in extra money on the side for my family. Eventually I would love for it to be a full time business.

 

[mcguire717]

I made the comment because of the rude comments I felt like I was getting. That is why. I do not feel that is nice.

 

[jake337]

I know I'm very good at taking pics. This is why I have decided to upgrade and pursue a business out of it.

Show some of your work then.....

 

[MLeeK]

I don't think they were being rude on purpose, but I am as new as you are so... I don't know!
Usually when you see a post like yours it's someone who got this bright idea to buy a camera and open a studio.
I'd really seriously question the pro you are working with too. That isn't a great quality lens and any professional worth their salt wouldn't want to use it. It's a vacation walk around lens.
When a lens covers that much zoom there is a lot of compromising on how the elements work together through that zoom... Compromising isn't something any good professional wants to do with image quality.
An all-in-one lens is for someone who wants to have a lens that covers everything like for traveling or something. The only thing that comes to mind is vacation where you don't want to take a bunch of lenses.

Instead of buying another lens right away, why not get the camera and the kit lens. Start using and learning on it. Then you will get an idea what you need and want. If you just buy something now because it looks like it will be neat, you probably won't like it later. That would be a bunch of money you could have saved.

 

[Overread]

Friendly reminder to keep things civil and polite to each other


mcguire717 - it would be best if you can outline more of your plan both short and long term as what you have presented thus far (esp in your opening post) is sounding a lot of warning sirens in many professionals minds on this site. The more detail you can put up the better people will be able to understand your full position in this and your full longer-term goals. They might also be able to make some suggestions as to changes or alternatives that you could make which might well allow you to avoid common pitfalls.


With regard to the superzoom lenses mentioned; I know pros who will use those lenses, but they only use them as a light scouting lens for scouting out a location prior to a shoot. The lens is not intended to form any part of their main shooting nor their main shots barring all their other gear being lost/damaged on route to location.

 

[dakkon76]

I know I'm very good at taking pics. This is why I have decided to upgrade and pursue a business out of it.

Show some of your work then.....

It's not your job to police his level of competence. He asked for advice. Either give it to him, or choose not to... but demanding proof is a bit childish, isn't it?

 

[o hey tyler]

I know I'm very good at taking pics. This is why I have decided to upgrade and pursue a business out of it.

It takes more than believing that you can "take very good pics". You also need to understand the concepts of photography, understand lighting and how it effects your photos, and how the exposure triangle works. I have a strong design background myself, but I haven't started really charging for photography until 3.5yrs into my photographic journey. It's imperative that you understand WHAT lens and settings you use for a certain situation, but you have no grasp on the characteristics of lenses, or how to properly expose shots... yet.

The 'professional' (notice the quotes) photographer you know is using a 7D and an 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3? That's one of the worst lenses to have on the camera, and is nowhere near what a professional should be using. It's a superzoom lens, it has a massively convenient zoom range, but not a master of optical quality in any regard. I would not charge a client for images taken with a lens of that caliber, as it would be a disservice to them, and other photographers. I'd use it for a leisure lens, when you don't want to swap between primes. To couple a 7D with that lens is borderline blasphemous, as it's capable of so much more if it had good quality glass in front of it.

Imagine buying yourself a fast, agile, and sexy Porsche 911. Then taking the Porsche to an automotive shop to put a Geo Metro 3cyl 1.6L engine in it, AND THEN beating the body of the Porsche with a baseball bat. That's the real world equivalent to what's happening on the "professional's photographer's" camera.

To be completely honest with you, you're way in over your head. You need to step back, and think about this.

You say you have a degree in design, so let me use this as an example... What would you think of someone who has had no design training or coaching that goes out to purchase the Adobe Design Suite (PS, InDesign, Illustrator, etc.), and decides they want to be a graphic designer? They will start promoting themselves as a designer, and charging for designs. They won't know how to effectively use any of the immensely powerful programs at their disposal, but they'll wade through tutorials on youtube and scare something up for the client. It won't be good. As a matter of fact, it will probably be downright terrible. They won't know how to charge their clients for the amount of work that they're doing, because they've had no business experience.

My suggestion to you, would be to start out with a 60D with a kit lens and an 50mm f/1.4. If you are really serious about photography, that will give you a great start.

 

[mcguire717]

Like I said before a few times now. That I am trying to learn and thought that this forum would help with that. I said I am doing this as part time income in the next 9 months and then working on making this a full time functioning business in about 3-4 years. I would only shoot families, babies/kids in natural light. I was only looking for advise in which multi purpose lens would be good to start out learning how to shoot with for what my needs would be with shooting families and kids. This isn't a quick decision to start up a business and I know it takes time to learn and I am willing to do that. I would hope people on here who are the professionals would give me good advise and those who don't know how to be professional please don't comment as I'm just trying to learn ad you once did. Thank you.

 

[Overread]

Can you give us a working idea of your starting budget that you have to work with (country/where you are also helps since local prices will differ nation to nation)

 

[mcguire717]

I would like to stay around $2000 and I'm in the US and in southwest Florida.

 

[MLeeK]

I would like to stay around $2000 and I'm in the US and in southwest Florida.

That is for camera with kit lens and secondary lens or camera body only and a good lens? (sorry!)

 

[MissCream]

Like I said before a few times now. That I am trying to learn and thought that this forum would help with that. I said I am doing this as part time income in the next 9 months and then working on making this a full time functioning business in about 3-4 years. I would only shoot families, babies/kids in natural light. I was only looking for advise in which multi purpose lens would be good to start out learning how to shoot with for what my needs would be with shooting families and kids. This isn't a quick decision to start up a business and I know it takes time to learn and I am willing to do that. I would hope people on here who are the professionals would give me good advise and those who don't know how to be professional please don't comment as I'm just trying to learn ad you once did. Thank you.

It took me 3-4 years to start doing it part time. Even then I started off not charging anything...


The lenses I use right now (I know nothing about Canon lenses) are a Sigma 50mm 2.8, Pentax 50mm1.4 and, believe it or not, my kit lens. I have a 50-200 that I'm tempted just to throw in the garbage because I don't want anyone to end up having to use it because it is just plain awful!! Like the others have said I would start out with a 50mm and your kit lens to learn the basics. Good luck And just out of curiosity I also want to see some of your great pictures

 

[mcguire717]

The $2000 would be for the camera body and good lenses. Sorry I didn't clarify. I would not be charging until I felt I had a professional product. If it took me 3 years to achieve that then that is when I would charge or if it was sooner than so be. I want to learn and be professional but have to start somewhere and I realize that I have alot to learn.

 

[jake337]

I know I'm very good at taking pics. This is why I have decided to upgrade and pursue a business out of it.

Show some of your work then.....

It's not your job to police his level of competence. He asked for advice. Either give it to him, or choose not to... but demanding proof is a bit childish, isn't it?

I just wanted to see some of Their work. How is this childish. Where the individuals skillset sits now can be a factor in giving advice.

Maybe their work is pretty damn good already. I may suggest taking out a large loan and get an entire pro system in place. If it's a beginner one may suggest a different route. How is this childish.

 

[mcguire717]

I am a female if you still think its childish.