Learn the photography starter camera you need and basic photography equipment with this essential list for beginners. Photography equipment for a beginner.
Photography Equipment for a Beginner
You know that feeling when you turn to look at your baby and you already see how fast time is going and how much they are growing in such a short amount of time. Where your little baby is getting bigger and you realize your cell phone photography, which is convenient and always available to take his or her photos, is just not cutting it anymore. You have always loved taking photos and want to take photography to the next step from just pointing and clicking the camera at your child. This is where most parents find themselves and decide to take the leap and invest in a good quality camera.
But where do you start?
Basic Photography Equipment
Best advice I can give is to know what brand you are drawn to and what best fits your needs. Don’t buy just for the sake of buying and be stuck with the dreaded buyer’s remorse. I know from my own personal experience, I was always been drawn to Canon cameras and I knew that was the direction I wanted to go for myself. I am a Canon girl and have always stuck with the Canon brand, just a personal preference on my end.
Heading to the camera store, you are excited to buy the camera that is going to capture all your kids milestones and memories. Then you walk in and see all the options and brands and get completely overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. DO NOT WORRY!!!!! You are not alone and not the first person to feel this way. You just want to take beautiful photos of your family and knowing that you are so close to getting through that first step to do so should be a fun experience not stressful.
Photography Starter Camera
If you are looking for a simple upgrade from your cellphone, then that is perfectly fine and any point and shoot camera will fit your needs.
But if photography has always been a passion of yours, the best camera to go for is a DSLR <– DSLR 5 Minute Crash course.
Starting with a DSLR, ex: the Canon Rebel, can look like a lot of camera when you first see it but it is really easy to work and it is a great way to get great photos on automatic as well as learn the manual setting and take your photography to the next level.
If shooting manual, where you are in control of your settings, is more your speed and you want to get started I would STRONGLY suggest investing in a lens other than the kit lens that comes with the camera when you purchase it. The 50mm f1/8, or the “nifty fifty” is a great starter lens that is pretty inexpensive. It was the lens I learned on with I first started shooting on manual with my Rebel and it was a great lens to learn on and not spend a lot of money.
You are also going to see as you grow, you will outgrow your gear. This is the tricky part where photography gets expensive and if you really want to make the commitment on pursuing your passion for taking photos.
I fell in love with the quality of the photos and where photography was taking me creatively while capturing my children’s memories. I outgrew the Canon Rebel within a year and, lucky for me, I have a very supportive husband and was able to upgrade to the Canon 60D. I was torn between sticking with a crop camera or taking the plunge into a full frame (SLR Lounge gives a great explanation between crop and full frame camera!) but ultimately stayed with the crop for the time being as I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the full frame camera and if financially it was worth it to make the investment in when I am taking photos as a hobby.
Well fast forward to 2 lenses and I’m also now the proud owner of her first full frame Canon 6D and I am on the photography train with no end in sight. I really try to keep a level head with what I buy and to make sure it is completely practical in what I need to shoot with.
It is so easy to get caught up in all the fancy lenses and believe me I’m just as guilty but as you grow into photography you will really see what you want to spend the money on and what really isn’t going to be used that much.
There is no wrong choice for picking a camera and whatever camera you end up deciding on, you are always going to end up with the result. Beautiful photos of your family that you cherish forever. Enjoy capturing the memories and happy clicking
Kristen Brown, soon to be Kristen B Photography!
I’m a wife and momma to my two little love bugs from Holbrook, NY. Just like many other parents, I was bitten by the photography bug and wanted to document my kids childhoods as best I could. I genuinely love photography as well as my family time at the beach, our trips to Disney World or just staying in and having a movie night.
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