What are the must have supplies if you want to pursue photography as a career?
What is a good camera, what software is needed, and what other supplies would be helpful? I am trying to break into the photojournalistic side of photography and want to start off with the right equipment.
A Nikon D80 is helpful, and photoshop always works.
Nikon d300, Photoshop, Aperture or Adobe Lightroom, Nikon sb800 flash, battery grip, lots of storage cards, hard drives. And a good eye.
Your main equipment is your knowledge and skill. Know the technical side, all about ISO’s apertures, shutters, focal lengths, depth of field, etc. etc. Then know the composition rules. Then know about lightning and how to do good shots in field conditions, where you don’t control the light.
Once you know all of that in theory, you should be able to apply this knowledge in practice very quickly. The thing about photojournalism is that you need to shoot the events when they happen and as they happen, so you shouldn’t stop and think if this aperture is good for this kind of situation. You should know it right away.
Then, once you have all that – you will probably know what kind of camera you need.
So right now, before you know all the theory and have a good practical hang on it – do not invest in an expensive camera. Buy an entry level dSLR, such as Nikon D40 or Canon Digital Rebel and a few good lenses. Remember – lenses are important. You will upgrade your body later, but lenses will stay with you for years to come. Try to get ones with Vibration Reduction (or Optical Image Stabilization, as some manufacturers call it). Then practice, practice, practice…. And then, when you are ready for the full fetched journalistic assignments – get a good fast rugged body, such as Nikon D300. Maybe and keep your D40. What many journalists do is keeping two bodies on hand, one with telephoto lens and one with wide angle, so that if events move from being far to the close range you don’t waste any time changing lenses, but just grab the other camera and shoot.
And of course Photoshop. If you want to be photo journalist, that is probably the only piece of software on todays market that you will need…
Good luck with your career!
LEM.