Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Purchase your camera photography equipment

Buying your camera should be your number one photography equipment purchase.

I recommend: B & H Foto & Electronics is a leading online digital camera source. Find your next digital camera through Ritz Camera. Purchase cameras and digital camera accessories through Porter's Camera Store. Shop for new and used cameras from KEH Camera Brokers. You can also find a number of other supplies there including darkroom supplies and photo lab equipment.

Add lighting to your list of photography supplies

Be sure and include lighting to your photography business supplies.

I recommend: Take a look at the variety of professional photography light set-ups that Eos Lighting has available. JENSEN BEST IMPORTS offers full light kits, which helps eliminate the need to piece individual lights together. Steve Kaeser Lighting and Accessories offers a variety of systems including COOL-FLO. Find additional lighting available through Owen's Originals.

Consider backdrops high on your list of photography equipment and supplies

For those who desire to have a studio location, or least set up like one, purchasing a backdrop should be a photography equipment priority.

I recommend: Amvona is top choice for photographer backdrops. They offer quality solids, multicolor and scenics. You can't go wrong with Amvona. Chicago Canvas & Supply offers a wide variety of backdrop options for the professional or do-it-yourselfer. The scenic backdrops from Denny Manufacturing are perfect for portrait photographers who excel in indoor photographic work. Those whose medium is indoor studio work will find their products to their liking. PhotographyProps.com is another source for photographer backdrops.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can buy backdrops direct from Amvona, but you can often get them cheaper through eBay. They post on eBay, and generally their auctions go below their website retail price. So compare before you buy. The other trick is if you find an Amvona backdrop that you like on eBay, go back and look at the history of the other times it has sold. See what has been paid for it in the past to get a general idea how much it will go for.

Guide to Photography Equipment and Supplies

Arm yourself with the right photography equipment to make the best photos

By Jeanni Brosius

1. Choose your photography equipment: film or digital.
2. You don't have to be a professional photographer to learn how to take photos that will stand out.
3. Digitally enhance your photos before you process or have them processed.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider the advantages of shooting film

For many, the transition from film to digital has been difficult. Shooting film is still a popular way to photograph because the film offers a higher number of pixels than digital. Photographers can create beautiful digital images from film photography by scanning the negatives into a computer and saving the images as digital files. Some of the advantages of shooting film are the ability to process your own film with your own photo lab equipment and film photography equipment is much less expensive than digital.

I recommend: Read about various camera types at Photo Net. Choose a high quality film camera from Olympus.

Step into the digital age of photography

Most photographers shoot digitally today. The instant satisfaction of knowing you've taken good shots sets your mind at ease, instead of having three rolls of film processed only to find out that your settings were wrong. Also, digital photos can be instantly uploaded to your computer for editing, storing, processing or posting on the Web. Because most popular companies make single-lens reflex (SLR) systems for lenses, they are interchangeable with most film cameras. Digital camera bodies also are becoming better quality with new technology and design.

I recommend: Before purchasing a digital camera, read reviews so you know what you're getting. Photography.com and Digital Photography Review offer reviews and specification for all types of camera bodies and digital camera accessories. When you're ready to buy, check out Kodak's line of digital photography equipment.

Process your shots with equipment for photo labs

If you're shooting with film, you could set up your own darkroom and process your own shots with photo developing equipment. This gives you the option of cropping, enlarging and enhancing your photos while processing.

I recommend: Get tips on setting up your darkroom and buying your photo lab equipment at ePhotozine and Apogee Photo. Find darkroom supplies at B&H Photo.

Digitally enhance your photos with photo-editing software

Create a multitude of image enhancements such as removing a person from a photo or adding trees to a background with photo-editing software. Add a cartoon effect, erase wrinkles and blemishes, fix stray hairs and take inches off of someone's waist with this piece of photography equipment.

I recommend: Download Gimp, a free photo-enhancing software, which is similar to Adobe Photoshop. Another free photo-enhancing software is Google's Picasa.

Get the best deals on photography business supplies online

You'll need extra batteries, tripods, backpacks and other photography business supplies that will make your photographic profession simpler. If you're setting up a studio, lights, backdrops and props will enhance your portraits.

I recommend: Search for deals on photography supplies at Freestyle Photographic Supplies. Backdrop Outlet has a large selection of studio lights and backdrops.

Learn the business side of photography

The photography business can be a lucrative career for a creative photographer. Whether you take portraits, shoot weddings or photograph wildlife, there is a market for your photos. You must learn the business aspects--marketing, bookkeeping, ethical practices--in addition to knowing how to take standout photos.

I recommend: Photographer Dan Heller shares his insights about the business of photography on his website. ImagingInfo.com is an online trade magazine for photography professionals.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose good Single Lens Reflex lenses that are interchangeable with either film or digital camera bodies. As technology and photography equipment changes, you won't have to purchase new lenses, you'll just need a new body.

Action Steps
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Take a look at the reviews on photography equipment and supplies

Invest time in reading photography equipment reviews before making a business purchase.

I recommend: Check out reviews and previews from Digital Photography Review. The site also offers the latest news information as well. In addition to news items, take a look at the camera reviews that DigitalCameraReview.com has to offer. Browse through the reviews available at Digital Camera Resource Page. CNET is another source for review information.

Keep up on the latest photography supplies news

Stay informed as to the latest industry news on photography business supplies by reading up on digital news feeds.

I recommend: Check out the information feeds on the latest digital camera news and digital image news from dcviews. Keep up with the latest news and information from Megapixel.net. Sign up for the free DigiCamNews Digest while you are on the DigiCamNews website. Take a look at the latest news from DigitalCameraInfo.com.

Stay on top of the latest photography equipment trends

Keep a pulse on photography business supplies through industry publications.

I recommend: Subscribe either to the print or the digital edition of Photo District News to enjoy breaking news stories, product reviews, market trend reports and more. Subscribe to both Popular Photography and American PHOTO to not only improve your skills, but also to stay up on the latest photo supplies, digital camera accessories, darkroom supplies and more.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Take the time to properly review a product before making a purchase. If you buy a piece of photography equipment that just ends up sitting on the shelf, it's a waste of money that in the case of some cameras could be thousands of dollars. Look at consumer review sites as well. See what real people are saying about a product, not just industry reviewers.

Action Steps
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Single-Lens Reflex Camera (SLR)

A single-lens reflex (SLR) camera refers to a camera that uses the lens for both composing a shot and taking the photograph. SLR cameras contain a mirror in the body that directs the image from the lens to the view finder and then flips up when you take a shot. The time the mirror is up refers to the shutter speed and typically ranges anywhere from a few seconds to several thousandths of a second.

I recommend: Photo.net provides a clear definition of what constitutes a SLR camera.

Camera bag

You can use a camera bag, also known as a gadget bag, to transport all of your photographic equipment. It is likely to be the most overlooked piece of photographic equipment, but it can make the difference in whether or not a shoot is successful. Camera bags come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes depending on your needs, but a common feature of most bags is compartmentalization. The compartments in camera bags allow photographers to store camera bodies and lens, as well as a host of other equipment, like filters and memory cards.

I recommend: Digital Photography Tricks offers information about camera bags, including factors that you should consider when purchasing.

Prime lens

The term prime lens, also called fixed lens, refers to lenses with a fixed focal length. With a prime lens, a photographer must adjust his or her position to enlarge or reduce the size of the subject. Prime lenses also focus faster and let in more light than a comparative zoom lens. Prime lenses are excellent for portrait and still shot photography.

I recommend: All Things Photography discusses the benefits of a prime lens.

Zoom lens

Zoom lenses have a range of focal lengths, which you can select by twisting a dial on the lens. A typical zoom lens will range from around 25mm to 80mm, but can vary greatly depending on your need. Zoom lenses are extremely convenient and allow the photographer to increase and decrease the size of his or her subject from one shooting location. These lenses are excellent for action photography and for portability as they reduce the need for multiple prime lenses.

I recommend: Digital Photography School reviews the zoom lens in detail.

Flash

An external flash is a detachable flash unit that can be connected to the camera. External flashes provide a variety of advantages over their built-in counterparts. For instance, you can adjust the direction of the flash, so light bounces off a wall or ceiling. External flashes are typically higher powered and provide a greater range than built-in flashes.

I recommend: PhotographyCourse.net talks about various flashes and their uses.

Monopod

A monopod is a one-legged support device for stabilizing a camera during the shooting process. Unlike the tripod, monopods are lightweight, less bulky, and allow the photographer to change positions quickly, making them very popular for action and sports photography.

I recommend: Nikonians offers detailed information about the value of the monopod.