Photography essentials

What do you need for photography?

(Extracts from this site: https://photographylife.com/what-is-photography/amp)

  • Camera

    • Pick one with interchangeable lenses so that you can try out different types of photography more easily.

    • Read reviews, but don’t obsess over them, because everything available today is pretty much equally good as its competition.

    • Use this link for reviews https://www.dpreview.com

    • Find a nice deal and move on.

  • Lenses - Lenses matter more than any other piece of equipment because they determine what photos you can take in the first place.

    • Everyday photography, start with a standard zoom lens like a 24-70mm or 18-55mm.

    • Note that a Micro Four Thirds 14-42mm lens is 35mm equivalent 28mm - 84mm

    • For portrait photography, pick a prime lens (one that doesn’t zoom) at 35mm, 50mm, or 85mm.

    • Note that a Micro Four Thirds 25mm lens is 35mm equivalent 50mm

    • For sports, go with a telephoto lens.

    • For macro photography, get a dedicated macro lens.

    • And so on.

  • Post-processing software - you need to edit your photos.

    • Start with software already on your computer, or software that comes with your camera.

    • But in the long run, a dedicated program will do a better job. Adobe sells Lightroom and Photoshop as a bundle, or you can buy standalone software from another company if you prefer; there are tons of options. Whatever you pick, stick with it for a while, and you’ll learn it quite well.

    • GIMP is a free photo editor online that’s considered the best free Adobe Photoshop alternative.

  • Optional Accessories

  • A tripod. A landscape photographer’s best friend.

  • Bags. Get a shoulder bag for street photography, a rolling bag for studio photography, a technical hiking backpack for landscape photography, and so on.

  • Memory cards. Choose something in the 64-128 GB range to start. Get a fast card (measured in MB/second) if you shoot bursts of photos, since your camera’s memory will clear faster.

  • Extra batteries. Get at least one spare battery to start, preferably two. Off-brand batteries are usually cheaper, although they may not last as long or maintain compatibility with future cameras.

  • Polarizing filter. This is a big one, especially for landscape photographers. Don’t get a cheap polarizer or it will harm your image quality.

  • Flash. Flashes can be expensive, and you might need to buy a separate transmitter and receiver if you want to use your flash off-camera. But for genres like portrait photography or macro photography, they’re indispensable.

  • Better computer monitor. Ideally, you’d get an IPS monitor for editing photos (which we’ve also written an article about). A colour calibration device is also really helpful, so you know you’re editing the “correct” colours.

  • Cleaning kit. The top item is a microfiber cloth to keep the front of your lens clean. Also get a rocket blower to remove dust from your camera sensor more easily.

  • Other equipment. There are countless other photography accessories available, from remote shutter releases to GPS attachments, printers, and more. Don’t worry about these at first; you’ll realise over time if you need one.