Gear

There is so much gear out there and everyone says you need one thing or another

Photo by Pavel Kosov on UnSplash

There is so much gear out there for the hobby or profession that you may have. Someone is always out there saying that you need a piece of gear for just about everything out there. The question is hard to answer on what gear do you really need? I am not sure what gear you need, and it all depends on what you are doing. As for photography, there is less gear than you think you may need. 

You don’t need all the gear that everyone says you need depending on what you are trying to go for. You can spend a lot of money chasing the gear that someone else says you need and end up never using a lot of it. The first thing and the only thing you really need, is a camera and a good lens. What classifies as a good lens? That depends on you and what you want to shoot. 

Are you a landscape photographer? Then you may need a good wide-angle lens. How wide, you will need to figure out how much you want in the shot. Do you want a lot of landscape? Then you might need a wider lens. I shoot on a 35 mm, but that doesn’t make it the right lens or the best lens. The lens has to do with what you are trying to capture and how you want that to look. Get a camera, get a decent zoom lens and see what focal length you shoot at the most. 

Get that focal length in a prime. Then work on getting a better lens at the same focal length. The lens will not make a difference if you are not learning to use your camera to the best of your ability. Yes, I set your ability because the camera and lens are just a tool. 

I shoot portraits with a 50 mm lens and just like the 35 mm, it might not be the best or the fastest lens I can get. There are people out there that will fight over which lens, camera or flash are the best. To start get what is in your budget and practice. You can’t practice without a bit of gear and if you are waiting for the right lens or camera choice. Then you will never get one, and you will never practice. 

If this is a hobby or profession you are thinking of getting into, get something you can afford. It doesn’t matter which make, model or what lens you have on it when you are starting. Go out and take a many pictures you can, learn from those pictures and make a choice for your next piece of gear that works best for you. Is it within your budget, does it fit your needs and does it have the feel that you want? Those are things you can base your choice off and go from there. 

Do not forget about the post-processing aspect of it all and learn to use those tools as well. Please don’t let the challenge of post-production keep you from learning to do something that you love. Just like everything in life, everything takes time. If you want to know what my gear is and what I use it for, let me know in the comments or shoot me an email. Until then, please take care of yourself and each other.