Beginner whats my next step??

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KayGraham

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Kay
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Hi all :wave:

Have just signed up on here and hoping you will be able to help me :)

I currently own a Sony DSC-H9 and a few months ago I had my camera with me at a baby 6 month old party we had in a local park. I took loads of photos that day, which were loved by everyone!
Now many of the mum's have been around my house with there baby's and I have been doing photos for them for free to get some practice in.

I have just been taking the photos outside using natural light with a white sheet behind the baby. Obviously the weather is soon going to be no good for outdoor shots without any equipment.....

I want to get some equipment, I have a outdoor office which I am thinking of turning into a studio?

I am total confused by all the lighting/ flash/umbrellas etc......

What do I need to get??

I have a budget of about £1000

Also is my camera ok or would I be best to get a DSLR?

Thanks in advance for your help :help: ;)
 
Not sure about the studio work, as i'm not into that yet myself, but i'd thoroughly suggest getting an SLR to begin with.

It'll be easier to work out your needs for portrait work, after having the SLR for a while and getting to know it's functions, than do the studio work with your current camera and THEN gettingan SLR.

IMO :)
 
Is it something that you want to do to make money, or are you happy doing it for fun?

I would think that the control that a DSLR would give you would be far better, especially when using off camera flashes, etc.

For £1000 I would go for:

D40X/D80/D90/D200 (2nd hand) - this will depend on level of knowledge and how much you want to learn about aperture, shutter speed, iso, etc Range from £250 - £400 (depending on camera and whether its new or 2nd hand)

35mm/50mm prime lens or a short tele lens (even a kit lens would be a good start 18-55mm) Kit lens = £100 (max), 35mm = £200 (new) etc...

2x sb600 for the off camera flash, some diffusers & some stands £170 (each)

The reason for the portable flashes VS a studio kit is purely so that you can continue shooting outdoors when you want to. Also could be beneficial for days in the park, etc.

You could also look at reflectors.........
 
http://www.parkcameras.com/
https://secure.ffordes.com/index.htm
http://www.mifsuds.com/acatalog/ActChange.htm
http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/Default.asp

They are just a couple of places who deal in new and secondhand camera gear.

Ebay is of course another place to consider, though obviously it'll be more of a chance buying off there....i've taken a few chances myself and been quite lucky.

Best bet is to get to your local Jessops and try out a few of the DSLR's in there. Decide on what manufacturer appeals to you and then look more indepth at what versions they offer.
 
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