Apprentice's Equipment!!

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bethany_jo

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Name
Bethany
Edit My Images
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Hello everyone.

After having a keen interest in photography from a young age, I decided to take it alot more seriously recently by applying for a job as a Photography and Design Apprentice. Obviously, the team were impressed by my work I have done already, as I got the job, and they are investing in my equipment. I already have a Nikon D60 but I was wondering what other equipment would I need to take even better pictures? My basic photography duties will include shots of students, events, campus etc. At the moment I am just using my basic kit lens (18-55mm VR) and the built in flash as I'm worried I'm going to spend lots of money on cr*p equipment as some of my friends have done! Help please :) x
 
you say they are investing in your equipment, does this mean they have given you a budget? or does it mean you feel that by them givng you the job they are investing in both you and your camera equipment?

other than that if they like the pics you have done already id stick with what you have. if they want to give you money for more camera gear then tell us how much:D
 
They haven't given me a budget, just said to tell them what I need then they will discuss it when I know what I will need comes up to.
 
It all depends on what you want to achieve really. Wouldn't you like a longer zoom lens? I basically started with a 18-55 kit lens, then decided I needed more reach so bought the 70-200. I then saw the quality of Canon's L glass and upgraded my 18-55 to a 24-105 (better range, better image quality and build quality). I then got into external lighting and purchased a few flash guns.

If I was doing portrait photography, I'd look into lighting.
 
I know very little about equipment other than 'a fancy camera does not a good photographer make'. I would say get to know your style of creativity and make equipment descisions based on what you cant quite achieve to your satisfaction. Dont just buy it because someone says 'it's better'. It may that investing in a small, portable, inexpensive camera may present more opportunities than buying an expensive lens (shove it in your pocket, boogie with the students and whip it out without worrying too much about damaging it !)
 
i do have a longer zoom lens, just not felt the need to use it that much so pointless in the company buying me one of those.

The thing is I'll be dabbling in different things and I won't be focusing on any specific area, I'm working in a college marketing department so the photographs I take will be used for lots of different things. Up to now I've been taking shots of the college campus, students around campus, awards ceremonies, debates etc. so I need equipment that is good for everything really, if it exists !
 
Huujuu said:
I know very little about equipment other than 'a fancy camera does not a good photographer make'. I would say get to know your style of creativity and make equipment descisions based on what you cant quite achieve to your satisfaction. Dont just buy it because someone says 'it's better'. It may that investing in a small, portable, inexpensive camera may present more opportunities than buying an expensive lens (shove it in your pocket, boogie with the students and whip it out without worrying too much about damaging it !)
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Thanks Huujuu. The camera I have now was a gift (well, a gift paid for by myself without my knowledge) from my mother to help me better my skills. my shots are a lot better since buying it, hell I was using a digi cam I bought from Tesco for £60 before now! ha. But I'm trying to avoid using Photoshop too much and just perfect my pictures in camera.
 
well, i havent seen any of your shots and no idea on your style, so the best bet is look through what you have got and decide where more money is required.

if you find that you cant get wide enough to get everything in the shot, then a wide angle. if you stand back and shoot from a distance possibly 70-200. if you are after upgrading the kit lens, how about a 24-70 or a 17-50.

as for flash, there is the nikon sb range(sb600 should work fine with ettl)

we could do with more info on wht you shoot and how to help really. there is some software somewhere which will analyze the pictures on your computer and extract the f stop, focal length etc to help you determine what you use the most and possibly where upgrades would be best suited
 
bethany_jo said:
Thanks Huujuu. The camera I have now was a gift (well, a gift paid for by myself without my knowledge) from my mother to help me better my skills. my shots are a lot better since buying it, hell I was using a digi cam I bought from Tesco for £60 before now! ha. But I'm trying to avoid using Photoshop too much and just perfect my pictures in camera.
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Better in quality or better in creativity ? I know someone who wanted to be an artist and bought some really expensive pencils, but no rubbers.......but they still cant draw ! (I dont really know anyone, the anecdote just popped into my head)
 
Depends on what you are taking pics of, when and what budget you have to spend :D

personally I would be going (am shortly) D300, 70-200, sb600 (flash) and a couple of fast primes. Lens choice would really be down to subject and lighting...
 
Huujuu said:
Better in quality or better in creativity ? I know someone who wanted to be an artist and bought some really expensive pencils, but no rubbers.......but they still cant draw ! (I dont really know anyone, the anecdote just popped into my head)
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Creativity still the same but showcased a helluva lot better :)
 
so bethany, where do you think your current kit needs improving?
 
Thats top banana then. I guess if you need to be displaying the images in a glossy brouchure then quality equipment is important. I went to a cafe in hebden bridge the other day, they were selling images by someone who had taken them on there mobile phone. Quality didnt matter much as creatively they were stunning (and selling for good prices). I think the phrase is 'Horses for courses', you best know what you are trying to achieve....and what your market demands.

Heres another anecdote (but this one is true!) Carlos Santana sounds fantastic on his expensive guitars, but i bet he would sound nearly as good on any guitar that was in tune. Ive been playing guitar for 10 years, and it was only last year i realised what sort of equipment was best for showcasing my plinky plonk skills. I'm not commenting here on your abilities at all, but what goes on behind the camera is so much more important than what goes on in it, and this, in my opinion, is far the most important thing to focus on and get to know.
 
Just bung some photos up on this thread mate.

It's up to you what you do, but I'd say lighting is a good idea.

For dark halls and so on, you may want a fast lens (f/2.8 or wider).
 
fletch5 said:
so bethany, where do you think your current kit needs improving?
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I think really I just need lighting, but want to get a new lens that is more suited to whatever I do as one day I am out taking photographs of public events, the next I am doing head and shoulder shots of students, and of the college campus etc etc etc there's never one day where I am taking the same type of picture.

http://cid-f9bf1983ebf5f97b.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Photos

Thats the link to my Sky Drive...Some of the pictures aren't that good but that's what staff asked for!
 
Haha this dude looks terrified!

Hamayoon%20Mirza.jpg


Well done on getting the job BTW. I'd recommend you a 50mm lens if you're doing a lot portrait photography as I've heard they're perfect for that use.
 
Yep my recommendation would be a flashgun and a tripod? Surprised noone has mentioned a tripod yet. Also you might want to think about a remote (wired or wireless) shutter release...
 
Freester said:
Yep my recommendation would be a flashgun and a tripod? Surprised noone has mentioned a tripod yet. Also you might want to think about a remote (wired or wireless) shutter release...
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She seems to be shooting mainly people, so I guess other things would come before a tripod. Though one can be handy for group shots, and conveyer belt style portraits at an event.
 
D300 body, 50mm 1.8 as a portrait lens, 70-200mm, SB600 flash and a tripod.

Loads of spare batteries or a powerpack...you can't be running out halfway through a shoot.

Half a dozen memory cards.

Laptop to upload images to.

Printer?? Will you need to print at these events?

Copy of photoshop, lightroom, etc?

Some of these may be available already but you never know.
 
bethany_jo said:
My basic photography duties will include shots of students, events, campus etc.
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Jayst84 said:
She seems to be shooting mainly people, so I guess other things would come before a tripod. Though one can be handy for group shots, and conveyer belt style portraits at an event.
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Handy for some creative campus shots was I guess what I was thinking...
 
by the sounds of it your happy with the range of your kit lens, so i would probably look at a Tamron 17-50 f2.8, a 85mm prime(for something a little longer if needed), couple of sb600 flashguns plus decent triggers and a couple of memory cards and get them to help towards a copy of CS4. bit of a struggle to recomend too much stuff as we are a bit unsure of what budget they are thinking about and i dont think you want to hit them with too much to start with. Im sure if more was needed later for a particular shoot you could hit them with it then.
 
I would suggest better quality body and glass on the bais that you will be taking a lot of pictures, cameras lower down the range won't have as long a life span and if some one else is offering to pay a new lens would be good, a good all round lens would be something like a 24-70 f2.8 (do Nikon do one of them?) or at least a fast prime, 50mm/85mm, you will want at least f2.8 for lower light situations.

As already mentioned flash would be good and a method of getting it off camera, which is built into the Nikon bodies higher up the range and a tripod.

If you don't ask you don't get, just make sure you can justify anything on the list if they query it (blind them with science)
 
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