How Much Is Enough Equipment?
By William Lulow
I was just thinking about equipment that most photographers have at their disposal. These days, many people who have a good digital camera or even an iPhone, call themselves a “photographer.” They may even have some skills at composition and exposure. But most professional photographers I have known also have a whole slew of items in their “studios” that help them create really great images.
So, if you take your photography seriously, enough to invest some money in photo accessories, these are some of the things you should have in your “kit.”
- At least two light stands
2. Some 16×20” black & white reflector cards (can also be used as “gobos”)
3. A “work light” – the kind you can buy at a hardware store with a spring clamp.
4. A small, portable flash unit (usually the brand that is made for your camera)
5. A couple of “A” clamps, for attaching reflector cards
6. A roll of gaffer tape
7. Small, photographic umbrellas
8. Soft boxes of various sizes
These are what I call studio basic necessities. You will use them all at one point or another. But they serve as a basic collection of accessories that will help you not only to learn how to use light, but in practicing what you learn about light.
With all this being said, this is what my studio looks like:
It is much smaller than it used to be, but still has all the necessities and then some.
There are quite a few more items. Among them are:
- Background autopoles
- Flash head extension cords
- Flash power packs (you can see one on the floor plugged in)
- Posing stools
- Extra light stands (short and tall)
- Camera tripod
- Radios to control synching extra lights
- Carrying cases for all equipment
Setting up my studio normally takes 30-45 minutes and I can do it anywhere there is enough room. What you are looking at is a basic setup for portrait photography. Of course, I have much more equipment that is not shown but that can be used if needed. For the corporate photography I do, I have pared down to two flash generators (I used to have five). But I still have my complement of flash heads (about eight in all) to help cover any corporate shoot requirement. In the event that you don’t have enough equipment at your own disposal, you can always rent what extras you need.
Equipment is part of the game when it comes to photography. If you are uncomfortable with setting up light stands, reflectors and lights, taping things together or just with equipment in general, you will have a hard time learning the basics of this art form if your desire is to control the light you use. If you just want to learn to operate your camera better, that’s one thing. That, you can do without fooling around with too much equipment. But if you truly want to learn how light is used to create images, using photographic accessories is a must. I should also say that it took me a while to amass all the equipment I have today. I bought items as I needed them, knowing that I wouldn’t use all items every time I shot something. But now it is nice to know that I have more than enough. These things are necessary for portrait photography. If you want to do product work, there are even more little gadgets you might need.
So, the question really is how much stuff do you need to shoot in a way that makes you the most comfortable? Some photographers use only portable flashes. Some, like me, really prefer to use more studio equipment. It just depends on how you like to shoot and with which type of equipment.
Then again, I have known photographers who simply can afford to hire assistants to set everything up for them! For me, that would take some of the fun away from being a photographer.
