Expensive cameras needed for portrait photography?

[Agetan]

I haven't met a client who choose or don't choose me because of my gear.

Nowadays, I shoot mostly on 1 body and 50mm for indoor and 135mm for outdoor. So I will bring 2 lenses with me most of the time. It makes it really compact and small.

I use a tiny little bag and no one has said anything to me regarding to my gear and I have never been asked about my gear up when booking my service. Don't ever sell your service by telling people what best camera equipment you use. In another word, you are telling your client, "well, without the gear, there isn't much I can do".

Just use something that you are comfortable with and within your budget.

Camera is a tool and please, it is not an investment as they depreciate rather quickly. Buy something that you can use and make the most out of it.

If it limits you, you can change to other that fits your requirement.

If a camera worth $5000 and it gives you 100,000 shots, they are roughly the same as you send an sms. still cost you money to shoot so camera is a liability not an investment.


Good luck.

Hart

 

[Anson]

I haven't met a client who choose or don't choose me because of my gear.

Nowadays, I shoot mostly on 1 body and 50mm for indoor and 135mm for outdoor. So I will bring 2 lenses with me most of the time. It makes it really compact and small.

I use a tiny little bag and no one has said anything to me regarding to my gear and I have never been asked about my gear up when booking my service. Don't ever sell your service by telling people what best camera equipment you use. In another word, you are telling your client, "well, without the gear, there isn't much I can do".

Just use something that you are comfortable with and within your budget.

Camera is a tool and please, it is not an investment as they depreciate rather quickly. Buy something that you can use and make the most out of it.

If it limits you, you can change to other that fits your requirement.

If a camera worth $5000 and it gives you 100,000 shots, they are roughly the same as you send an sms. still cost you money to shoot so camera is a liability not an investment.


Good luck.

Hart

Fully agree... :thumbsup:

 

[reaper3075]

just to share my point of view.

IF you are concerned about the client's view on your gear, I would suggest getting a big fast prime lens instead of getting a high end body.

reason being, techinically, a good prime would give better quality photos.........

.......and its huge diameter would probably block the brand and model of the body you are using :bsmilie::bsmilie:

plus you could always gaffer up your gear to prevent clients from knowing what model you r using

 

[coolthought]

just to share my point of view.

IF you are concerned about the client's view on your gear, I would suggest getting a big fast prime lens instead of getting a high end body.

reason being, techinically, a good prime would give better quality photos.........

.......and its huge diameter would probably block the brand and model of the body you are using :bsmilie::bsmilie:

plus you could always gaffer up your gear to prevent clients from knowing what model you r using

Interesting point....

alternatively, TS might want to get a battery grip.... regardless what dslr you are using...imo...at least the camera looks more professional with a battery grip than those dslr (without battery grip) in the hands of the amateur... cheaper option.... and useful too...take a lot more photos.... trigger button for vertical portraits shots....

of course... at the end of the day when your client look at the photos you have taken....an expensive camera does not matter if the photos taken are below their expectations...

at least during the time when you are doing your work....dress, think and act professionally, with a professionally looking dslr (with battery grip of course) will help to make people around you during your shoot to be more willing to cooperate with you.....things may go more smoothly during the shoot...thus better photos....

PS. D40 res might be a bit low if your client want to print in large formats....
PPS. Seriously most people won't know how much your camera cost...unless they are into this hobby. You want to paste an expensive price tag on your expensive camera???

 

[redwine]

Just to sharing my personal thought...

I am into portrait as well, though no intention to earn a living out of that.
I started with D40, and move pretty fast to D90.

Few points that prompted me to get D90 is:

1. D40 3 points AF is way too limiting for me, esp for portrait where i prefer shallow DOF and 'Focus & Re-compose' just doesnt achieve the kind of sharpness i desire. D90 11 points AF is way better, at least for my style of shooting. While Dx00 offer 52 point, i dont find that as useful, as the points are cramp into the center frame, instead of spreading out more to the edge. But i do like the Micro AF Calibration feature of the Dx00.

2. D90 commander mode which allow more flexible lighting options without investing in a delicate commander unit.

Other things that i personally find it more superior to D4 after using D90:

1. The grip fit my hands much better than D40.(Of course this is very personal)
2. The delicate buttons, esp the front & rear command dial, once you use it, you just dont want to go back to the menu.

My 2 cts, of course your mileage and requirement may differ.

 

[sfoto100]

I haven't met a client who choose or don't choose me because of my gear.

Nowadays, I shoot mostly on 1 body and 50mm for indoor and 135mm for outdoor. So I will bring 2 lenses with me most of the time. It makes it really compact and small.

I use a tiny little bag and no one has said anything to me regarding to my gear and I have never been asked about my gear up when booking my service. Don't ever sell your service by telling people what best camera equipment you use. In another word, you are telling your client, "well, without the gear, there isn't much I can do".

Just use something that you are comfortable with and within your budget.

Camera is a tool and please, it is not an investment as they depreciate rather quickly. Buy something that you can use and make the most out of it.

If it limits you, you can change to other that fits your requirement.

If a camera worth $5000 and it gives you 100,000 shots, they are roughly the same as you send an sms. still cost you money to shoot so camera is a liability not an investment.


Good luck.

Hart

hi



i assume u r a professional photographer doing portrait.

i am interested to know more about it.

so 50mm and 135mm are enough? what lens and camera are u using?

 

[cabbySHE]

Like to dedicate this two songs to the thread starter,

As your camera gently weep, and a long and winding road.

 

[catchlights]

hi



i assume u r a professional photographer doing portrait.

i am interested to know more about it.

so 50mm and 135mm are enough? what lens and camera are u using?

Hart is a accredit master photographer specialize in children portraits.

 

[catchlights]

I haven't met a client who choose or don't choose me because of my gear.

Nowadays, I shoot mostly on 1 body and 50mm for indoor and 135mm for outdoor. So I will bring 2 lenses with me most of the time. It makes it really compact and small.

I use a tiny little bag and no one has said anything to me regarding to my gear and I have never been asked about my gear up when booking my service. Don't ever sell your service by telling people what best camera equipment you use. In another word, you are telling your client, "well, without the gear, there isn't much I can do".

Just use something that you are comfortable with and within your budget.

Camera is a tool and please, it is not an investment as they depreciate rather quickly. Buy something that you can use and make the most out of it.

If it limits you, you can change to other that fits your requirement.

If a camera worth $5000 and it gives you 100,000 shots, they are roughly the same as you send an sms. still cost you money to shoot so camera is a liability not an investment.


Good luck.

Hart

Agree.

when a photographer works shine, the gears he uses will be less prominent.

 

[catchlights]

#1, If you shoot a wedding with entry level camera, and his friends also use a entry level camera.
if one person work is better, what does it imply?


#2, If you shoot a wedding with entry level camera, and his friends use a pro grade camera.
if your works is better, what does it imply?
if his work is better, what does it imply?


#3, If you shoot a wedding with pro grade camera, and his friends use a entry level camera.
if your works is better, what does it imply?
if his work is better, what does it imply?


Think, you will find the answer you are looking for.


like what Mod Ortega always says, "only the pictures matter", and you suppose to make it happen.

 

[kklee]

If the client require you to have a "professional" camera, go with that. Don't let that be a talking point.

Besides the camera, you'll need the lens and supporting accessories like diffusers, reflectors, etc.

I guess more importantly, it is whether the photographer can provide what the clients wants rather than the clients wants what is provided by the photographer. Of course an indecisive client is naturally a good thing.

 

[coolthought]

a little off topic here but to illustrate a point. I have once used a PnS camera to shoot products for a brochure and this is a paid work. ;p
Overall, my client is quite satisfied with the final work....

PS. I have to set their level of expectation right by telling them off hand that I am using a PnS.
PPS. Don't own a dslr during then.... then how.... use whatever I have.

 

[sfoto100]

Hart is a accredit master photographer specialize in children portraits.

tks alot brother

 

[Agetan]

hi



i assume u r a professional photographer doing portrait.

i am interested to know more about it.

so 50mm and 135mm are enough? what lens and camera are u using?

I use sony a900 exclusively with 50mm f1.4 for abt 95% of my images and 135mm for the rest. I dont like battery grip as it is bulky and heavy and 1 battery in the camera shot last me 2-3 shoots. I prefer less weight on my shoulder.

If i shoot wedding, i shoot with 16mm fe, 24mm, 35mm, 50mm and 135mm in a smallest domke bag. I dont shoot with flash and my client knows that.

I use what i use because it is my preference and use the same if you are comfortable with your setup.

You can see my work on www.tomato.sg

Hope it helps.


Hart

 

[Agetan]

Hart is a accredit master photographer specialize in children portraits.

Thx. Well, thats my bragging right but i prefer to be known as a photographer.

Likewise, you are accredited master photographer too.

My work still need a lot of improvement and fine-tuning to get some of the client that i wish for. Getting there but still require lots of work.

Regards,

Hart

 

[hotwork77]

hahaha...i'm not trying to impress them with an expensive camera la... What i meant was i want to do serious portrait photography since i like taking portraits. Currently i using Nikon D40. I've grown out of it. So currently thinking of either getting D90 or D300. Since i know next to nothing on the business of how portrait photography business works and what are the gears i should have, i asked what's more appropriate for me in the long run. I was wondering if anyone has done serious work with middle range cameras like the D90.

After that use this to impress them more:

 

[Agetan]

hahaha... ouuch... my back hurts...

 

[catchlights]

Thx. Well, thats my bragging right but i prefer to be known as a photographer.

Likewise, you are accredited master photographer too.

My work still need a lot of improvement and fine-tuning to get some of the client that i wish for. Getting there but still require lots of work.

Regards,

Hart

haha.. yes, is just a title....
the last thing we want is people only know us by our title or camera we use instead of our works. :sweat:

oh yes, we still have long long way to go to archive our vision.
Keep walking....

 

[sfoto100]

haha.. yes, is just a title....
the last thing we want is people only know us by our title or camera we use instead of our works. :sweat:

oh yes, we still have long long way to go to archive our vision.
Keep walking....

i don't know abt others, but generally i find that CSers (not all course) and my frens don't care much abt cameras , but the photos.

but somehow i think those who don't know much abt photography will often ask what equipment is used to produced such a work. before i bought my first camera, i am like that too... as long as i see a dslr, i think.. ha pro... camera leh...

i remember one day i was in Mount faber , using my cheapo Tianya gnd, a chinese toruist comment : " wa a pro .... " i feel like digging a hole and hide... so damn malu....

 

[catchlights]

i don't know abt others, but generally i find that CSers (not all course) and my frens don't care much abt cameras , but the photos.

but somehow i think those who don't know much abt photography will often ask what equipment is used to produced such a work. before i bought my first camera, i am like that too... as long as i see a dslr, i think.. ha pro... camera leh...

i remember one day i was in Mount faber , using my cheapo Tianya gnd, a chinese toruist comment : " wa a pro .... " i feel like digging a hole and hide... so damn malu....

yes you are correct to say that,
when people don't understand what makes a good photo, to them, gears matter.

all you need to know is use the right tool for the right job.