Expert: Wedding Photographics - 3/9/2007

Question
Hi I am wanting to open a small home photography business just like one session a week. I really am just starting small for now. Then later on in the summertime Im going to school for photography but I was wondering what do I need to get started to just take portraits. I am thinking about getting a nikon d80 camera. But what lenses should I get, what background and what lighting. Basically I wanted to know what are the must haves or basics to take good portraits for a business. It all seems complicated for me. Ive looked at so many things on the net but one says this is better than another says its the best.

Answer
Hi Savannah,
Those are some very good questions. With today's film and digital cameras there are a vast array of options. For any photography you would like to make money doing, the first priority is probably to start out with the best camera you can afford. What is the "best" camera? For portrait/wedding photographers the best film cameras are medium format. No particular brand name. I personally shot with a couple of Pentax 645's for years using Kodak Vericolor and then Kodak Portra color pro films.

Digital cameras you will be looking for the best dynamic range, 8+ megapixels and one which offer some professional lenses. I shoot with Canon 5Ds which are 12.8 megapixel and I shoot in the RAW format when shooting outdoors in mixed lighting conditions. This provides me with maximum processing latitude in photoshop on my computers.  But it does mean extra time and work but for wedding photography, the vast majority of brides are willing to pay you for that . . . if you are a creative and journalistic kind of photographer.  In the studio I shoot high JPEGs since I'm shooting in the consistent controlled lighting of the studio environment.

I don't know how much into photography you already are. Possibly some of the things I've mentioned may sound a little foreign. If so, when you start photography school some of the things I've said may be worth re-visiting.

Wedding Photographer John Wilson
Chattanooga, Tennessee
http://www.weddingphotographics.net