Gear! Gear! Gear! How Much Is Enough Already!

This goes out to all my techies out there. The ones who love talking about the latest and greatest lenses or high end cameras. All the fancy equipment can be really fun to have but at the end of the day, is that what photography is all about?

Don't get me wrong though. Using a point and shoot compared to a flagship fledged full frame does make a huge difference but there comes a point where it's more of a luxury then a necessity. As a working photographer it's important to know what your buying and what your actually using because especially in the beginning, the money is quite tight and you appreciate the little that comes in. So to make wise choices in what to buy in gear is key.

I'm just gonna be flat out transparent here...I'm totally a gear hoarder. I am really. I'm always on the look out to what's the next thing i what to pack in my studio. Of course I've got my reasons for it. I want the best to create the best. Every new piece of gear be it a lens or new light has bumped my skills a couple of points for the first few times I've used them. But I know after awhile it can be overkill. Especially in the beginning stages.

The best thing to invest is in your education really. Check out the books. Download the online courses. Show up to the seminars. That's where the real fun comes from. If you've got all this gear and don't know how to lock its potential then it's ultimately just a waste of money. There's so much to learn just with using your camera and natural light that you can easily create stunning pictures if you took the time to study and apply it.

A lot of the gear that I've bought, I still haven't used it yet. So I'm guilty of it myself believe me. The best advice I've heard is simply to master what it is you've already got. Then once you've reached that plateau it's time for the upgrade.

For anyone starting out going small always helps since most are only getting a feel for the art and seeing if they would consider photography as a full time thing. So a high level apsc like the 7D or the entry level full frame 6D are awesome choices to go for. Stick a 50mm 1.8 or a 24-105 f4 and your good for kids, family, engagements hell even some portfolio model shoots as well! All that other stuff is fluff really.

But if your seriously considering a career in photography then it's only natural to have the bigger stuff mainly to be able to handle the larger jobs and demands. But be ready for the steep learning curve because getting to know all the fancy stuff comes with more than just a price tag.

So start small and learn the fundamentals first. Chances are you won't be so overwhelmed when you get that new lighting set up or full frame whatever you call it. Get pro with what you have then step it up from there.

KEEP SNAPPIN'!

Chris from Manikmati Photography