All the Equipment You Need for Your Photography Business

Starting up your own business is a classic part of the American Dream, especially as an artist. In the visual arts world, most people have mulled over the idea of having a photography business of their own. Admittedly, it's one of the easiest to start up.

The hardest part of kicking off a professional photography business is to put together all the equipment you need for your photography business to flourish. While it may be a little hard to get all the cash required upfront for the equipment, finding all the goods is a lot easier these days than it used to be.

Speaking as someone who's surrounded by photographers, here's what every beginning business owner will need in order to succeed at photography.

The most obvious piece of equipment you need for your photography business is a DSLR camera. Most people I know are "Canon" people rather than Nikon people; it's just an easier brand to work with.

I want to point out that this is one of the very few pieces of equipment that's non-negotiable. You need one of the best DSLR cameras for beginners. Point-and-shoot cameras are not going to give you the results your clients demand. It's not unheard of for clients to walk off if they see point-and-shoots in the studio.

The Canon Rebel line always has durable, high quality cameras that offer a lot of control over your shots. They're an industry standard, and for good cause.

If you are working with a DSLR, you already know that microSD cards are important equipment you need for your photography business. These little chips are what store the shots you take, and what make it possible to upload your photos to a computer for editing.

Sandisk makes a good microSD card. They're durable, they can store tons of information, and are a trusted favorite among veteran shutterbugs.

Taking a photo alone is not enough to make you a professional photographer. You need to be able to touch up your shots like a true pro. To do this, you're going to need photo editing equipment in your photography arsenal.

Adobe Photoshop is the standard editing software. Elements 2019 will give you just enough to get your skills working to their potential.

You will need a computer to upload your photos to—and no, you can't use the cheap laptops at a public library. Trust me, I've tried.

Apples are known for being the computer brand of choice for visual artists, especially those looking for top of the line photography and video editing software.

The MacBook Pro is what you need. It's great as far as processing power goes, is easy to use, and also comes with amazing customer service. Need I say any more?

Most professional photographers do not exist entirely within their studios. For example, wedding photographers have to lug their equipment around to the wedding venue—not to mention the bridal shower or other arenas you may be summoned.

You're going to need one of the best camera bags for traveling if you want some extra space for your gear. You need to be prepped to go on the road pretty much any time, and there's no better way to be organized unless you have a way to organize your gear first.

A single camera lens will not cut it in professional photography! You will need a zoom lens, a wide angle lens, as well as a couple of others just to be able to get the full span of shots you want to capture.

Though you can maybe skip on a zoom lens, a wide angle lens is mandatory. This kit will give you one for your Canon Rebel, plus a nice cleaning kit and some filters to make the most of your creative time.

Along with a lighting kit that offers up some standard brightness, another major bit of equipment you should buy is a reflector. Reflectors allow light sources to bounce in at different angles, which fills up imperfections on your clients' faces.

This reflector disc warps the way you want it to bend, and also gives you an amazing range of different light tones. You and your career will love it.

Not all camera shots will be taken with your equipment in hand. Long exposure photographs are going to require a far more steady shot than what you might be able to physically handle. That's why it's a good idea to have a tripod in your bag, or at least in the car.

This aluminum tripod is sturdy and lightweight enough to make most photographers avoid breaking out into a sweat. You'll love it.

Take a look at any of the essential books every photographer must read and they will tell you that lighting is key. You cannot rely on natural light alone, if you want to give your clients the shots they need. You need a lighting kit.

A good starter lighting kit will have umbrella reflectors, some tripods to keep lighting in place, high quality bulbs, and enough goods to help deflect harsh lighting away. This kit here also comes with a nice backdrop, which is crucial for people starting out in a home studio.

As a small business owner, you owe it to yourself to promote your work. That's why one of the most important pieces of equipment you need for your photography business is a stack of business cards.

People need their special moments captured all the time. If you don't pass around cards, you're going to lose out on potential business. So, grab a stack of cards before you go out the door.