The photography industry continues to be a growing industry and a viable career for many creatives. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are currently 38,420 professionals working in the field, while the employment outlook is expected to grow by 4.6%. Photographers can earn an annual income of up to $77,760, so it is certainly a great job opportunity if you have a good eye and a passion for taking pictures.

If you are planning to start your own business, however, it is important to invest in quality gear that will allow you to take good photos. While having any old equipment can be good for amateur shots, as proven by our post titled ‘I Heart Strawberries’, having professional-quality tools can be the key to a great picture. This will help you build a good portfolio and find a loyal clientele.

Here are just a few of the essential tools you should consider getting before running your own photography business:

A good camera

What qualifies as a “good” camera is difficult to define these days, as many have the latest hardware and software installed. However, getting one that suits your exact needs should always be the priority. The point-and-shoot cameras on Adorama, from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus used to be very popular among photographers before smartphones came along with their built-in cameras. The Olympus TG-6 and Fujifilm XP140 were particularly popular.

However, today’s DSLRs, like the Nikon D850 have a wider range of user control in comparison to popular phones. This can include shutter speeds, ISO ranges, and even contrasts, making them adaptable to different situations – whether it’s landscape or portrait photography. The New York Times list of DSLRs for beginners notes how users have the option to utilize different lens. This can include a zoom lens, a portrait lens, and even a macro lens. They all have different purposes so owning a variety of them will make you a more versatile photographer. The same is true for mirrorless cameras, another type of camera that’s oftentimes more compact than DSLRs. This will help open up more work opportunities as you can opt to do jobs like product photography, modeling shoots, or even event documentation.

Studio equipment

If you have a dedicated space to take photos, you should also have the equipment to help you. Having lighting fixtures in your studio is a must. Though cameras can do a great job at capturing quality pictures, dim lighting can affect their crispness. A couple of softboxes can do the trick of supplementing light when you are indoors. If you are outdoors, you can opt to use tools like a reflector to ensure that the natural light is hitting the spots you want it to.

You should have other tools like a tripod, to keep shots steady, and an array of backgrounds to give your pictures a visually pleasing setting. Having all of these tools will help you get the best quality out of your photos.

A high-processing computer

While using whatever computer you have might be enough when you’re just starting out, it is best to invest in one that has a good processor to prevent hickups during the editing period. A great example of this can be seen with Apple’s range of M2 computers. This current chipset is built to help their laptops run multiple applications without crashing. The macOS is also compatible with popular photo editing software such as Photoshop, Lightroom, and DxO PhotoLab.

Though getting a new laptop might seem unnecessary, it will help you a lot in terms of making your workflow more efficient and is a worthwhile investment. These devices last for years and getting a current model right off the bat will give you more years of software compatibility as opposed to using an older computer.

If you are starting a photography project, we hope the above tips prove useful.