10 Studio Must-Have's (that fit your budget)

Starting out, I didn't have much; a Canon Rebel T2i DSLR and the kit lens it came with. I dreamed of being a professional photographer and I would do almost ANYTHING to become one. I quickly learned how expensive it is to start out in this business.. but I refused to let that stop me. I became friends with local (and non-local) photographers on Facebook and searched Destash Sales left and right for second-hand items. I also went to local fabric stores and looked for textured throws and fabrics on sale. After wasting a LOT of money on things I never even used, I have finally put together a list of items that truly helped me grow as a photographer and expand as a business. 

1.   External Flash- I never knew how dark and off balance my images really were until I used an external flash. Although using natural light is best in images, it is very difficult to schedule sessions during those "perfect daylight hours".. especially if you center your sessions towards children and choose to schedule them indoors. If you were blessed with a huge storm glass sliding door to do your sessions with, let me just tell you how lucky you really are. Natural light is absolutely beautiful in images. Not all of us are so lucky! I moved around a lot and now my studio is an extra room in the apartment with a window only 3'x3' and is behind a closet door. My pop-up flash was casting terribly harsh shadows on my clients. I searched everywhere for an external flash that would fit my budget and found one on sale for only $40. I LOVE it! I use it for all of my indoor sessions and all of my weddings.  YONGNUO Digital Speedlite YN560

As you can see, it makes a HUGE difference in my studio:

2.    Expandable Backdrop Stand- I purchased a backdrop stand that can fold up and I can carry in a bag for my location sessions. It can shrink to 5 ft tall for Newborn sessions or raise it to 10 ft tall for my taller clients. I also found this on eBay:  Adjustable Backdrop Support Stand

3.   Bean Bag for Newborns- I found mine at Meijer for only $15. If you have a larger budget, I highly recommend purchasing the Studio Poser and all of their supporting posing pillows. They have a ton of accessories that make Newborn Photography SO much easier!

4.   Laminate Flooring- I found at Lowe's for $38. This gave me a 4'x6' space with beautiful flooring to take photos. I just pushed it up against a tan wall and Voila! 

5.   Paper Roll- I found a paper roll at Norman's Camera for only $35. This gave me a seamless backdrop without any wrinkles that cloth backdrops leave for endless editing. I just stick it on my backdrop stand and roll out whatever I need. This especially worked for my Cake Smash Sessions for super easy clean up!

6.   1.8 Lens- Although my 1.8 lens was a little pricier because it's an 85mm, you can find a much cheaper one ($100-$150) if it is a 55mm. You can also find cheap lenses by looking on eBay or buying them second hand off of photographers looking to upgrade. My 1.8 is my go-to lens. I use it for ALL of my portrait sessions.

7.   Reflector- I use a reflector for all of my outdoor sessions. A lot of reflectors can serve for multiple uses. This 5in1 Reflector can be used to bounce a harsh light away from your client's face, bring gold or silver light onto a subject, or diffuse the light that is being too harsh on your subject. I bring mine to every outdoor session.

8.   Shutter Buddy- A Shutter Buddy can make a huge difference if you are doing Children's Photography. I purchased mine for only $12 at the Shutter Buddies store. They have a squeaker in them to catch a child's attention and make them smile. 

9.   Session Organizer- I have a very hard time organizing my sessions and client information. A fellow photographer referred me to Studio Cloud and although I have only used it for a week, I couldn't ask for anything better.. especially for FREE! I downloaded it to my Android Phone and Laptop (compatible with Mac or Windows). It allows me to keep my client's contact information, sessions, images, and birthdays/anniversaries in order so I can send out emails, invoices, confirmations, and birthday gift cards.

10.   Photo Editing Program- Photoshop is expensive! A friend of mine gave me a program that is a more concentrated version of Photoshop with useful tutorials. I use this program to edit all of my photos. You can find it here for only $19.99!

As you expand your business, you can expand your budget. You can always upgrade your equipment and sell your old props in Destash Sales to other photographers starting out. Happy shooting! (:

Stay tuned for "How to be a Self-Taught Photographer".