Help me spend some money!!!!

W00DY

I have just started up my own photography business specialising in child portraits, family portraits and weddings. The hardest thing I am finding is where to spend money. :rofl

I have setup my website (follanphotography) and printed some business cards, I know these alone wont get me any jobs but it is a good place to start so I can point people in my direction. I have a few other marketing plans in place which won't cost too much money.

So, where to now? Do I spend money on advertising or equipment? Obviously if it is on equipment there will still be some advertising, just more word of mouth.

Here is my equipment list at the moment:

Nikon D70
Nikon 50mm 1.4
Tokina 12-24
Nikon 24-120 VR
Nikon SB800 (x2)

Now before I go on, I am very aware that the equipment does not make the photographer... however I also believe it helps

I would like to purchase a Nikon D200 to replace the D70, I find the D70 has a few short comings when it comes to paying jobs, ie: where the room for error is much less.

I would also like to get a professional portrait lens. I know the 50mm is a great lens but again sometimes has some limitations. I have been looking at the 85mm 1.4 but then should I go a zoom to give me a bit more versatility? or do I stick with the primes?

I am also not sure if I should go down the portable lighting track?

What would you recommend?

Sorry for the long post but this is something I am dedicating myself too so would really appreciate some guidance from the pros that have "been there, done that"

Cheers,
Andrew

W00DY

Hmmm, every one most think I should save my money

Art Scott

to start with how much can you afford to spend right now???
With out knowing your budget and the equipment you already have it is hard to give good advice.......so here we go.....

To start with what do you have for backgrounds???......I would try to split my money for 2 studio strobes (alien bees or if money is truly limited [like my typing] britek a couple of 36 to 60 inch umbrellas {I prefer gold umbrellas to warm the shots}....your camera and lenses are good enuff to start with, I have done tons of weddings and portraits with a 70-210 2.8 lens.....so just work with what you have in lenses and camera......advertising....well...go to nearest office max/depot get a few thousnad flyers and go to all the baby clothing stores and baby furniture stores, hairdressers, nail salons...any where women spend money on themselves or kids and see if you can leave the flyers and business cards.....naje sure you ahve refillable holders for both the flyers and b-cards, looks more pro.........oh yes....... most all churches have a public bulletin board...ask to post some there....health food stores also...maybe do a special promo shoot at a church or health food store or park.....no need to spend big bucks on news paper ads and such.....if you can afford a business phone line that would be a big plus as the add would be there for possible cleints to see.....look for internet photo listings for your area.....do a google for "PHOTOGRAPHERS {IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS}".......i found several places I can list my services by doing a google for wichita photographers and photographers wichita ks.....it also showed me who I was competing with on the net......

I do use camera strobes {sunpak 622's) for portrait work also...but they put out almost as much light as my studio strobes........

W00DY

Art Scott wrote:

to start with how much can you afford to spend right now???

Depending on what I decide to buy... but probably about $2k - $3k

Art Scott wrote:

With out knowing the equipment you already have it is hard to give good advice

All the equipment I have is listed in my original post (excluding little things like CF Cards etc...)

Art Scott wrote:

To start with what do you have for backgrounds???......I would try to split my money for 2 studio strobes (alien bees or if money is truly limited [like my typing] britek a couple of 36 to 60 inch umbrellas {I prefer gold umbrellas to warm the shots}....

This is good info if I decide to go down the lighting path, I think initially I will try use natural light as I will not be in a studio or someone's home all the time

Art Scott wrote:

your camera and lenses are good enuff to start with, I have done tons of weddings and portraits with a 70-210 2.8 lens.....so just work with what you have in lenses and camera

This is where I was looking for the most advise, lenses... I have gotten a lot of good shots from the 50 and the 24-120 but I am not sure if they are professional enough cameras. I think I need to incest in a 2.3 lens? Your thoughts?

Art Scott wrote:

......advertising....well...go to nearest office max/depot get a few thousnad flyers and go to all the baby clothing stores and baby furniture stores, hairdressers, nail salons...any where women spend money on themselves or kids and see if you can leave the flyers and business cards.....naje sure you ahve refillable holders for both the flyers and b-cards, looks more pro.........oh yes....... most all churches have a public bulletin board...ask to post some there....health food stores also...maybe do a special promo shoot at a church or health food store or park.....no need to spend big bucks on news paper ads and such.....if you can afford a business phone line that would be a big plus as the add would be there for possible cleints to see.....look for internet photo listings for your area.....do a google for "PHOTOGRAPHERS {IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS}".......i found several places I can list my services by doing a google for wichita photographers and photographers wichita ks.....it also showed me who I was competing with on the net......

Some good ideas there, some I have already started on . When I was referring to advertising I meant is it worth spending $700 on a months advertising in a very popular magazine or should I put the money towards equipment and then stick to the cheaper advertising path?

Thanks for your input Art, I appreciate the time you put into replying. I would still love some more direction form those that have been in this situation in regards to equipment v's advertising... obviously without advertising the equipment is useless. But with advertising I would then need the better equipment to get the results I need.

???

Cheers

jonh68

If you are shooting mainly portraits, the fuji s5 pro. It is a D200 body and uses nikon lenses, but has a fuji sensor. It is rated better for portraits.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/fuji/s5.htm

nipprdog

jonh68 wrote:

It is rated better for portraits.

by anyone other than ken?

bham

Art Scott wrote:

I do use camera strobes {sunpak 622's) for portrait work also...but they put out almost as much light as my studio strobes........

I am about to get a 622. They stopped making the 544. I have a few of those and they are aging and one is now not always firing.

Not sure if you would know but are they similar, what is improved on the 622 over the 544.

I use the 544 on a strobframe for alot of stuff. With the right battery pack it recharges very quickly and that is what I wanted and needed.

bham

W00DY wrote:

I have just started up my own photography business specialising in child portraits, family portraits and weddings. The hardest thing I am finding is where to spend money.

I have setup my website (follanphotography) and printed some business cards, I know these alone wont get me any jobs but it is a good place to start so I can point people in my direction. I have a few other marketing plans in place which won't cost too much money.

So, where to now? Do I spend money on advertising or equipment? Obviously if it is on equipment there will still be some advertising, just more word of mouth.

Here is my equipment list at the moment:

Nikon D70
Nikon 50mm 1.4
Tokina 12-24
Nikon 24-120 VR
Nikon SB800 (x2)

Now before I go on, I am very aware that the equipment does not make the photographer... however I also believe it helps

I would like to purchase a Nikon D200 to replace the D70, I find the D70 has a few short comings when it comes to paying jobs, ie: where the room for error is much less.

I would also like to get a professional portrait lens. I know the 50mm is a great lens but again sometimes has some limitations. I have been looking at the 85mm 1.4 but then should I go a zoom to give me a bit more versatility? or do I stick with the primes?

I am also not sure if I should go down the portable lighting track?

What would you recommend?

Sorry for the long post but this is something I am dedicating myself too so would really appreciate some guidance from the pros that have "been there, done that"

Cheers,
Andrew

The thing that I think should be your first purchase is a stroboframe or a similar camera or flash flip. So when shooting vertically the flash is above the center of the lens.

If you are just using regular batteries in the flash I would sure think twice about someway to get external power to them. I an not a nikon user and don't know about if that is possible for your flash. But it sure comes in handy at a wedding reception to be able to fire of frame after frame after frame with a flash and at ISO 100 and have little to no recycling time.

jonh68

nipprdog wrote:

by anyone other than ken?

I take that as a comment in jest, but the fuji is made with portrait photogs in mind and it gets high marks in portraits, but little else.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/digital-cameras/review/2007/04/30/Fujifilm-S5-Pro/p1

Halliday

Definatly get a 2nd body.
I don't Nikon lenses, is that 24-120 a 2.8 lens? If not, get one. I'd keep the setup around kids a simple as possible so the wireless Speedlights in softboxes may work out nice.

I'd throw the money at good, targeted advertising.

W00DY

Thanks all for the replies, sorry I have not had time to get back to this thread earlier.

Well I made the decision to buy a Fuji S5 pro and the nikon 85mm 1.4. This is an amazing combination for portraits, I'll post some examples tomorrow as I have a session in the morning.

The Fuji will take a little getting used to (especially expsosing for the shadows ) but it will pay itself off I think

Cheers.