I want to do school-related event pictures and need equipment and lens recommendations!

[Rodger]

My wife says so, too. She thinks I need to do Sr. portraits, since that kind of work is easier to break into than the contracted and pre-planned (by the school admins, usually) event photography. When you say "out the wazoo", what are we talking about here? Keep in mind I am trying to get my feet wet and am trying to build a client base, and would need to charge accordingly for now.

Sorry, I should have been more specific. Some familys will pay big bucks for senior portraits. The going rate around here (Pittsburgh, PA) is about a $200-$350 package wich includes the sitting and a couple prints. I chose to go lower (as a rookie to Sr. portraits). I went with a $50 sitting fee and upped the prices of prints and let the clients build their own packages with CDs email resolution service, etc. Being constrained by a highschool student's schedule of school and a part time job, I've managed to shoot 12 sittings. For me, that's a garunteed $600. If you charge even $150 as a minimum for a package, and take up my humble 12 sittings, you'd earn 1,800. You'd probably be able to take more sittings and charge more though.

Don't know anybody with a Canon body. All my friends shoot Nikon.

Ahh, nothing you can do there I guess. Yeah, I too feel more comfortable using my own gear. Quite understandable!

Why do you not recommend continuous lighting? I am not aware of why you would or would not want to have this. My only awareness of lighting is a flash like a 430 or 580EX, and I have borrowed a Gary Fong LightSphere modifier, which gave me some good results while I had it.

Continuous lights get HOTT in confined areas. Small strobes like the 430EXII or 580EXII are alot more portable also. Battery powered is also quite nice.(Alien Bee flashes are AC powered however). With batteries, you can go pretty much anywhere. I'm not too knowledgable in the continuous lighting realm (and I'm only competent in the flash world haha) but for my purposes, with my budget, a begginers off camera flash setup worked fine for me. I think it would for you also.

If I got a 50, it would be the f/1.4 version, I think. Actually, since the 24-70 zooms, I think I would be better off with that to start.

Makes sense. I'm holding off on a 50 1.4 until I get a 24-70 as well.


Everyone here has great advice, everyone just has different past expiriences and style that play into what advice they give. I'm sure you'll be more than fine following the advice of Peety or Dallas!


-Rodger