5 Amazon Photography Products You Need
Don’t get me wrong, I dislike Amazon and big corporations as much as the next guy. But let’s be honest for a second, we’re all out here hustling and sometimes Amazon is all you can afford. Below I’ve listed 5 things I’ve purchased on Amazon that have really upped my photography game.
1. Backdrop Stand
Outdoor photography is all fun and games until the New England winter hits. The sun starts setting at 4pm and there’s either mud or inches to feet of snow on the ground. Doesn’t really make it easy to plan shoots around the weather and lighting, especially if you or your clients have a 9-5 job. Having a decent backdrop/stand is a great way to start building your own mini photography studio for the annoying winter months. It’s also fun to have in general so you can get a little more creative with your photoshoots.
2. Seamless Paper Roll
Another great purchase for anyone who wants to create a mini photography studio vibe! This one was reasonably priced so I purchased it for a gallery that my artist roommate and I hosted. I wanted to set up a little corner where our friends could take photos and hang out. Although I ended up using a bedsheet instead of the paper roll, I’m still really happy that I have it in my arsenal. It’ll be the perfect addition to any portrait photoshoot.
3. Studio Lights
Once again, a great purchase for a home photography studio setup! Lights were something that I put off buying for a while because I felt like there was no cheap option and since I don’t have a real studio space of my own, I would have to constantly take everything up and down when I wanted to use it. Since I was mostly doing outdoor shoots at the time, I didn’t think I needed them. BOY WAS I WRONG! Having these lights has literally changed my whole life! Ok that’s dramatic af but honestly I learned soooo much about my camera settings and studio lighting/setup because of these lights. Last winter I would make my roommates get dressed up, or even *attempt* self portraits, just as an excuse to play around with lighting. If I have any advice for a new photographer it’s that having good lighting is EVERYTHING when it comes to how the final image will come out. This is especially a good purchase if the room you shoot in doesn't get good/consistent natural light.
4. Canon 50mm Prime Lens
My first prime lens and also my favorite! I don’t have a 35mm yet so this is subject to change when I can finally afford to upgrade my camera body and lens! I got this bad boy when I first started getting paid for sessions. It was the first upgrade that really made me feel like I was a ~ professional ~
5. Meike 85mm Prime Lens
This was my next prime lens purchase! I decided on an 85 over a 35 for a few reasons. First was that I used an 85mm lens at the photo and video studio a friend from high school has. Noah is the best and I always learn something new every time I’m in his studio. I loved the challenge of composing an image with a much more zoomed lens that I was used to with my kit lens and 50mm. I loved the flexibility of my kit lens but I’ve truly grown so much as a photographer, especially studio photographer, once I started learning prime lenses’. The second reason I went with an 85 over 35 was simply the price. I definitely think I would get more use out of a 35 than I do with my 85 but I don’t regret buying it!
