What you need to get started!

Thinking about getting into Photography? Don't know where to start?

This is why we have compiled a list here of everything you might need to start taking great shots!

Starting with your camera, there is a wide range of models to choose from, but first you need to decide what kind of camera it is you want. We will be posting about all the different kinds of cameras later on, so for now we will be focusing on the accessories!

Let's start with memory cards.

What most people are not aware of is that there is more of a difference between the different memory cards than just how many GB they have. They are classed in 3 different category's, class 4, class 6 and class 10.

Class 4 memory cards are not able to save pictures of a very high quality, so they are mainly used for compact cameras and tend not to go over 32 GB in size and approx. 10MB/s speed.

Class 6 memory cards are substantially better with the quality they can save, going up to 32GB again, they can be used for advanced compacts, Bridges and even DSLR's. They are usually between 15-20MB/s in speed.

Class 10 Memory Cards are what you should use for Professional DSLR's, or other SLR's and other camera if you are planning on taking Videos with them. They are capable of saving the highest quality of pictures and have the highest speed, which is usually around 30MB/s, but can go up to 95MB/s with the professional ranges.

Of course there are different formats of SD Cards, for example micro SD or Flash memory cards. Micro SD cards are used in some compact cameras and have the same classing system as the full size SD Cards. Flash memory cards tend to be used in Professional SLR's like the Canon 5D. These are much more expensive than normal SD cards, but have a much better quality and longer life as well.

Moving on to Camera Bags.

Having a bag for your camera is more important than you might think. Most people buy a bag if they have a SLR camera, but think it's not necessary for compact cameras because they will just put them in their pocket or their handbag and then it's fine. But this is exactly the reason why you need to have a bag for the camera, because when you put a camera in your pocket, it comes in contact with dirt, lint or if it's in a handbag, there could be keys, or make-up, many thing that can scratch your camera, or even worse your lens, because the lens cover on any camera is not very sturdy and can be opened or broken very easily. And if this happens and you get something into your lens or sensor and scratch it, then you can pretty much buy a new camera straight away, because repairing a camera is expensive, sometimes more expensive than buying a new one.

Now let's talk about lenses.

The only cameras you might need extra lenses for are DSLR's or CSC's, but more about the camera types later.

There are different kinds of lenses, telephoto lenses, which are really just zoom lenses, there are wide angle lenses which let you take in more of a picture, and portrait lenses which can't zoom, but have a lower aperture, so you can focus on only one smaller area and blur out the rest of the picture.

Have you considered getting a tripod?

Depending on what kind of Photography you do, a tripod might be vital. No matter if it's Portrait photography, Landscape photography or long exposure, all of these you might not be able to do without a tripod, because holding the camera still enough for as long as it can take to get the right shot for these kinds of photography, might be hard for you to do, if not impossible.

There are different kinds of tripods, there are the full sized ones, which you can move in any direction and which will stay on any ground, but then there's also smaller ones, made specifically for compact cameras or smaller ones for the DSLR's that are easier to carry with you.

There are many other accessories that you could get with your camera, such as filters, cleaning products (which are very important and any photographer should always keep in their bag), flash guns, soft boxes and so on, but these are going to be explained in much more detail within the next few weeks, as will the ones we have mentioned above, only in a slightly more advanced manner.

So we hope we have answered all your initial questions, and if there is any that you still have, send us an email or just comment below or on facebook or twitter!