In photography class this week, one of my students wanted to discuss what a solid upgrade for a serious portrait photographer might entail. Here’s what we came up with for a Nikon user:
* Nikon D810 DSLR Camera (Body Only): A serious DSLR with full frame sensor and excellent low-light performance. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
* Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED: An excellent “walkabout lens” for everyday shooting and wider shots incorporating the subject’s environment. I use the Canon equivalent of this about 75% of the time on my DSLR. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
* Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm F/2.8G ED VR ll: This rugged telephoto lens is for when you’re farther away from the subject or you want to shoot in much tighter and with the pleasing effect of lens compression. I use the Canon equivalent of this lens a lot as a second lens when covering events. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
* Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm F/1.4G: It’s always useful to have a fast prime lens with a wide aperture to create beautiful portraits and background blur (bokeh). Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
* Nikon SB-910 AF Speedlight: Flashes are not merely for providing a fill light. The ability to add light to a scene means you can shape the light to create a mood that matches your own creative vision. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
* Nikon SU-800 Wireless Speedlight Commander Unit: You’ll need this as branch out in flash photography and want to have more control over your lighting setups. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
Gosh, what a fun shopping list! =] Additionally, if a photographer wanted to get into nice strobe kits at some point, this is the one I’ve been daydreaming about:
* Profoto D1 Air 500 w/s 2 monolight studio kit: This is a portable lighting solution with some serious power and solid construction. Order yours from B&H or Amazon.
Anyway, please let me know if you can think of anything else that a serious photographer might want to consider when upgrading their main portrait kit!
Finally, here are the Amazon Holiday Deals in Electronics and B&H Holiday Gifts & Deals pages to check daily for deals this season.
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