I would recommend that most people invest in a mirrorless camera system. I would not recommend starting with the Nikon FM2 that I first started my professional career shooting.
The market is very different when you ask me in my career what I would recommend. With that said, there are core things that do not change.
Cut Expenses
Start with essential gear. You don’t need the top-end model camera. Today’s most basic camera will do just about all you need. The only thing I would think a little about is if you are doing photography and video, you would want to go with a camera with headphones and microphone jacks.
Food, Shelter & Transportation are needs, but if you are not careful, you can live beyond your means. Remember you are starting out, so keep all these to the bare minimum. Drive a cheap car, get a roommate and eat as much as possible at home.
Know what everything costs. You need to know precisely what you need to meet your bills. I like to budget by the month. I know exactly what I need to pay for my monthly expenses. This is your budget, but you must also know your business budget. To get these numbers, NPPA has an excellent Cost of Doing Business Calculator. Here is that link: https://nppa.org/calculator. There are little “i” in a circle on each item. Click on that to learn more about each item.
Gear
- Camera
- 2 lenses
- 5 in 1 reflector
- Hot Shoe flash, Light Stand and umbrella
- Memory Cards, batteries
- Computer and Lightroom
You don’t need a lot. I would probably recommend having a second camera. This is more for backup than anything else. The rule is always to have two cameras for any job that cannot be rescheduled.
You need an essential website. I recommend WordPress. I have it hosted with Godaddy. Create a domain name. Use this with your email address as well.
Get a business card. I would have your name, phone number, email, and website domain name on the card.
Find your niche. I would start with headshots and family photos. You need very little gear, and your network already exists.
Too many go-after niches that require a lot of gear. Sport is a great example. To compete in this area, you need expensive telephoto lenses. The downside is the going rates for sports are one of the lowest in the industry.
Don’t try and market yourself for everything, but if someone calls, then take the job. Just don’t overreach. Start small and realize you must spend most of your time cold calling.