New photographer

[Cenobitez]

There is a chap on here Steve I think (my f'ing memory is screwed) who I think posts as StudioMK who is based in Milton Keynes he maybe a good start as I believe he does Group Shoot days which are a good and inexpensive intro.

[sparky]

The camera is not everything. I had (still have but now never use) a Pentax Super A body and various lens, flash etc. that cost in total several hundred pounds.

Some will cringe but I now have a Ricoh R1V 5MP compact that was around ?40 off eBay. The flash is limited for anything indoors that is not very good daylight but I prefer locations shoots.

I would rather spend the money on shoots than a digital SLR I would only use very occasionally.

To start you just need to book experienced models, maybe who work from home so saving studio and travel expenses, and explain you are new so will be relying on them to pose for you rather than instructing them.
When you look at the photos afterwards you will realise how you need to position yourself and ask the model to pose to get the styles of photograph you want.

[Cenobitez]

Camera wise you need ?250 entry level SLR with Kit Lens Canon Refurb, Like this and you got a good basis right there, for another ?100 you can add extras Canon 3 Lens+Grip, lighting wise ?250 for a portable studio kit all in Portaflash Kit, all your missing is an on camera flash, which your looking around ?50 second hand for a Jessops 360AFD and your fully kitted out for ?700. All you really need to get you started with using studios and such is the Camera, Lens and On Camera Flash so ?300-450 depending on your choices.

So its not too bad.

Once you get seriously into it, you start blowing 3k on a body, and 2k on a lense, ?500 on a flash heh.

[Fieldy]

Thanks once again boys, for all your advice.

[justickleme]

How did you get on Fieldy? Made any arrangements?

[Daz Savage]

If you need any help in how to make a living out of this then I have written a step-by step mini-guide that has been used by several people before. It's not definitive,.. yet, but it covers what to buy and why, how to get models, how to learn from them and how to teach. How to build sites and how to market them.
Then all you need is 25 hours in every bloody day to do all the damn work! !grin!
email me through the admin on my signature site and I'll send one to you.
Daz.

[Daz Savage]

Actually, be better if you just ask for it here and I'll send the guide.
The admin mailbox can sometimes get full and I wouldn't want your request to get lost in the post.

Regards,
Daz.