You’ve been checking out NYIP’s online photography classes for a while now and you’ve finally decided which one you’re interested in taking. Photography is something completely new to you but it’s a creative industry that fits your goals. You can see yourself becoming a professional photographer someday- maybe by opening your own portraiture studio or by shooting weddings and events for clients in your area.
Whatever your career goals are, you’re ready to take the first steps toward this exciting creative profession. But beyond enrolling yourself in photography school, you’re not quite sure what gear you really need in order to get started. There are tons of lenses, umbrellas, and lights photographers can buy when putting together a beginner’s photography studio. But this gear can get expensive and for now, you’re just looking to invest in the basic gear you will need in order to work your way through your course. Here’s an idea of some basics you can add to your back to school shopping list.
What Gear Do I Need For My NYIP Course?
To get the most out of any of NYIP’s photography classes, we recommend you invest in a camera with a manual mode.
The majority of our students use DSLR cameras while taking our courses. That being said, there are still a number of photography students who opt to work with smaller point and shoot cameras and still find great success. Regardless of what camera you choose, you will need to be able to adjust the aperture and shutter speed in order to complete all your photography projects.
At a minimum, a basic kit lens such as an 18-55mm can work for any one of our courses. Although having a slightly longer telephoto zoom lens can be helpful and fun to experiment with, it is not required or necessary to have in order to complete any projects.
What If I’m Taking NYIP’s Video Making and Storytelling Course?
Any of the above-mentioned cameras would also be sufficient for you to use in the Video Making and Storytelling course, as would a basic dedicated camcorder.
What Will I Need for NYIP’s Photoshop For Photographers Course?
If you decide to enroll in our Photoshop for Photographers course, we are assuming you already have a camera you’re working with to capture the images you’d like to learn how to post-produce and edit.
In addition to whatever camera you work with to capture your shots, you will need to purchase Adobe Photoshop. Currently, all NYIP students are eligible to save 15% on the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan. This discount would give you access to the Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom software you’ll need for the course for less than $10 per month. And of course, in order to take this course, you will also need a computer to run the software.
Do I Need a Computer or Laptop?
Technically, all you need in order to get started with NYIP’s photography courses is access to the internet, via any device. We do recommend that you have a computer. It makes processing and submitting your photos much easier. However, if you do not currently own a computer and don’t have the budget to buy one right now, if have another way of submitting your photos via your tablet or smartphone, you can complete the course on your mobile device.
Still feeling unprepared? Call 1-800-583-1736 to talk to one of our photography mentors. You can speak to the instructor who will teach your course, and ask him or her for specific advice on what gear you will need to help you succeed in the program.
