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it has been a little while since my last faq'z post & lately i have been getting quite a lot of similar questions asked in regards to good camera & lens suggestions... so i that i thought it may be beneficial to some of you out there, too! having a great camera can change the way you look at life for the better,,,that's for sure!

below are a few of the questions & answers. please keep in mind that i am in no way, shape or form the end-all to the end-all!!! my answers are simply based off of my own experiences & preferences. there truly are SO many amazing pieces of technology out there,,, this is just meant to be suggestions & maybe help you narrow it down to a few choices!



Q from H :
what kind of camera do you suggest a person like myself should get? =) I would really like to start doing some photography stuff but I don't know what type of camera to get...any suggestions??? ?

A from Ksen :

as for a good camera to start out with, i would suggest the Canon 50D. lens wise i would suggest you start off with a great Canon 50mm 1.4 prime lens. it is priced well considering how much use & versatility you will get with it!

there is also a Canon 50D camera kit that comes with a lens. however, the only thing is that i feel that the lens that usually comes with a kit is not that great. when it comes down to it, having a great lens is, in my opinion, essential.

lastly, if you are interested in purchasing a smaller, on-the-go type of camera that creates great quality photos, i highly recommend the Panasonic Lumix . i personally own it & L OV E it for an awesome little camera that packs a whole lot of PUNCH!

Q from L. :
what are your lens must haves?

A from Ksen :
that is a super hard question because i absolutely looooooove all my lenses!!! i think for anyone who is just starting out, as i mentioned above, the Canon 50mm 1.4 prime lens is a great classic lens. i also superlove the Canon 85mm 1.2 (delish!). this is a prime lens (which i prefer) & takes a bit of practice & getting used to,,, however once you do, it is ah!MAZING! tack sharp images with a softly blurred background. another fave is my Canon 24mm 1.4 -- a wide angle lens that allows me to get really close to my subject but still have a lot of the background in the image. couples, kids, animals & groups of people are fun to shoot with this lens, as well as architecture. some may find this lens to be too 'wide' -- but that is exactly what i HEART about it. in general the Canon 24-70 2.8 is also a great lens because it gives you quite a lot of versatility, as well as a low enough aperture to capture things with natural light. i could go on & on about so many great lenses... like the Canon 45 T/S, 35mm 1.4, 50mm 1.2, 70-200, 16-35, however i feel the ones mentioned above i feel are particularly great if you are just starting out. it is also a really great idea to rent out a lens & test out before you purchase it!

Q from K. :
where do you suggest i purchase the camera and/or lens from?

A from Ksen :
i personally have purchased the majority of my equipment online from B&H -- they have been wonderful with great customer service! i have also had fabulous service from the Ritz Camera in Somerset Mall in Troy.

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a most happy "wednesday's whimsy" to you!
lately, more than ever, i have been receiving many emails with questions regarding photography. as my inbox grows, & the time in my day does not, i thought to create a 'frequently asked questions' post in hopes of answering questions that get asked often. i also want to give a big HUGE 'thanks SOOO much' for those who have emailed & appreciate my work!! your support & encouragement truly means so much.

on that note, i also would like to say that i most certainly am not, nor will ever be, the guru of photography. ha! far from it! the answers below are a mere reflection of what i have experienced & how i have done things. i know i sure wish i had been able to ask more questions & have some answers when i first got started,,, so if it helps someone just an itty bit, than my heart is happy!


and with that said, here we go!


Q from Lisa :
i have been practicing photography for a while now & am curious as to what you would suggest as to how to take it to the next level?

A from Ksen :
in my opinion, #1... keep doing what you are doing by constantly taking photographs! shoot, shoot, shoot! i feel that one of the best things about being in the photography world is that you are, & will always be, learning. there are sooo many things to keep you motivated & pushing yourself to be the best you can be. definitely don't ever get discouraged and just keep shooting, experimenting & practicing! another idea is to find a photographer that you can intern and/or work with, as well. when i was in college, i opened up the yellow pages & called every photographer in my area. i ended up working for a couple of them & although their styles were different from mine, i learned something incredibly valuable from each of them.

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Q from Sheena :
Ksen - I don't remember quite how I found your blog, but I subscribe to it and watch you as a fellow photographer. I was curious if you used any filters / special techniques for the bright colors in your photographs. I love your work!

A from Ksen :
thank you! as for how i get the bright colors in my photographs, i actually just push the 'S' curve a bit to give everything more pop. i do not use any filters for it. i also loooove to shoot raw & wide open with prime lenses which helps me achieve the richest color tones!

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Q from Laura :
do you think it is a good idea to enroll in photography classes at night?

A from Ksen :
yes! taking a class that sounds interesting to you can never ever hurt. the first thing that came to mind is just enrolling in a photography class at a local Community College. College photography classes are such a great way to dig in & get a ton of questions answered, all awhile learning so much. definitely do not stop shooting & learning by experience, as well. however, along the way you might find that some questions come up that you need help answering, which is where a class would be incredibly helpful. even just one!

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Q from Ann :
The reason I'm contacting you is I'm an inspiring photographer and just recently booked my first wedding shoot and a few e-sessions and I was wondering if you could give me a few pointers. Your E-sessions look so fun and relaxed. You do such a great job capturing the couple for who they are. What's your secret? How do you make them feel so comfortable, relaxed, full of life in front of the camera and not so cold and clammy because they have this big black thing pointing at them. Also if you don't mind me asking, what type of lenses do you use most frequently during your e-sessions and at weddings? I know your very busy but any answers you could provide would be oh so awesome. Its hard to find a photographer who is willing to provide advice to those just starting out.

A from Ksen :
CONGRATS on booking your first wedding, for having already done some e-sessions & for being an inspiring photographer! i think that is just awesome. as for how i make my esessions look so fun & relaxed,,, it is important to me to get to know my clients & HAVE FUN when we are shooting! depending on their comfort level, i keep things moving & very spontaneous so that they don't get bored. as for the lenses i most frequently use --- oh goodness! i will try to narrow it down to the ones i love, love the most most!... i LOVE my Canon 85 1.2 & 24 1.4 -- these two are especially great for portraiture. they also happen to be prime lenses which i tend to prefer (ie. one focal length, no zoom). if you are looking for a good starter lens, the Canon 24-70 is a awesome overall standard lens!

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Q from Katie :
I have decided to get back into photography and eventually try do it professionally for families, children, weddings, and maternity pics. Currently I own a Nikon D40 and a couple lenses. I want to have the basic equipment, I need to build a portfolio and make a website, but I am not sure what would be the smartest purchases to start off with? I know I need a good flash and a photo editing program....do you have any suggestions for such purchases and/or any additional suggestions or advice for starting out?

A from Ksen :
i am not as familiar with Nikon as i am with Canon, however my first thought is to be sure that you have good equipment & a good editing program to start. when i say 'good equipment' i mean starting off with some strong basics such as a high-quality camera body, lens, & flash -- as well as a good bag/case for it all! next would be a solid editing program of which i would suggest Lightroom or Aperture. i actually started off with Aperture & then switched to Lightroom because it matched my editing style more comfortably. both are great & you can download free trials off of the internet! as for any additional advice on starting out,,, the first thing that comes to mind is to make sure you take the time to check out & research the 'business' part of the job. running a photography business is a lot harder & more time consuming than most realize (unless of course you are a photographer ). it is, in my opinion, allll worth it, however i have seen many times people who start their business not fully understanding all the different managerial & business aspects involved,,, outside of the fun of actually taking the photographs & editing. definitely take the time to look into every single aspect!




i hope that all helps a little! if you have any more questions, feel free to leave it in the comment box below.

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