There are many other tools besides a camera you will need for doing professional photography.
Professional photography tools are categorized in to two divisions: studio photography equipment and location photography equipment. Most of these tools are specifically designed for either location photography purposes or studio photography purposes, but some can be used for both. These tools consists of the camera itself, several types of lens, stands, light meters, strobe lights, umbrellas, light boxes and other photography accessories.
Camera Lenses
The two types of camera lenses are the prime lens --- also called a fixed focal lens --- and the zoom lens. The prime lens has a single focal length. The zoom lenses have a wide range of different focal lengths that are all available in a single lens. Shooting with a zoom lens enables the photographer to shoot both longer and wider focal lengths. The zoom lenses are convenient since the photographer does not need to switch lenses during a shoot. Different kinds of these two types of lenses include wide angle, macro and telephoto lens.
Photographic Lighting Sources
Photographers use lighting sources because the amount of light will determine the resolution and the quality of the pictures. The four types of lighting sources are natural light, also called direct light; reflected light; diffused light; and artificial light. Artificial light includes lighting that comes from the camera's flash.
In professional photography, the different lighting sources come from strobe lights and flash tools. Bare bulbs, small reflectors, wide angle reflectors, large reflectors, umbrellas, light boxes, grid spots, trip and ring lights, optical spots, and pencil lights are some of the lighting tools used in professional photography.
Century Stand
Century, or "C," stands are lighting stands used to hold up different light controlling devices including clamps, scrims, flags, mirrors and reflectors. The C stand can also be used as a holding device for lights. One advantage of C stands over other lighting stands is their ability to be placed beside each other in a small space. This is due to the different height positions of the stand's legs. The photographer can place several C stands right beside each other.
Umbrellas
Umbrellas create softer and warmer lighting for a subject. Umbrellas also allow the photographer to have more control over the lighting. Umbrellas are somewhat inexpensive, and they come in different types that are most commonly used in professional portrait photography. The classic umbrella is built with a reflective inner lining used to create a diffused light effect. The translucent umbrella either allows some light through or it reflects the light.
Light Boxes
Light boxes are mounted on light heads and come in rectangular boxes with their heads pointing directly towards the front. The insides of these boxes are generally white including an inner panel as well as a front panel for light diffusion. Once the light passes through the box, it bounces around the interior and is then diffused by the inner panel. Once diffused by the inner panel, the light will bounce around again and will be again diffused by the front baffle; this causes the light to come out soft.
Tags: inner panel, also called, beside each, beside each other, diffused inner, diffused inner panel
