how I afford my photography gear | say hello to the 16-35 mm

Last weekend was a bit of a milestone for me, but perhaps not in the way you would expect. I didn’t log my highest sale or surpass a session goal – I spent money! I’m a thrifty girl, and I refuse to go into debt for, well, anything. Photography — whether it’s a hobby or a profession — is extremely expensive, and gear can run thousands and thousands of dollars. So, for me to bite the bullet and purchase a new lens is a fairly big deal. But of course I didn’t pay full price … what, you thought I paid full price?

Over the years I’ve managed to collect enough gear to run my business in a professional manner. I’m of the mindset that gear doesn’t make you a good photographer. Sure, it helps, but understanding the craft and all that goes into it, including light, composition, exposure, etc., is what makes a skilled photographer. But I also believe that buying the best quality is the way to go, so rather than purchasing an off-brand lens because it’s cheaper, I’ll wait and save, and save some more until I can afford the very best. So, I have a modest number of quality lenses that have taken me years to acquire. If people are interested in knowing what’s in my bag, I can write a more comprehensive post, but what I really want to talk about is how I afford my photography gear, and more specifically, my newest acquisition, which I have been coveting for ages and denying myself new shoes and trips to Homesense for … the Canon 16-35 mm L.

Before any big purchase I do my research. I rented this lens countless times over the years, and although I loved it, it didn’t make sense for me to buy it outright until I was sure I had place for it in my regular lens rotation. Renting helps you avoid costly mistakes. After reading how much other photographers loved the 24-70 mm, I thought for sure it would end up in my kit. But after renting it, I realized right away that it just wasn’t for me — it just didn’t fit my shooting style. The 16-35 mm, however, had me at hello.

I also rarely buy new. I have purchased only one L lens new — the 35 mm. I think I cried when I got home because it was just SO much money, but it has been a mainstay on my camera and a real workhorse for me. I like to use photographer buy and sell groups on Facebook to search for equipment, since it’s fairly easy to find out if the seller is reputable — the photography industry is pretty tight-knit and people know people. If the seller’s reputation as a business person and photographer is positive, I know I can probably trust their equipment. I also ask a ton of questions and make sure I receive verification that what I’m buying is the real deal (ie. I only purchase equipment when the box is included, etc.).

I also split the cost with my husband whenever possible. I’m pretty lucky that my husband is also a photographer (a less cool people photographer), since it means we share gear. Although our styles are a little different, we are usually good with sharing the cost of most items. Even if the 16-35 mm won’t get much use from him, I know down the line something will come along that he wants more than I do, and everything will come out even.

In this case the seller also had a Fuji X100 camera, which my husband has been lusting after, so we bundled the two items. In the end, this lens, which retails for about $1,800, plus Ontario’s lovely 15% HST tax, cost me $800. It is in mint condition and will hold its value over time. It completes me … as a photographer. I now have a variety of focal ranges covered and have another zoom lens among my primes.

Here are a few images I’ve previously made using the 16-35 mm:

I’m not sure what’s up with the Jerry McGuire references in this post, but yes, I do think it was one of Tom Cruise’s better movies. How do you save for big purchases? Do you wait or just go for it?

Wags,