You Don't Need Lots of Equipment to Start a Newborn Photography Business
I became plant based a few years ago and I now own 7 blenders.
One for smoothies. One for small amounts of herbs. One for soup. One for hummus. Sometimes I need to make a smoothie and pesto at the same time and it turns out that is a situation that requires specific equipment. They all have their uses and I regret none of them.
I am also a photographer. I have one camera.
The Only Reason to Own a Second Camera
The only situation in which a second camera would be genuinely useful to me is if my main camera failed during or just before a session. I do actually have an old Fujifilm sitting in a drawer that I could use in an emergency. I have not touched it since 2019.
That is the entire case for owning more than one camera as a newborn photographer. Not variety, not different lenses for different situations, not having a backup for creative reasons. Simply having something to reach for if the worst happens.
You Do Not Need Lots of Equipment to Start
This is one of the most common things that holds new photographers back. The belief that before they can start they need a full kit, multiple lenses, several camera bodies, a dedicated studio space, professional lighting, an extensive prop collection.
You do not.
I have spent more money on blenders than I have on cameras. My blenders each have a specific purpose that genuinely requires a different piece of equipment. My cameras do not. One camera, one lens, one consistent method. That is the Mabel & Møøse approach and it is the approach I teach.
Start With What You Need and Nothing More
The temptation when you are starting out is to keep buying equipment in the hope that the next purchase will be the thing that finally makes your images look the way you want them to. It almost never is.
The camera I recommend for newborn photography is the Fujifilm X-T3, X-T4 or X-T5 with a specific lens. That is it. Set it up correctly once and you barely need to touch the settings again. I have not changed mine in 6 years.
What will actually improve your images is not better equipment. It is a clearer method, a more consistent workflow and more practice with what you already have.
The Blender Exception
I want to be clear that I stand fully behind every one of my 7 blenders. Plant based cooking is a nuanced and equipment intensive pursuit and I have no regrets.
Newborn photography is different. One good camera, one good lens, one clear method. Everything else is a distraction from the work.
If you would like to learn the method, The Simple Six course walks you through exactly what equipment you need, how to set it up and how to use it to create beautiful consistent newborn photographs from the very first session.