for some types of photography, having a specific camera and lens combo is actually important. if you’re shooting fast-moving subjects in a low-light scenario, then not just any kit will do. your best bet will be a full-frame camera, at least a sony a7 ii (probably the cheapest new camera you can buy in this category at the moment) or a canon 6d mark ii. and you’ll need a wide aperture lens. best to make sure you’ve got a nifty fifty handy, and if you have any 2.8 glass around, that will help.
on the other end of the spectrum, if you’re shooting landscapes and hope to print in large format, chances are you’re going to want to get your hands on a megapixel monster like the nikon d850, the canon 5ds, or the sony a7r ii or iii. and you’ll need impeccable glass to match or those megapixels will be wasted.
being that i have a penchant for landscape photography and do happen to shoot a lot of events, i operate with a hybrid system, with gear that works decently well for either of those scenarios.
but something i’m realizing lately is that having a good camera and lens - and knowing how to use it - is less than half the battle. especially as i dive into portraiture, i am finding out how much forethought and ingenuity is required to take a photo shoot to the next level. photos that i would be so stoked about a couple of years ago now seem basic to me. just having a model in a good pose, in a decent setting, and with great natural light isn’t enough to satiate me. i want more.
so tomorrow night, i’m heading out on a photo adventure that is going to push the envelope a bit. i’m bringing a speedlight with colored gels, an led light with a blue color diffuser gel, a can of smoke, a tripod, glow sticks, sparklers, and some other odds and ends, like a collinder and a shelf liner. those last two probably seem out of place on this list, but photography is all about light. whether the artistic choice involves accepting light and manipulating how a subject interacts with it, or controlling and shaping it to fit the theme and intent of the session, without the appropriate light there can be no photo.
the importance of lighting applies to all of the above scenarios. while it is crucial to have a certain tier of equipment if you want acceptable event or landscape photos, without the right lighting, you will probably just end up with high resolution garbage.