What kind of equipment do I need to take a professional photo and how do I take a professional photo?

Question by operajester:

What kind of equipment do I need to take a professional photo and how do I take a professional photo?

I am wondering what kind of equipment I will need to take a professional looking photo and not one that looks like your everyday medioker photo? I am going to take a photo of a bride and a bridesmaid and I want it to look like it is a professional photo and not like your everyday type of photo.
I will be taking the photo for a city fair photography contest. The rule states that I have to take it myself and cannot submit a photo taken be someone else and submit it as my own. Does anyone have any tips to make it look professional? I have an old nikon nt4 camera and will be using black and with film. The photo will be taken indoors and the subjects will be standing in front of a grey muslin back drop. No sarcasm please. This is a serious matter and sarcasm will be reported to yahoo. Thank you!!!




Best answer:

Answer by David
I am pure amateur photographer. But ONE THING I notice about pro photos, there is NO SHADOWS anywhere in the picture. They do this by using little reflective umbrellas that a strobe light flashes into, and then the light bounces back from the inside of the umbrella, toward the person being photographed. They put these umbrellas all around the people being photographed so the photos look amazingly wonderful.

Hope this helps.

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