For photographers: Renting gear

Photography

March 7, 2012

There are lots of decisions that go into running a photography business…one of the big ones will always be: Where should I invest my money? This is an incredibly personal choice that will be different for every photographer, but for me, dollars spent on branding and the experience you get as my client are worth twice what I could spend on gear. Don’t get me wrong…expensive professional gear is also incredibly important and necessary. But it would be even harder to attract great clients who would trust me to use all that gear without a great experience and web presence! As a newer photographer, I put a LOT of thought on where I get the biggest bang for my buck, and at this time, it just makes sense for me to rent L series glass while I spoil my clients and save up to finish up my own bag.

All of that being said, I’ve tried a few different lens rental companies, and by far my favorite is Borrow Lenses! They offer lots of choices in gear, their prices are very reasonable, and they have AMAZING customer service! Example: My bank decided not to update my address in their system and caused my order to not ship in time for me to get two day shipping….the customer service people at Borrow Lenses apologized for my BANK’S mistake and offered to overnight the gear to me for FREE!!  The gear is always in great shape and ships with a lens hood and a UV filter. As soon as you get it, you’re ready to go off shooting! When it’s time to ship it back, you just stick it back in the box it came in and use the pre-paid shipping label they sent with the lenses and leave it at a Fedex drop off location. So simple!!!

Usually when I rent a lens I try to have it delivered at least two days before the wedding so that if there’s an issue with the shipment, it doesn’t get delivered, or the glass is somehow damaged/defective when it arrives I still have time to make sure I have what I need before the wedding. I would definitely recommend that if you plan on renting things to use at weddings, you make sure you have some type of backup plan!

Another reason I love to rent glass is that I get to play with lots of different types!! I have been experimenting a lot and figuring out what works best for me without committing to a big ticket purchase I might decide I don’t need. This way when I’m ready to invest in something, I will be able to choose with confidence! Even if you are not renting equipment to use at events, I would still suggest you rent a lens to try it out before you buy it! Just to see if you like it and if it fits your shooting style!

PSSSSSSST….I was not paid to say how awesome Borrow Lenses is and the review is my own opinion.

Leave a Comment

  1. Stephen says:

    Good stuff! Great read.

  2. Abby Grace says:

    I love BorrowLenses.com! Their customer service is bangin- I once got a discount for being awesome, no joke. Love love love them!

  3. Maria says:

    All my photog friends really seem to like Borrow Lenses. One of these days I’ll finally bite the bullet and check them out before I upgrade my lens from the plain ol’ starter one I got.

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