Below is the equipment I carry with me to each shoot and the software I am competent in using.

Canon EOS 550D

Great compact camera that isn't too heavy, and can take high quality films and stills.  Often includes the 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens which is perfect for everyday photography (or for those trying photography for the first time).  Retails for around £200-300.  

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens

This is a great little lens that I always use for close up shots, particularly to capture children.  This lens makes you work for the image but allows you to express your creativity.  There is no zoom or image stabilisation, you simply have a focussing ring and an automatic (AF) and manual (MF) switch.  Retails for around £80.

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III lens

This is a relatively small and light telephoto zoom lens, which I found great being little.  I don't use it regularly but it is particularly useful for capturing children, nature and objects from a distance.  Retails for around £100.

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens

Versatile, all purpose lens for portraits and landscapes.  Worth upgrading from the 18-55mm as the extra zoom comes in handy! This lens is brilliant for filming as the STM (stepping motor) is silent.  That being said, if you're just looking for a basic everyday lens, then the 18-55mm lens will suffice.  Retails for around £250-300.

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro lens

This is my newest lens and I love it! It takes beautiful wide-angle photographs in low light and can be used to capture clear, sharp shots both day and night.  It's relatively lightweight, so it is possible to take hand-held photographs if you don't own a tripod.  The only downside is the zoom is short.  Retails for around £280-350

Velbon Sherpa 600R Tripod

This is a second-hand tripod, that I purchased in Australia.  Since buying it, I have found it to be an essential piece of equipment for night photography or time-lapse filming.  I would recommend Investing in a good quality tripod that can support the weight of a DSLR camera (and various lenses).  If you live somewhere which rains regularly and is windy (like Wales) then this is an additional factor to take into account! This particular tripod weighs 2kg and can support up to 4kg with a max height of 166cm. Retails for around £85.

SD Cards

For my camera, I tend to buy 32-64GB Class 10 SDHC cards, to ensure I have enough space to capture a decent amount of footage (stills and film).  I would recommend carrying spare SD cards (and batteries) everywhere you go so you never miss an opportunity.

Software

Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Indesign and Final Cut Pro Video software.

And finally... my notebook

Over the past few years, I've kept a 'photography' diary.  Although DSLR's provide information about the photograph, I still like to write down details in my book.  Sometimes, I know prior to an event what I'm going to be capturing (i.e. cars, children etc) so I can spend some time thinking about what I hope to capture.  Other days are impromptu and so my notebook comes in handy to write down the location, person or event that has occurred.  That way, if I ever lose my photos, I always have a record of all the interesting people I've met and all the places I have been.

If you have any questions regarding photography, then please drop me a message on my contact page :)