So you are looking to join the ranks of millions of people around the world that have caught the photography bug and not sure where to begin? Well here is a list of photography accessories that are essential to get you on the road to taking great photographs that you will want to show off to all your friends and family!

A Quality DSLR Camera

In order to take great pictures you will obviously need that nifty little gadget that actually takes the picture. A good quality DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera is the foundation of a quality photography toolkit. It will be the thing that you use the most so make sure you buy one that is sturdy, durable and suits your photography needs.

While any DSLR camera body will take pictures, some are optimally designed for certain types of photography such as landscape, portrait or sports for example. So when you are looking for a DSLR camera it is a good idea to know what type of photography you will be primarily taking so that your camera is best suited for the job! A few great places to shop for DSLR cameras are Amazon.com, Adorama or B&H Photo.

A Good Sturdy Tripod

While you may like using the old fashioned two-handed method when taking pictures, there will be times when you will need something more that can keep your camera incredibly still in order to get a sharp and clear picture. A tripod is an essential photography accessory because it allows photographers a lot of versatility. If you ever plan on taking "milky" pictures of waterfalls or rivers or want to try your hand at night photography then a tripod is something you will certainly need. You can get a really good one for a fair price at B&H, Adorama or Amazon. .

A Team of Lenses

I am not here to tell you that you have to have lenses in your photography arsenal, that's a given. What I want you to be aware of is the core group of lenses that you will likely need to get the kind of shots you want when you are out in the field. Here they are in no particular order:

• Telephoto Zoom Lens - Telephoto zoom lenses are great for bird and wildlife photography because they allow you to be far away from your subject and still get an up close and personal photograph. Depending on the range of zoom, telephoto lenses can get very expensive. Currently, I use the Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 Telephoto Zoom Lens - you can buy it here, here or here. This lens offers a great value compared to the Nikon and Canon wide range telephoto lenses and I have been very pleased with the results.

• Macro Lens - Macro lenses (or Micro if dealing with Nikon) are ideal for up-close photography pictures of flowers, bugs or anything else that may be smaller in nature. These lenses are mainly prime lenses so they do not offer zoom capabilities. However, having one of these macro lenses in your camera bag is essential because it opens up a whole new world of photographic possibilities that other lenses can't deliver on.

• Wide-Angle Lens - Wide-Angle Lenses, much like the macro/micro lenses, are specialty lenses that serve a specific purpose. Wide-Angle lenses will allow you to get much more of the scene in the photograph in comparison to other lenses. These come in handy when you are shooting in the slot canyons of Antelope Canyon or any place where you really want to show the depth of field in a dramatic way.

These lenses are by no means all you will ever need, but I personally use these three lenses for about 80-90% of all my photographs. Trust me, you won't want to be on vacation and realize that they shot of a lifetime can't be taken because you don't have the right lens that will allow you get the photograph you want. With these three lenses in your camera bag you will greatly reduce the chances of that ever happening.

A Reliable Camera Bag

If you are going to spend thousands of dollars (and trust me you will) on camera equipment, then shouldn't you invest some money into protecting all that equipment as well? For this reason I recommend buying a heavier duty camera bag that will allow you to safely keep your camera, lenses, filters, batteries and everything else you want to lug around with you. I use the Think Tank - Street Walker (find it here and here) and am incredibly happy with how durable it is and how much it allows me to take with me into the field. I would highly recommend the Think Tank - Street Walker to anybody, but you can get whatever one you prefer.

An Extra Battery/Batteries and Memory Card

This may seem a little silly to have to mention, but the last thing you want to happen is to be in front of that beautiful bald eagle that just rested upon the perfect spot in the perfect light and have either your batteries run out or your memory card fail on you. Having extra batteries and memory cards is vital to ensure that you don't waste a great photo-op because one of these little guys decided to take a dive at the wrong time. Trust me - buy extra and your chances of meeting Murphy and his law will greatly diminish.

While this list of Essential Photography Equipment and Accessories is by no means intended to be all inclusive, it will give you a great start to your photography toolbox and will go a long way in helping you to go out and do what you really want to do - take great pictures.