Starting to do product shots, need pro advice

Hello all.

I'm an amature photographer with a 20D. Recently my bos has been asking me to do more and more photography for work. Which I love, but so far it's always been kind of ad hock.

We've gotten to the point where the company is going to buy some equipment. And I'm trying to figure out what our best plan would be.

We'll likely continue to use my camera so no need for a new camera any time soon.

What my boss mentioned was a possible photo box or a studio shooting table, possibly a backdrop sweep or something.

Primarily we will be shooting smallish products with the occasional shot of something a tad larger.

So does anyone have any suggestions for a decent 'cheap' starter kit for this kind of work? I currently have a 550ex and a 420ex, but I might still need new lights, some strobes or something, I'm not sure... just trying to work it all out now.

whatever we get it means more photography for me.

Smallish is t-shirts, phones and the like.

The final output is usualy web based, but occasionaly printed mail piece. We do advertizing, primarily online.

I have a 550ex and a 420ex... I'm considering an ST-E2 so both flashes can be off camera. I use omni bounces to softent he light a touch, but that's still not as flexible as I'd like.

We're thinking of one of those softbox contraptions that you can put things in but those limit the angles you can shoot from.

Long term I'd personaly like to grow our photography capabilities so as the company grows we can take on more work that requires it and I can personaly have oportunity to do more photography. So there's a bit of a selfish angle. ;} But it'd also be nice to have the company help buy equipment I can use. It's an expensive hobby I'm trying to turn into a paying portion of my job.

I could have the company buy their own camera. While it is nice of you to go ahead and use your camera what happens if during the course of shooting something for the company your camera is damaged? Is the company going to pay for the repairs or replacement of the equipment? What about any maintenance or service that you need to have done to the camera?

Just to be safe I would have the company purchase all of their own equipment.

I'm sure that eventualy we'll get a company camera, but for now we're a start up with a very close eye on budget. I'm more than happy to use my own camera. I'm the only one useing it so the ods of somethng happening are lower, but I think the boss would cover any expenses or repairs needed.

Get it in writing . . .