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agree that the lens is going to be more important than the camera itself. my recommendation would be a DSLR that has at least 16 megapixels of resolution. Nikon is more cost/value effective than Canon, i just switched from Canon after 8 years due to cost. a Nikon D5200 is what i use now, it is just over $200 in great condition from MPB (my preferred site to buy from, usually a little cheaper than KEH but check both if you can). i highly recommend buying used, and from a reputable site such as MPB or KEH. i use a Nikon 35mm DX 35mm f1.8G which is around $125, but i would recommend a nicer one. this lens is prone to purple and green color fringing, which just means that around very bright/white spots of an image there will be a green and purple glow. i don't mind editing it out but for your needs, a nicer lens would be far better. skip the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6, this is the lens that came with the camera and is called a kit lens. it's fine for casual shooters but will not look professional. avoid using flash if possible, and never use the built-in flash. i say to avoid flash because it takes experience to use and diffuse it properly. i understand lightning can be very bad indoors, and recommend going outside in the shade to photograph people if you can. it's still handy to have a flash, but in my 8 years of shooting i've only ever personally used one for macro photography or professional high-budget portrait sessions with light stands and diffusing hoods and the whole shebang. a bundle to consider (used highest price, but anything in Excellent condition would be great for a school): Nikon D5200 camera body $209 https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/nikon-d5200 Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G IF-ED VR $329 https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/nikon-af-s-nikkor-70-300mm-f-4-5-5-6-g-if-ed-vr Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 EX DC OS HSM this covers a very similar range to the 18-55mm kit lens but lets in more light, allowing for the nice blurry backgrounds $289 https://www.mpb.com/en-us/product/sigma-17-50mm-f-2-8-ex-dc-os-hsm-nikon-fit Godox TT600 Nikon flash $65 https://a.co/d/00ytUNxz extra batteries for the Nikon https://a.co/d/0cXfGCdp USB-A SD card reader https://a.co/d/03xZkJaw or USB-C SD card reader https://a.co/d/0dvs6shj 2-3 32gb or 64gb SD cards. i would buy from BestBuy or another direct retailer, as opposed to Amazon, as Amazon has many microshops that sell cards and there is a history of fake cards. SD cards shot up in price early this year due to AI, and companies like Sandisk (major SD card manufacturer) dedicating its recourses to higher value memory like SSDs. i picked this example setup based on ease of use, durability, and quality. you won't get photos as nice as your professionals, but they will be great for parents, yearbook, social media, and are a huge step up from phone cameras or a beginner DSLR kit. The D5200 isn't the only great DSLR out there, but it is one i have experience with and can recommend. the 70-300mm lens will be good for photographing things that are further away, like sports, and is generally regarded as the best budget/beginner option. if this is not a concern you can skip it. the Sigma 17-50mm would be the primary lens to use. it can be used for wider group shots or zoomed in portraits, and the aperture of f2.8 means that the lens' blades open wide to let in a lot of light. this is great for indoors and is also the quality that makes professional photos look so distinctive. the Godox flash is a solid flash, i would say to try using whatever camera setup you get without it first though. it always helps to have at least 2 cards to minimize the risk of leaving without the card, or filling one up during an event. for reference, my first setup when i shot in high school was a Canon Rebel T6 16 megapixel camera with a Canon 85mm f1.8 lens, and i used it for everything (portraits, sports, events). i absolutely loved that 85mm f1.8 lens. even though i now shoot Nikon, i kept the lens in case i pick up another Canon DSLR down the line 😂 i'm very sentimental and definitely biased, but it produced gorgeous portraits for me. you just have to stand a bit far from people, so i would recommend something around 35 or 50mm instead. my photography/yearbook group had Nikon D3500 DSLRs. they're very similar to the D5200. the first number (3000 vs 5000) indicates the line, the 3000 cameras are the entry level series and the 5000 cameras are a tiny step up. the D3500 is 5 years newer than the D5200, but since the D5200 is meant to be a higher tier it has some features the D3500 doesn't. at the end of the day, they're both 24 megapixels, the D5200 is a little cheaper and a little better built. i'm glad to message you my high school portfolio if you'd like for reference, just don't want to share publicly.