a thank you ... and some ???

[jkopp]

First off, I want to thank you guys. Awhile back, I came to these forums as a complete beginner. I was interested in photography and wanted to get into it. After some suggestions from you guys, I ended up buying a 350D w/18-55mm.

I'm now working as a full-time photographer doing real estate stills and 360 panoramas. It's not the most exciting photography but it gets me out there everyday. I'm having a blast with it. ... So thanks for the initial help.

Now, a few questions..

Lenses...i'm still a newb.

I'm usually always shooting at 18mm when doing my real estate tours. What's the best lense for this? I use a 430ex flash and I usually have plenty of light to work with.

"backup" camera. i'm going to need one sooner or later. I plan on doing more than just real estate photography in the future. Should i upgrade to something better than the 350D?

What's the next step up from the XTi?

I'm starting to advertise myself as a beginner photogapher that is willing to do small weddings/events at a low cost to get experience....

What kind of lenses should I have for this?

I have a modest budget to get the tools I need to be successful.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[KhronoS]

Well for panoramas and real estates photos you should try a wider lens the 18 mm... maybe a Sigma 10-22mm at 500 bucks or Canon 10-22mm at almost 700$... i know... quite expensive...

But i see you want another camera, more of a pro... well you can try a Canon 5D ( which has a full frame, and that means that the 18 mm of you current lens will become wider) or, something a little less expensive.. a Canon 40D...
About lenses for wedding photography... something excellent is a 70-200mm "L" f/2.8 which with IS costs 1700$ (very expensive) and without IS is around 1200$ (which again very expensive)... or a 70-200mm "L" f/4 which with IS is 1000 $ (expensive too)... but "L" type lenses are great... but expensive too..

Something less expensive it's a 50mm f/1.8 which is aroun 80-90$... but a good lens ... or/and a 85mm f/1.8 at 350$... but these are prime lenses..
For weddings generally are good some fast lenses... around f/2.8, because you eventually need to shoots indoors where flash isn't very useful and there is not that much of light to take some great sharp photos...

Anyway, if you need some other questions... feel free to ask... ohh.. and you will soon receive maybe some other recommendations then mine ...

Good luck

 

[confucious]

If you are looking to increase your equipment to enough to shoot a wedding as THE wedding photographer, I think you are in for a good chunk of dough. Especially if all you have is a kit lens and one flash.

Previous poster was right - a 10-22 2.8 would be good for starters, then maybe a decent fast zoom with stabilization. Two bodies wouldn't hurt, and then there are spare batteries, perhaps an extra flash, extra memory cards, and things I am probably not even thinking of.

Now - I notice you said you were a complete beginner when you came to these forums. I also noticed your join date is February of this year!! From beginner to wedding photographer in 2 months?? Ummmm....

In my books, despite the fact you work doing some real estate photog, you are still a beginner. I think perhaps starting weddings at such an early stage may be jumping the gun - people only get married once (okay, 2,3,4, and 5 times) in their lives and so want their photos to be PERFECT. That is a BIG responsibility on the technical side (light, posing etc), let alone the "people" aspect of things. Perhaps it would be best to start as an assistant to a pro, and then do small weddings etc.

Just a thought. Good luck regardless!

 

[jkopp]

I'm starting to advertise myself as a beginner photogapher that is willing to do small weddings/events at a low cost to get experience....

Do i need to explain this? :er:

 

[confucious]

You can explain anything you like, it won't change my advice.

I've been in photography longer than you, both recreational and product photography, and I still think I have a long way to go before I even approach a wedding or a comparably significant event.

It was not even one month ago that you posted this thread:

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1168817#post1168817

And Feb. 22 2008 for this one:

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1144872#post1144872



If you did not even know about low light camera shake and how to manipulate aperture to narrow your depth of field for that "blurry" look in February/March of THIS year, I would SERIOUSLY consider things before taking ANY money for an event or wedding.


I am not jumping down your throat here - just raising the point you may be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

 

[davebmck]

What's the next step up from the XTi?

The Rebel XSi was just released this year. It is a 12mp camera and I think the street price is $800. The next step up is the 40D, although it is a 10mp camera.

 

[jkopp]

Thanks dave

 

[jkopp]

And thank you for showing me what I posted in the past. Time well spent.

 

[KhronoS]

The Rebel XSi was just released this year. It is a 12mp camera and I think the street price is $800. The next step up is the 40D, although it is a 10mp camera.

I don't think that MP is a decisional fact in choosing a camera... i have a 40D and you know what?... 10 MP are just fine... because i don't use it to make photos for print of 3 by 4 FEET...

At 10 MP you can make a photo as large as an A3 format.. at 300 dpi.. who wants his photos larger?... beats me..

 

[ScottS]

I am not jumping down your throat here - just raising the point you may be biting off a lot more than you can chew.

I think I am going to have to agree here.

A few questions for you about wedding photography that will tell you if your ready.

What happens if you loose all the images that you take.
What happens if you cant make it to the wedding.
What happens if they dont like the photos you take.

The list goes on, my point is that there is a TON of stuff to learn about wedding photography.
When i did my first wedding, things went OK, the people were great and the photos turned out OK. But then i started assisting professional wedding photographers, and talking to them about the business... and it SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!

There is a lot of stuff you need to do, besides just shooting and editing the pictures. And i knew nothing of it before i shot my first wedding.

So here is my advice to you. Find some local photographers in your area and ask them if you can assist, or shadow them for a wedding or two. Also, pick up some books on wedding photography. Wedding photography is not something to just jump into. Why? Well, what if you get hired for a wedding, and cannot for some reason get good pictures? Not only did you ruin that couples special day that only happens once, but they may sue you for the money that it takes to put the wedding on again, and hire a real photographer.

In the end its all about covering your own ass.

 

[CanAm]

I don't think that MP is a decisional fact in choosing a camera... i have a 40D and you know what?... 10 MP are just fine... because i don't use it to make photos for print of 3 by 4 FEET...

At 10 MP you can make a photo as large as an A3 format.. at 300 dpi.. who wants his photos larger?... beats me..

I agree. I run 6.3 MP, and it makes prints as large as I like.

If I want bigger, I just use Genuine Fractals software and voila- a bigger high quality source photo for a bigger high quality print.