Camera equipment questions and picture review.

ThomasTran · May 20, 2011

Hi everyone,
This is my first post and i just joined this forum.

I own the rebel T1i, i've had the for over a year now and I like it for the most part, I brought it thinking about being a casual photographer, taking pictures of family and friends, but recently i've gotten serious about my photography. A few of my friends started modeling and they asked me to shoot for them. The pictures turned out pretty good, i mean they can always be better and i'm always learning.

The question i have for you guys:
Is my camera and lens "good" enough for what i'm doing? Mostly portraits outdoors, a few indoors (but i find it very hard to shoot in low light without upping the iso to 3200, i dislike using flash) I want to take my photos to a different level and would love any and all advice about my photographs and camera equipment.

I shoot with the T1i and my fav. lens to use is the 70-200mm f/4L USM (i couldn't afford the f/2.8) I also have the kit lens that i never use and a 50mm 1.8 II.

I'm saving up for the 24-70mm f/2.8L or a EOS 7D body (advice?)

Here's a link to two of my photos, i would like what you guys think. Constructive criticism can only make me better.

Flickr: ThomasTran1's Photostream

Much thanks!

Overread · May 20, 2011

ThomasTran said:
(but i find it very hard to shoot in low light without upping the iso to 3200, i dislike using flash)

This is a factor - if you shoot indoors or are using a studio type shooting setup (or are planning to) then you've got to get to grips with learning to control the lighting - and that inevitably means learning to use flash. A lot of people use the popup or even a speedlite flash and find the results not to their liking (to harsh, to limiting, to direct) and quickly pass over the flash and try to become "natural light only photographers" without ever first really learning the hows of flash control and lighting. This is key since it really releases you from restrictive high ISO and wide aperture indoor shooting and also helps outside as well when balancing against other light sources (eg the sun).

For your interest areas having a good mind to learn and use lighting would be a very big move and give you a big chance to improve your results - and if not necessarily improve, extend your shooting limitations on lighting.

As for your ideas you might want to consider a 5D original (second hand/refurbished) instead of the 7D if portrait and studio type shooting is what you feel you are moving toward. The high, usable ISOs and also the wider angle of view, combined with a much more blurred background rendering are key features many find desirable within the portrait world and thus the likes of the 5D (and the newer, more expensive 5DM2) are very popular choices.

Lens wise I can't fault your choice at all, as a zoom lens its a bread and butter workhorse for many a studio and wedding photographer - its certainly a very good choice, topped only by considering a prime lens setup. If you really strongly move toward a less flash dominant setup* then prime lenses will give you wider usable max apertures over the zoom and that will be key in such work (it is also key in flash dominate work as well so don't ignore the prime options).

* learn flash control first - learn it well - and then make the informed choice on if its for you or not.

KmH · May 21, 2011

ThomasTran said:
.... i dislike using flash)...

Why?

The use of strobed light (flash) accords so much more control of the light, opens a vast landscape of creativity not available using only available light, and can be used virtually anytime, anywhere.

No doubt, learning how to use flash effectively is an additional level of technical expertise a photographer has to obtain, but most of the lighting principles are the same, as far as having a main light, and then using shadows to model the subject and create the desired mood.

ThomasTran · May 21, 2011

Thank you guys, it's true, i don't like flash because most shots I do are outdoors or at different locations and i'm inexperience with flash and all i have is the pop up, which is too harsh. I don't shoot studio, i need something portable because i travel a lot. I will start learning how to use flash to my advantage. What equipment would be beneficial for a always traveling photographer? a speedlite?