From Beginner to Pro

beindependent · Mar 18, 2018

Hello everyone!

My name is Melissa and, as everyone here I guess, photography is my passion. Ever since I was a kid I was always playing around with cameras, documenting everything around me. I am Swiss-Indonesian, and after many years of travelling to France, Morocco and Latin America I am back in Switzerland.

Contrary to this picture, I am not taking photographs with an analog camera but with my Canon EOS 550D and a Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lens. But I want to upgrade my gear. For this purpose I recently bought a Canon EOS 7D and am looking for recommendations for a new lens.

I mostly take pictures of people and landscapes in the most natural way possible. Below are a some of my works, many more I upload on my Instagram account: P U R N A M A

M E L I S S A (@beindependent) • Instagram photos and videos

Currently I am only doing it for leisure, but photography makes me so incredibly happy that I am seriously considering becoming professional one day.

Thank you and blessings!

Designer · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome!

Gary A. · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome to the forum.

Tony744 · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome to the forum.

ceemac · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome. Love the pics.

weepete · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome!

For lenses I'd start with looking for a nice sharp 18-55mm f2.8.

Derrel · Mar 18, 2018

Welcome to TPF! I have the same basic 35mm camera you show in your photo! Mine was a rebranded Zenit-B, bought in '77 or so. I still have it.

A new lens for the 7D? I looked at MANy of your Instagram pictures. I think you need two lenses; Something like an 17-55mm f/2.8, or an 18-50mm f/2.8, from Canon, or Sigma. Then, I think you need a good-quality 70-200mm f/4 lens that has image stabilization. Or, failing that 70-200mm, get the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM, which will be a nice, narrow-angle "street telephoto".

beindependent · Mar 19, 2018

Derrel said:
Welcome to TPF! I have the same basic 35mm camera you show in your photo! Mine was a rebranded Zenit-B, bought in '77 or so. I still have it.

A new lens for the 7D? I looked at MANy of your Instagram pictures. I think you need two lenses; Something like an 17-55mm f/2.8, or an 18-50mm f/2.8, from Canon, or Sigma. Then, I think you need a good-quality 70-200mm f/4 lens that has image stabilization. Or, failing that 70-200mm, get the Canon 85mm f/1.8 USM, which will be a nice, narrow-angle "street telephoto".

haha how cool is that?

and wow, thank you so much for your recommendations!! I will have a closer look on them

I already suspected I am going to need 2 lenses!