Suggestions? No lens, no money.

[redtippmann]

I got a job this summer and that helped a lot (weired right?)! Once I saved up enough cash I purchased a nice little setup. I then quit right after the school year started and I now have a small little operation of my own. I do a lot of business through craigslist and facebook. Now I am on my way to a nice new D7000 (bye bye little D50)...... And doesn't it suck being the only photographer at school!

EDIT: Oh yeah, and you have more megapixels than all my cameras combined.... So that aspect of cameras doesn't matter unless your printing more than 30inch photos.

 

[misstwinklytoes]

OP needs to post up some work for critique.

+1

That's a huge step in learning and growing!

 

[Chamelion 6]

While your equipment is going to place different demands on you, I don't always buy the idea that a $7000 is going to make your images $7000 worth of better than they are unless you're shooting in the most demanding of situations almost all the time.
Our gear is nearly the same, I have a T1i, 18-55 EF-s, 55-250 EF-s, and a Sigma 10-22. I don't feel my gear is holding me back at all, and I spend a lot of time shooting at night...

Shoot and shoot lots. That's the ticket. And stay in school, get your degree. Even a serious hobby is still a hobby.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

You have as many lenses as I do and I shoot for a living. I used to shoot weddings with one (1) lens and a doubler. Doublers are cheap.


I've said it a number of times and probably will keep on saying it till I die: you need to be as creative with your gear as you are with your images.

Will your camera work with older MF lenses? Some older lenses are selling dirt cheap just because they don't auto focus but are actually very good lenses.

Now, this is just a thought because I sure don't know your exact situation, but all 3 of my kids took all AP classes they could but they still had time for friends and music. So maybe you need to manage your time better and then you can make a little money by shooting your fellow students for money...

 

[TiCoyote]

I would accept the fact that the most important piece of equipment is behind the viewfinder, accept the fact that many amazing photographs have been taken with lenses of a lower quality than yours, and learn as much as you can about composition.

 

[usayit]

Still sounds like the OP is simply making up justifications.

Of course there are professionals that shoot with the absolute best... What you don't see is that it is a business to make money and there even more professionals shooting with lesser equipment. Professionals and businesses wouldn't exist for very long if they spent money on expensive equipment it doesn't have revenue to support... It's gotta make financial sense whether personal or professional.

Also... be honest with yourself, needs vs wants. If you want it badly enough, time to think of ways to get the funds to buy it.. sell, jobs, etc.

Be creative and resourceful.... two very key talents that will come in handy for any professional. Don't forget.... there are generations of great photographers that made due with much much less..... only 12 pixels? Sports magazines have published photos taken with cameras lessnthan half the data.

EOS system has been around for a long time.... look at used. Go even farther back and you can find manuals for even less.

 

[Chiuy]

I didn't come on this forum to make "enemies". YES I KNOW THAT you do not need fancy expensive lenses to take awesome pictures. Once again, DIFFERENT LENSES serve DIFFERENT PURPOSES. If the kit lenses was that amazing, then canon wouldn't even need to produce any more lenses! 12 megapixel isn't a lot compared to 24 megapixels camera where they have the ability to crop their picture without reducing the quality.

I have no idea how this topic even shifted to the other direction. Is it cause I'm a high school kid and think I know nothing about photography? All I wanted was suggestion on how to get other type of lenses in my position, NOT telling me that a good photographer only needs the 18-55mm.

Please do correct me if I am wrong.

Edit: Yes I need a lot of megapixels it's because I crop pictures and make super enlargement pictures for our school.

 

[Overread35]

People have given the suggestions, but it seems that your time plate is already full so you've not the time to commit to earning and to working on your schooling. So it really is a case of just having to ferret away any bit of money you can and wait whilst saving. There really isn't any other way since getting money requires a job and that requires time that you don't have.

Just keep working on your school and photography and wait it out - we really can't advise any more than that.

Now one the school front if you are shooting for your school consider the context - are you effectively being the school photographer? If so consider encouraging the school to invest in their own setup to equip their current (you) and future student school photographer with. That might let you get the school to let you are more pro gear without you having to invest. OF course it also means that you won't own the gear, but you'll still be able to use it.
You might also encourage them to let you rent key bits of gear for important events - a cheaper option short term. However considering your own financial position I'd say that unless you were earning off your prints you'd not be best served with short term renting.


Ps for macro Raynox DCR 250 close up lens Not too expensive and very good quality.

 

[Chamelion 6]

What we're saying is that you're stuff is as good as probably 80% of the people out there shooting that arent pros. That the better you can manage what you've got the more difference that better camera or lens is going to make.

If the goal is more and better, there is no real shortcut. Get a job and save up. But more mega-pixles is a poor substitute to learning to shoot full frame. A $9000 lens is a poor substitute to learning how to shoot in harsh light and manage flair. Few people use their gear to it's full potental... including me. (Hell, especially me) People have shot award winning stuff with what you've got and less...

Better gear is great, I'd love a bag full of white lenses... But my budget is basic.

 

[Jcampbelll]

I think you have gotten plenty of advice. :thumbup:

I would open a savings account, and put the money I spend on soda pop, fast food, movies, and any other non-essential items in the bank. As the price of new lenses goes up, so does the price of used lenses.Instead of making 1 big jump to better glass, take smaller steps by incrementally upgrading your lenses.

Basically decide how much it's worth it to you and put away every penny you can; especially take away the "meaningless spending" (just temporary!) and put it toward that wonderful piece of equipment.

Learn to sacrifice and do without until you can afford to purchase what you want.

Ask parents if you can get some money for doing extra chores, do chores for neighbors for money, mow lawns for neighbors. There is a lot of things you can do to get money. Just if you will sacrifice any free time for it.

 

[keethjon]

Try to take the best pictures possible with the equipment you have. You already have more than the average person. Try to take better pictures than others with equipment similar to yours or better than yours. Taking todays technology into account, you might have better equipment than the famous photographer Ansel Adams. (I think he did pretty good for himself). Also, being forced to take pictures with what you have for now, might make it easier for you once you do get that advanced equipment.
Good Luck

Keith
Easy Basic Photography

 

[NikonNewbie]

I'll post some of my works when I get home.
And seriously, if the 18-55mm lens was that amazing, then i should be seeing every pro photographer with that lens, instead I see them with like the 70-200mm f/2.8. Different lenses for different purposes. 18-55 is a great lens, but if I was on the football field, it's completely useless to me. I can't take those actions shots and my camera only has 12megapixels. And the lighting is horrible compared to the 70-200mm f/2.8.

Edit: and yes I know a good photographer doesn't need those lens, but once again, different lens serve different purposes for creativity. If you were in the wild and wants to take a picture of a lion up close, would you want to use you 18-55mm and go super close to the lion or with a telephoto lens and stay near a safe distance?

If I were in a life or death situation with a Lion, I don't think I'd be fiddling around with lenses and trying to get closer to it to take a photo. I'd be getting the **** out of there.

This is 100% true...and I speak from experience...but it was a nasty little fox not a lion.

 

[usayit]

I have no idea how this topic even shifted to the other direction. Is it cause I'm a high school kid and think I know nothing about photography? All I wanted was suggestion on how to get other type of lenses in my position,

If you were a down on luck 50 year old working two low paying jobs, you would get the same response. There are no other options except to work with what you have, increase income, or win the lottery.

 

[dylanstraub]

RE: Chiuy's comment "I guess I'll have to start saving every little penny I see and look on eBay and to see if I can get some under priced lens and resell them for some profit."

It's all crap. Unless you know people who like crap then don't waste your money. Look for used lenses at Keh.com Adorama or B&H or your local store. You have a better chance getting something decent and not get taken. This is from personal experience but by all means feel free to waste your money if you want. Every last piece of equipment I own in used but most of it is gently ued.

 

[Chamelion 6]

18-55 is a great lens, but if I was on the football field, it's completely useless to me. I can't take those actions shots and my camera only has 12megapixels. And the lighting is horrible compared to the 70-200mm f/2.8.

Edit: and yes I know a good photographer doesn't need those lens, but once again, different lens serve different purposes for creativity. If you were in the wild and wants to take a picture of a lion up close, would you want to use you 18-55mm and go super close to the lion or with a telephoto lens and stay near a safe distance?

Sorry man... I bought my first camera in high school. A Minolta SRT 101 with a 50mm f1.8 lens. I shot for both the school newspaper and the yearbook, including the tennis team, the golf team, basketball games and football. I did portraits, candids, and whatever I was called to do. All with that one camera and lens. It meant getting creative and getting in close. Running up and down the side lines.

There was no auto focus and the exposure had to be set manually also. And I didn't have the luxury of choosing my ISO from shot to shot. I shot Tri-X film, ISO 400... My cheapie flash didn't adjust for exposure, I had to do that manually too...