What do I spend my first £100 togging earnings on?

[Bend The Light]

HI all,
In the next couple of weeks I will have earned my first £100 as a photographer. I know it's not much, but it's a great feeling anyway.
Money is tight in our household, so usually any money I make gets put into general funds, but I want to make an exception this time, and spend this £100 on ME and my photography.
So, question: what do I buy?
I have a canon 400d, kit lens, 75-300 standard zoom, several M42 manual lenses, 2 or 3 old flash guns (not fitted to camera), macro tubes, and reversing rings.I have 2 or 3 tripods from flimsy to solid tubular steel ones)
I am thinking:
50mm f1.8 (nifty fifty)
Yuongnuo flash (E-TTL)
BG-E3 grip
I haven't a particular favourite subject to shoot, although at some point I want the Tamron 90mm Macro lens, but I don't have funds for that yet!
Any other ideas? I might consider eBaying my 75-300 standard canon zoom for extra cash, as I don't really use it, nut then I wouldn't have a lens beyond 135mm (and that's a manual one).
Cheers

 

[John Mc]

I would get the 50mm if i was you,its a great little lens,ive got one i use for portraits.the flash again could be handy,and so would the grip,but you'd need more batteries which increase the cost. make a list of pros and cons,and see what you would use the most

 

[gsgary]

Don't waste your money on the 50F1.8 save and get the F1.4, i wouldn't waste money on a grip, i shoot 2 1Dmk2 and havn't bothered with a grip for my 5D it's quicker to twist it round i do that with the 1D's if i have to change very quickly if i'm going to shoot a few i will change grip but if you manage with what you have put it away until you really need something don't just spend it because what you buy may just lay in your bag. Definately dont buy anything from Gary Fong

 

[Mike_E]

If you shoot people then I'd get an umbrella (52inch or so, shoot through/reflective combo) with stand and a reflector and a couple of wireless triggers for those old flashes.

I'm guessing that you've deduced by now that there is more to being a photographer than just having a camera and a few lenses. You must be the master of light rather than it's slave.

 

[Bend The Light]

If you shoot people then I'd get an umbrella (52inch or so, shoot through/reflective combo) with stand and a reflector and a couple of wireless triggers for those old flashes.

I'm guessing that you've deduced by now that there is more to being a photographer than just having a camera and a few lenses. You must be the master of light rather than it's slave.

Yes indeed...I am still learning how it all works, trying what I have, see if it's manageable.

Thanks for your input...wireless triggers are on the list!

 

[gsgary]

If you shoot people then I'd get an umbrella (52inch or so, shoot through/reflective combo) with stand and a reflector and a couple of wireless triggers for those old flashes.

I'm guessing that you've deduced by now that there is more to being a photographer than just having a camera and a few lenses. You must be the master of light rather than it's slave.

Yes indeed...I am still learning how it all works, trying what I have, see if it's manageable.

Thanks for your input...wireless triggers are on the list!

Ive got one of the chinese triggers you can have if you pay pastage, i bought thses Twin-Link Remote Flash Triggers
or pick it up

 

[Bend The Light]

If you shoot people then I'd get an umbrella (52inch or so, shoot through/reflective combo) with stand and a reflector and a couple of wireless triggers for those old flashes.

I'm guessing that you've deduced by now that there is more to being a photographer than just having a camera and a few lenses. You must be the master of light rather than it's slave.

Yes indeed...I am still learning how it all works, trying what I have, see if it's manageable.

Thanks for your input...wireless triggers are on the list!

Ive got one of the chinese triggers you can have if you pay pastage, i bought thses Twin-Link Remote Flash Triggers
or pick it up

I'd pay postage, no problem. How much we looking? And do you use paypal at all?

 

[kundalini]

What do I spend my first £100 togging earnings on?

Nothing at this time. It seems that it's just burning a hole in your pocket.

Start a new bank account for your photo gear with the £100. Add a tenner to it every pay period with an automatic draft. You won't see it, so you won't miss it. Compound interest is your buddy. Then when you discover what you NEED, the hit won't be so hard.


Apart from that, I'd suggest a flash(s) and a way to get it off camera. Don't get stuck on TTL capabilities either.
.

 

[gsgary]

Yes indeed...I am still learning how it all works, trying what I have, see if it's manageable.

Thanks for your input...wireless triggers are on the list!

Ive got one of the chinese triggers you can have if you pay pastage, i bought thses Twin-Link Remote Flash Triggers
or pick it up

I'd pay postage, no problem. How much we looking? And do you use paypal at all?

Yes i have paypal but never been sent money so not sure how it works that way

 

[Overread]

To get someone to send you money you give them your paypal address (that is your email address linked to paypal) and tell them the amount. They then go into their paypal and send the money direct to you. There are different ways for them to send - gift, purchase etc.. I think gift is free whilst purchase/services charges an extra 3% on the amount they have to send but that fee might be constant (I'm not sure).

Also you can only take in around £1500 per year(I think somewhere around there) as a person before you have to upgrade to a business account

 

[Bend The Light]

Ive got one of the chinese triggers you can have if you pay pastage, i bought thses Twin-Link Remote Flash Triggers
or pick it up

I'd pay postage, no problem. How much we looking? And do you use paypal at all?

Yes i have paypal but never been sent money so not sure how it works that way

As Overread says...I've sent money via paypal to people before. The only thing is that you would have to draw it fromyour paypal account, or use it on ebay or something?

Let me know, anyway..PM or something.

Cheers

Craig

 

[table1349]

What do I spend my first £100 togging earnings on?

Nothing at this time. It seems that it's just burning a hole in your pocket.

Start a new bank account for your photo gear with the £100. Add a tenner to it every pay period with an automatic draft. You won't see it, so you won't miss it. Compound interest is your buddy. Then when you discover what you NEED, the hit won't be so hard.


Apart from that, I'd suggest a flash(s) and a way to get it off camera. Don't get stuck on TTL capabilities either.
.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[KmH]

...In the next couple of weeks I will have earned my first £100 as a photographer....

Is that what 'togging' is?

There is an old saying that mentions - not counting your chickens...until they have hatched.

 

[12sndsgood]

i'll be the penny pincher and say save the money. you say money is tight. better to save the cash in case you end up needing it and having a backup fund, then to go out. buy a lens or other equipment, have something come up. you need hard cash and be forced to sell some of your gear to get out of trouble. coming from the car world ive seen guys dump tons of cash on car parts to only sell them a couple months later at half cost because they suddenly had an unexpected bill come up.

 

[Bend The Light]

i'll be the penny pincher and say save the money. you say money is tight. better to save the cash in case you end up needing it and having a backup fund, then to go out. buy a lens or other equipment, have something come up. you need hard cash and be forced to sell some of your gear to get out of trouble. coming from the car world ive seen guys dump tons of cash on car parts to only sell them a couple months later at half cost because they suddenly had an unexpected bill come up.

Fair Point...we'll see how it goes.