Camera Advice: Only Portrait Photographers on bussines, Pro or Semi Pro.

Sirrith wrote in post #14652678
If your business is portraits, you'll want to invest more in lighting before lenses and finally bodies.

Or the other way around.

Back when I started, a portraitist could go a long, long way with a single lens on a medium format camera and window light. Penn, Karsh, Avedon, all of them did some of their best work with no more than that.

The camera is important because portrait work at its best and most lucrative involves the ability to print large and with good detail, not to the same extent as art landscape, but more than most. That's why portrait artists used medium format and larger as did landscape artists. I did more profitable portrait work with a Yashica medium format TLR than I could have with a Nikon F.

So the camera does have importance for portrait work.

gonzogolf wrote in post #14651164
Skill is more important than gear. lenses more important than the body, and good light is more imporant than the lenses or body.

Exactly!

MikeI wrote in post #14653095
Exactly!

Agree, that's why I asking all of you so I can make a final decision on how to invest the money :P

erikfig wrote in post #14653210
Agree, that's why I asking all of you so I can make a final decision on how to invest the money :P

It really depends on what sort of work you want to do. Looking at your site I dont see a theme (other than an over reliance on selective color that you ought to address). If you want to do portraits, get a portrait lens and some lights. If you want to do fine art stills, or landscape get a kit for that.

gonzogolf wrote in post #14653241
It really depends on what sort of work you want to do. Looking at your site I dont see a theme (other than an over reliance on selective color that you ought to address). If you want to do portraits, get a portrait lens and some lights. If you want to do fine art stills, or landscape get a kit for that.

Thanks. Lot to learn still

You said you want to do portraits and landscapes, some of your lens choices may depend on which of those 2 is more important or lucrative. The 24-70 2.8 might be the more versatile for both but not ideal for either. The mix of an 80 1.8 and 17-40 f4 might be a better mix. I do most of my portrait shooting with a 70-200 2.8 non IS but it's not much use for landscapes. For landscapes there is also the used market in both Nikon and other brand older MF lenses.

Damian75 wrote in post #14653424
You said you want to do portraits and landscapes, some of your lens choices may depend on which of those 2 is more important or lucrative. The 24-70 2.8 might be the more versatile for both but not ideal for either. The mix of an 80 1.8 and 17-40 f4 might be a better mix. I do most of my portrait shooting with a 70-200 2.8 non IS but it's not much use for landscapes. For landscapes there is also the used market in both Nikon and other brand older MF lenses.

Thanks. Liked the portraits on your side. I'm getting there soon hopefully :P

Just get a 5D2, it's good at everything.

I agree with the Skill > Lighting > Lenses > Body paradigm.

In fact, I'd say skill and lighting are almost one in the same, though of course the most skillful photog can't shoot light out of his butt, so he will eventually be forced to buy either some lighting or light modifiers

If you have good skills / lighting and even decent lenses, the body is of extremely little consequence. I could pop off good portraits with my little S95 if I had a way to trigger flashes or had a strong enough continual source, and if I had the physical layout I could get some window portraits pretty easily.

Gel wrote in post #14653870
Just get a 5D2, it's good at everything.

Awesome Portraits on your side. Is the 5D2 what you use?

I have done a lot of portraits, headsots, and magazine shoots with the 100mm f/2 EF and the 5DMkII. You don't need an L lens.

cputeq007 wrote in post #14653886
I agree with the Skill > Lighting > Lenses > Body paradigm.

In fact, I'd say skill and lighting are almost one in the same, though of course the most skillful photog can't shoot light out of his butt, so he will eventually be forced to buy either some lighting or light modifiers

If you have good skills / lighting and even decent lenses, the body is of extremely little consequence. I could pop off good portraits with my little S95 if I had a way to trigger flashes or had a strong enough continual source, and if I had the physical layout I could get some window portraits pretty easily.

I'd have a pretty hard time selling a 30x40 full-length group portrait from an S95. It was hard to do from a 20D, too, and uncomfortable from a 5D. I can sell 30x40 full-length group portrait from a 5D2 pretty easily.

If someone is making a business of it, the camera is certainly not "of extremely little consequences." That's why you don't see people who pay their mortgages selling portraits using an S95.

I had a look at your Flickr page to see what you're shooting at the moment. You really need to learn how to use the equipment you have already. The first page of the girls in their prom dresses are blurry. You cannot charge people for out of focus shots. Your shutter speeds are too slow, some of those shots have a shutter speed of only 1/40 sec.
Increasing your shutter speed will easily give you sharper shots without spending a penny. If you buy a 5Dii you will be wasting you money unless you know how to use it.
As Sirrith has already posted, lighting will be your friend if you want to take portraits.

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #14651263
You don't necessarily need L lenses. The 85mm 1.8 is a great lens on the 5D2, especially for portraits.

Blasphemy!

cputeq007 wrote in post #14653886
In fact, I'd say skill and lighting are almost one in the same, though of course the most skillful photog can't shoot light out of his butt,...

That sounds painful, awkward, and you'd be pointing the wrong direction.. Sorry, couldn't resist.