Advice please!

Thank you guys so much...this is all really helpful. One other question. I am using a Canon Rebel xTi with a 50 mm lens. What is the next best camera and lens to purchase? I want to stay with Canons.

priscillajoyphotograph​y wrote in post #8986608
Thank you guys so much...this is all really helpful. One other question. I am using a Canon Rebel xTi with a 50 mm lens. What is the next best camera and lens to purchase? I want to stay with Canons.

You say "using", does that mean you don't own it and are looking to buy one?

For beginner wedding photographer I would recommend any of the xxD series (20d/30d/40d/50d). Maybe even a 5d classic (still more money then a 50D) however you might have to pay more for glass to cover the same range as with a xxD camera (for example Canon 17-55 IS is around $900, Canon 24-70 f/2.8 is like $1300, and doesn't have IS). I plan on upgrading my XTi to either a 40d/50d/60d(not out yet) or possibly a 7D if the price drops and if I start making some money shooting. Nothing wrong with the XTi, the image quality is the same as my 30d, but the 30D is much nicer with better controls, faster autofocus and continuous shooting.

If you only have the 50mm, I would buy another lens or two before you add another body. While you are on thin ice selling your services with only one body, you're in worse shape if the 50mm is your only lens. Without knowing your budget it's difficult to make a recommendation.

After looking at the pics on your blog, I don't see any use of fill flash, so - and I'm making an assumption - if you don't have a flash then that should be your very next purchase. Be sure to get one with manual settings and a tilt/swivel head.

HTH

Yeah, I know I need to get another lens. I'm probably going to get the Telephoto lens. When you say flash...I have the flash on my camera....and it works pretty poorly. Do you recommend buying a flash?

It seems like the consensus on this issue is pretty universal. When most people ask about what they should do with camera gear, etc. The answers normally come back as glass, flash, glass, glass, body.. or some order similar to that.

The concept at play is this; a Rebel body, though it has some shortcomings, can make amazing images. Most of the knocks against the Rebel series has to do with build quality, size, features, etc. Glass will make more of an impact upon your image quality than the body will so when you are asking to to upgrade etc, glass is the easiest answer. However, without a flash, you don't have much control in terms of lighting your subject, so a flash is a recommended early purchase as well. If you do any shooting in low-light/indoors, I would say go flash first, even a basic third party flash ($110 new at B&H for instance) and then dump some cash into glass.

or outdoors in the shade (which is where you should be unless you're in the golden hour)

+1 to everything else.

Things wrong with a built in flash:
Very wimpy power
Doesn't come off the camera
Can't be diffused by any significant amount
Can't be bounced off the ceiling / walls

use it for snapshots only.

Ahhh, so flash first. Seriously, I had no clue I needed one. But I am so glad I found this out. So, is Amazon a good place to purchase one...?? And I'm at a complete loss as to which kind of flash I would need for my Canon Rebel xTi. Any suggestions??

priscillajoyphotograph​y wrote in post #9000022
Ahhh, so flash first. Seriously, I had no clue I needed one. But I am so glad I found this out. So, is Amazon a good place to purchase one...?? And I'm at a complete loss as to which kind of flash I would need for my Canon Rebel xTi. Any suggestions??

A Canon 430ex is your best bet if you are concerned about price. Eventually you may want to upgrade to a 580EXII.

And yes a flash is absolutely nessesary, before buying anything else!

DStanic wrote in post #9000341
A Canon 430ex is your best bet if you are concerned about price. Eventually you may want to upgrade to a 580EXII.

And yes a flash is absolutely nessesary, before buying anything else!

Although i agree about flash being important, it may not be before everything else. If you are out of doors in reasonable light, a reflector can do the job of a flash for a fraction of the cost (even whiteboard used as a reflector can work)

To the OP, work out where your shortcomings are equipment wise (dispassionately without thinking ohh that would be nice ) and take it from there ie

I cant get far enough away to compose this right= wide angle lens
I cant get in close enough for the shot i want = telephoto lens
I cant get enough light in the shot= flash/reflector
I cant get the detail i want in the picture cause im blowing it up to the size of a house= camera

On the subject of flash, a 430EX might be a good starter but eventually you will want the manual control of the 5XX flashes

neilwood32 wrote in post #9002482
Although i agree about flash being important, it may not be before everything else. If you are out of doors in reasonable light, a reflector can do the job of a flash for a fraction of the cost (even whiteboard used as a reflector can work)

If you intend on shooting people in the shade or any type of indoor situation, a flash is a nessesity.

Yes a reflector could be useful in some situations but they are also large and can be a bit awkward to set up, a flash can fit in your camera bag and almost always give you light when needed.

I'm thinking I should probably end up just purchasing the 580EXIII flash. I am hoping to upgrade to a Canon 50D or 7D next year and might as well get the flash I will need in the future now instead of spending money on 2 flashes.

I am thinking of heading in the direction of a telephoto lens but the COST! Man, expensive. So is a wide angle lens the other next best one to get?

It all depends what you like to shoot - and thatwill evolve over time, so save some $$$ for the future. Think about what you're not able to capture with your existing lens. Looking at your existing pics my suggestion would be an f2.8 standard zoom. And yes a flash is a necessity.

priscillajoyphotograph​y wrote in post #9003076
I'm thinking I should probably end up just purchasing the 580EXIII flash. I am hoping to upgrade to a Canon 50D or 7D next year and might as well get the flash I will need in the future now instead of spending money on 2 flashes.

I am thinking of heading in the direction of a telephoto lens but the COST! Man, expensive. So is a wide angle lens the other next best one to get?

The only way to decide that is look at what you feel you are lacking or want to achieve.

Wide angle has its uses and its drawbacks so it is worth thinking long and hard about what you need.

Priscilla-Juding by the work on your website I'm making the assumption that you want to do portrait/wedding photography. For portraits, generally longer is better. There are times when a ultra wide can be useful- for example I like to use mine inside churches (see http://dstanic.zenfoli​o.com for examples). Wide angle lenses are not as flattering as longer lenses (features such as noses will appear larger). This can be a good this however if you are trying to get an image with alot of "impact". Wide angle lenses are generally used more for landscape photography. (There are always cases which you can break the rules).

Telephoto is definatly the way to go for portraits, I love my 70-200 f/4L, at around $450 for a used one they are one of the best zooms you can get. Mine is as sharp as any other lens I've used.