Since the beginning of 2011 when I first started this whole blog, there have been more upgrades on the basic equipment. It's scary.
In one of the previous posts I talked about buying the best equipment you could afford. The next and best will always be coming out, and you will be tempted to buy it for the simple fact that it is the greatest and latest.
Here is an example. Canon has completely dropped it's line of Rebel cameras, and almost every camera they have with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 cameras have video capability now. Does this mean that if you have one of the Digital Rebel series that you need to start saving up to buy the next generation of camera? No... It means that for whatever reason Canon decided that after 10 years the Rebel needed to be retired. If your Rebel is doing the job for you, hold onto it. If you do want to upgrade, my own feeling is that there isn't any reason to upgrade to their baseline camera. Step up to the next level. Make it worth your expense. You've more than likely been shooting long enough that you have the skill level to appreciate what a 7D or something else can do for you.
Personally I'm a little disappointed that almost all of the camera makers felt the need to take their DSLR's and put video on them. I'm sure that a lot of people use this function. And for those people I am glad they have put the function on it. Personally if I needed a camera with video capability I would have bought a top of the line point and shoot. But now I don't have the option. I personally shoot RAW on almost everything I shoot. Unless I want a huge memory card, by shooting RAW, I can't really afford to be taking up space with video. My only other personal thought is that it just seems odd that you would want a camera of a certain level to be shooting both things at the same time.
Lens'. A lot of lens' are to the point where you can shoot some with all camera's, some with certain camera's, some with these, some with those. And I can understand that. When you get into a certain level of camera it really doesn't make much sense to be using a lower quality lens on a piece of equipment that is a true professional camera. I have a lens that I will take on vacation with me. Not a bad lens, but not a top line lens either. I go with it not expecting top quality images. And glass does make that much difference. So you are going to start to notice when you buy a lens that it will have specifications on which cameras it can be used on.
So just remember, camera's are changing all of the time. Don't buy the first generation. Let someone else help them figure out the bugs. Plus, the price is going to come down a little. Hold off, and again... still buy the best you can afford. Don't buy just for the sake of having the new camera.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
How many times have you heard yourself, or someone you know say "professional photographers charge to much", or something to that effect?
You know you take pictures as good as theirs, your friends and family tell you that you do, and that you ought to become a professional. You could charge less, and more people could afford a good quality session, and you could make a killing, right?
So I'm here to talk to you a little about why those professional photographers charge so much. We really aren't ripping the general public off, I promise. If you work out of your home, or out of a small store front in your home town, or a large warehouse size area, I think you might be surprised.
So one of the very first things you want to do is to determine the quality of your work. You already know that by examining your work, and from the encouragement of your friends and family that your work is fantastic right? Now, I'm not saying that it's not. This isn't a personal attack on anyone. But here is what you want to do. First, go on line and start looking at photographers web sites; and continue to look at photographer web sites. You are going to come across web sites where your work is equal or better than, and then you are going to come across web sites where you should be saying, I'm nowhere close. If you can't find a web site where you can't say "I'm nowhere close", then you either need to keep looking, or you need a reality check. I have never met a photographer, great or otherwise that hasn't been able to say "I need to keep improving". There are some incredible photographers out there. Have people that aren't friends or family take a look at your work, and ask them to be totally honest with you. Not to be mean, but honest. What they like, what they don't like. You need that honesty to see where you are really at. There is your first step. If you still feel like you are ready to take the leap, then move on.
You know you take pictures as good as theirs, your friends and family tell you that you do, and that you ought to become a professional. You could charge less, and more people could afford a good quality session, and you could make a killing, right?
So I'm here to talk to you a little about why those professional photographers charge so much. We really aren't ripping the general public off, I promise. If you work out of your home, or out of a small store front in your home town, or a large warehouse size area, I think you might be surprised.
So one of the very first things you want to do is to determine the quality of your work. You already know that by examining your work, and from the encouragement of your friends and family that your work is fantastic right? Now, I'm not saying that it's not. This isn't a personal attack on anyone. But here is what you want to do. First, go on line and start looking at photographers web sites; and continue to look at photographer web sites. You are going to come across web sites where your work is equal or better than, and then you are going to come across web sites where you should be saying, I'm nowhere close. If you can't find a web site where you can't say "I'm nowhere close", then you either need to keep looking, or you need a reality check. I have never met a photographer, great or otherwise that hasn't been able to say "I need to keep improving". There are some incredible photographers out there. Have people that aren't friends or family take a look at your work, and ask them to be totally honest with you. Not to be mean, but honest. What they like, what they don't like. You need that honesty to see where you are really at. There is your first step. If you still feel like you are ready to take the leap, then move on.
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