I love to read his blog for inspiration. I see his work as emotional, slightly moody and a true form of art. He is also a beautiful writer, writing things that sometimes bring me to tears - for their truthfulness, rawness and they always cause me to pause and think. Yesterday, I read a blogpost he wrote recently and I wanted to share it with you.
Little inspiration for Monday morning... click here to read.
You may remember Ingrid & Enoc from their wedding back in July. I finished their album last night and thought it would be fun to share - click here. Enjoy!
I have been asked this question a lot lately, so I thought I should do a post for anyone else who is thinking of taking the leap into the DSLR world and wants a little advice. I am by no means an expert, but I have been forced to do a lot of research on the market in order to make my own educated purchases. Also, beware that if you talk to me about this personally, I tend to turn into a MAJOR geek and mention technical things that you probably don't care about it. It just happens!
Okay, first question you should ask yourself is what do I plan on using my camera for and how often am I going to use it. If you plan on taking pictures when you are on vacation only or if you plan on shooting quite regularly, this will affect how much you should invest in your camera.
To make things easier, I would limit your choice to Canon or Nikon. Why? Because they have been around forever and aren't going anywhere. With other companies, there is always a worry that they are going to go out of business and leave you wanting to upgrade or buy a new lens and you would have to start all over.
The next decision is even harder, Canon or Nikon? This decision is really very personal. Both are amazing systems and people normally choose one or the other because they have existing lenses or friends or mentors that shoot with one or the other - really, you can't go wrong with either. I, personally, am a Canon girl, but that is because I always have been. Also, I shoot with prime lenses (lenses that don't zoom) and Canon has a much better selection of these types of lenses. For the sake of sticking to what I know, I am going to talk about Canon, but the Nikon pretty much has an equivalent for each of these cameras. Here is your lineup of contenders:
Digital Rebel XS (aka 1000D) 10 MP - $500 (with stock lens)
Digital Rebel XSi (aka 450D) 12.2 MP - $750 (camera body only for $529)
Digital Rebel T1i 15.1 MP - $750 (camera body only for $650) - has HD Video
50D (15.1 MP) - $1160 (camera body only $985)
7D (18.0 MP) -- $1900 (camera body only $1700) - NEW!
5D Mark II - $2700 - camera body only
1D Mark IV -- $5000 - camera body only (this is what we can dream about)
So you want to think about what you can afford. If money was no object, I would suggest the 50D. It has a higher ISO (ability to shoot in low light) and can take more frames per second. It is a great starter camera that is powerful, but not overwhelming. This is not to say the Rebel is not good, it is an excellent camera and if you are only planning on taking it out on vacations, by all means, this will do the trick.
Also, your camera is only as powerful as the lens you put on it. My suggestion would be to buy the right camera for your needs and splurge on the lens. I recommend not buying the kit lens with your camera. I bought a kit lens with my first DSLR and it has been safely tucked in a drawer since the day I bought it. I promise to post later about lenses!
For reviews of each camera and actual comparisons, I go to dpreview.com. He really breaks down the differences of each camera and gives great, detailed reviews.
Hope this helps. Leave me a comment if you have any other questions I can answer!
To brighten your Tuesday, here is a pic I took on the side of the road the other day (hey, when inspiration strikes!):
Hi Julie! What exactly does DSLR stand for? ;o)
(11.03.09)Great tips on the DSLRs. I own a Nikon D40 and I love it.
(11.03.09)Hey Julie, don't discard Olympus out of the choices. Specially for those that just want to buy a DSLR for hobby purposes. Dpreview.com always gives Olympus great ratings and Olympus always packs a lot more features in their cameras for a lower price. For example, the entry level Canon Rebel XS, and the Nikon D40 don't have Live View, which the Olympus E420 has. Also the Olympus E520 (currently $450 @amazon w/ lens) has in-body image stabilization. You're gonna have to pay a lot more for that feature in Canon or Nikon. Olympus Zuiko lenses have also great reviews at dpreview and they cost a fraction of the price. Just my two cents.
(11.05.09)Julie - super insight. Thanks a lot! Now I want to read about the lenses.....
(12.17.09)
I teamed up with one of the most talented designers I know, August Kovach, and gave my look and feel a little face lift. I wanted my brand and my business to more accurately portray who I am and my goals in photography. Fun, quirky, and full of life. I am all about capturing REAL people - who they are in a picture, in a moment, in life. In honor of this goal, August helped me create a whole suite of items that are like my little brand army. They go out into the world and tell everyone they know who I am. I'm kidding. My goal was to create an experience for my clients and make sure that any piece I send out into the world makes a statement and leaves people with a little piece of who I am and who I am as a photographer.
Why a hummingbird, you might ask? A smart little card company, Papyrus, says this:
"Legends say that hummingbirds float free of time, carrying our hopes for love, joy and celebration. The hummingbird's delicate grace reminds us that life is rich, beauty is everywhere, every personal connection has a meaning and that laughter is life's sweetest creation."
Perfectly said.
My "new, cool stuff" and I had a photoshoot. I know it's hard to believe, but they look even better in real life. Here are some of the main items.
My new logo
Business Cards
Pocket Folder and Note card:
What say you? Pretty cool, me thinks.
LOVE IT :) told you you're awesome....
(10.13.09)When I got the folder in the mail with our pictures I thought this might be it! They are GREAT looking. It was like getting to open a present (even though we already knew what it was).
(10.14.09)I knew iT! Looks aWeSOmE!!!!!!!!!!!! Good for you!!!!! You such a talented photographer and everybody will see it!!!!!
(10.14.09)
Our Margaret unfortunately missed this pack meeting. :( Being super pregnant in the middle of a Houston summer is NOT fun. We are looking forward to our next meet up when EVERYONE can join!
Happy Fourth of July Weekend!
