What to do next...
Discussion
Ive been pretty serious about photos for about 3 years now, and have had my 40D the last 18 months. With that I've got a 10-20mm Sigma, Canon 50mm 1.8, Canon 15-85mm and a Canon 70-300mm iS. All lenses have provided me with plenty of options when it comes to shooting. I've got a 430EXII Flash gun which I definitely need to practice with more. I've had some good results in filling outside, but balancing inside needs a bit more consideration.
I've done a couple of weddings as a backup and have just completed an assignment as a main tog for a friends wedding. Overall, it was good but I constantly question myself and want to be better.
As much as I love landscape photography, unless I'm away on holiday, I struggle to get up early enough to do sunrise!
I'm wondering what to do next. I've managed with the above kit, but really would have been better off with a 2nd body at the last wedding. As a backup tog, I generally shot with a longer lens when the main tog was shooting wide, and vice versa. The thought of a mobile studio setup with a couple of decent lights and a portable backdrop has crossed my mind, but so has going full frame. As much as I love the 15-85mm, its not a fixed aperture therefore made things more interesting when shooting in constantly changing light situations.
I've even thought about going and taking some photo courses, but not sure which ones to go for. I think I'm on the tipping point of photography being a hobby, or looking to make something of it with continued learning.
Anyone give any advice at this point? Should I get the FF experience and change my lenses (could keep the 50 and 70-300 for now) or should I experiment with lighting in a studio environment?
I've done a couple of weddings as a backup and have just completed an assignment as a main tog for a friends wedding. Overall, it was good but I constantly question myself and want to be better.
As much as I love landscape photography, unless I'm away on holiday, I struggle to get up early enough to do sunrise!
I'm wondering what to do next. I've managed with the above kit, but really would have been better off with a 2nd body at the last wedding. As a backup tog, I generally shot with a longer lens when the main tog was shooting wide, and vice versa. The thought of a mobile studio setup with a couple of decent lights and a portable backdrop has crossed my mind, but so has going full frame. As much as I love the 15-85mm, its not a fixed aperture therefore made things more interesting when shooting in constantly changing light situations.
I've even thought about going and taking some photo courses, but not sure which ones to go for. I think I'm on the tipping point of photography being a hobby, or looking to make something of it with continued learning.
Anyone give any advice at this point? Should I get the FF experience and change my lenses (could keep the 50 and 70-300 for now) or should I experiment with lighting in a studio environment?
Chicken Chaser said:
Sure bloke, I could do with another body if I'm going to do another wedding gig hence the FF thoughts.
I tried weddings with a DX and an FX; hated it because you end up with two overlapping sets of lenses. Eventually I went back to DX (crop) because the extra length was more important to me than the lower noise. How much is a 300mm f2.8 and how big and heavy is it? YMMV though.Chicken Chaser said:
Do you reckon speedlights or studio bulbs are the way to go? If I do go with full studio kit would it be advisable to try it with cheaper kit or is it buy cheap buy twice?
Personally I find Speedlights off camera get fiddly and awkward and slow me down. It depends how mobile you want to be. Studio flash is ideal in a studio, but for a wedding you have a LOT of extra kit to carry and you'll need mains unless you really want to spend money. It's also means setting-up time and leads for people to trip over. You could set up a special area, venue allowing, for portraits but you certainly couldn't cart it about and do reportage.Buying cheap stuff is (IMHO) a false economy; if you've got a Canon camera buy a Canon Speedlight; if you go the studio route I'd rather have a budget Elinchrom than a fancy Chinkychunky. Your dosh your call
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