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Because you are lover of fine wines, of good food, of art history, of social history, of family history... you adore folksy traditions and you crave a life of purity and goodness. You are drawn to beauty, you like to sometimes s l o w down, you believe in the truth of chemical reactions...
You know that there is no present without the past, and no future without embracing what you love.
That's why I love film anyway. :) -
So... LONG STORY. But I actually wasn't allowed to watch TV or movies when I was growing up. [Insert sad face here] My parents were very strict. So, the only movies I ever watched in the 80's were either really old movies such as The Sound of Music or Fiddler on the Roof (i no joke), or movies that I had to sneak to watch at a friends, so they came with a lot of guilt and I don't remember them that well. Don't ever challenge me to a game of Trivial Pursuit 80's because it's more sad than funny, how much I DON'T know...
But! The 90's... my favorite would have to be Reality Bites. I wanted to be them so bad. Living at the Maxi Pad.
And then of course, a small sleeper film called "Object of My Affection," starring Jennifer Aniston & Paul Rudd, that so happens to also feature my daughter! She got the part at 2-months old and played Jennifer's newborn daughter "Molly" in the hospital. She got her NY State Child's Performing License when she was a tiny baby just to secure the part! :)
So, there you go. I will sing you the whole score from the Sound of Music next time we meet. :) -
Jennnaaaaayyyyy!
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The Canon t1i is a consumer level DSLR that has the option to interchange lenses. No matter how expensive or cheap your camera is, lenses are ultimately what make a camera great. So kudos to you for wanting to improve your camera!
Assuming that you are hoping to do portraits (as that is what I am most qualified to discuss), then your VERY best bet for a starter lens for the t1i is a 50mm fixed lens. The Canon offers three options for the 50mm fixed lens: the f/1.8 for about $99.00, the f/1.4 for about $399.00, and the f/1.2 for about $1359.00. The price difference between these three is definitely significant, as is the difference in the quality of your images. BUT! If you are just getting started, and you don't want to start out spending a nuts amount of money on lenses just yet, go for the 50mm f/1.4... I personally know dozens of professional photographers that use that lens for their paid portrait and wedding work. And then again, if you feel like that is too much money, then let me tell you the truth: When I started working with digital (shooting with the 30D... no lie!!!), I "splurged" on the 50mm f/1.8 and shot solely with it for portrait and wedding work. Thousands of images that I am very proud of, and that my clients love.
So, if you want a technical answer as to why a wider open aperture is better than what you are working with... google it. If you want the answer from a photographer who's notoriously not very technical... then here you are! I'm sure you've heard this before, that the way a lens works is a sort of replica of how our eyes work. When our surroundings are dark, our pupils dilate to let in more light. And when our surroundings are light, then our pupils restrict to protect our retinas from getting burned. Well, a lens that has a wider aperture (smaller the aperture number = larger the aperture) is letting in more light, and "burning" more light and more information into your camera. Which means that the wider open you shoot, the easier it is for you to shoot inside and in lower light conditions. The seriously added benefit to having a wider open aperture is that the depth of field is smaller, which means that your specified focal point is in focus, while everything else is "blurry," or has a lovely "bokeh." This effect is perfect for portraits.
Now, if you live in an area outside of Seattle, where we have to count on there not being blazing sunlight conditions for about 7 months out of the year, then shooting at f/5.6 might just work for you! But, be aware of all that is surrounding your subject, as nearly everything will be in focus.
I know that if there is a professional photographer who is reading this, they are literally shaking their head at my layman answer... but that's how I learn, and that's how I explain things. :)
Here is "A Tedious explanation of F-Stops." Their words!
http://www.uscoles.com/fstop.htm
I hope this helps!!! In short, invest in a lens with a smaller aperture number (remember, smaller the aperture number = larger the aperture), and I PROMISE you will not regret it.
much love-catherine -
I suggest both.
I sincerely believe in the value of education; especially the invaluable process of being critiqued by your peers. With that said, however; I did not go to photography school (which, let's be honest here, means that I'm not very good at being critiqued!). Instead I went to what I would like to call the "school of hard knocks." I learned from other photographers before I ever officially considered myself a photographer. I interned, I assisted, I worked (VERY HARD)... so that I could ultimately learn first hand from people that I considered to be the best in the business, as well as from the people who helped make them the best in the business.
That experience has been what has made me the photographer I am today. I have now been working as a photographer for sixteen years, working as a professional photographer for thirteen years, and working as a photography studio-owning business professional for almost five years... and I still work for other photographers, study the art of other photographers, and try to take classes when I can to learn from other professionals. Continuing education, if you will. And I foresee that I will be actually going to school to get an official degree in photography of some kind in the next five years; at least that is my goal.
So! I encourage anybody and everybody who is hoping to pursue a career in photography to go to school to learn about your art. And equally as important, I encourage anybody and everybody who is hoping to pursue a career in photography to work closely with people that they admire and learn as much as they can. That education is priceless, and in my opinion, one can't call themselves a professional photographer unless they have done some sort of work for others and studied the art of photography as much as possible.
Here's to learning, growing and making more art... now and forever.
much love-catherine -
I like this site for inspiration:
http://www.thebrokeassbride.com/
But... is your question supposed to say, "Are there any affordable photographer's websites that you know of for couple's on a low budget?!"
(which leads me to question if spambots make it into formspring, because this question seems pretty darn similar to the spam I get on my blog!)
If that is your question... I wouldn't know what to tell you. I know that most photographers, including myself, are more than willing to work out some details for couples on a budget if they know that they would be a good match together (as photographer & couple). So, find a photographer that you love & adore, ask them if they can meet your budget needs, and go from there! You have nothing to lose!
And obviously I'm biased, but I can't think of anything more important than the everlasting memories that you get with quality wedding photography... so my advice to anyone on a budget would be to maybe skimp on something else before skimping on their photographer.
xo-catherine
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Catherine Abegg’s Bio
iLove.
