looking for a good DSLR ... Any suggestions?

[Stephen]

I used to not PP much or at all, but then i realized even with film, there was still dodging and burning and tweaking to an extent. So i just kinda do PP for certain shots, some i leave alone

[FreshLikeSushi]

:fist bump:
finally something we are on shared ground lol

[Withers]

you know one

ILl post up some of the stuff i actually get paid for when i get home.
Model shoots i never PP. i do take a little longer when shooting though, but it makes up for itself on the backend.

Wow really? Most model photographers are like post processing crack-heads. Props to you then. You don't even use masks for skin?

Well, for me personally, I wouldn't feel like a picture is complete without running it through Lightroom. But then again I also don't have high end gear, so I have to make up for it in post to some extent.

[z33allme]

I am in the same boat as you, I am jealous of all these awesome pics I see. I have been reading up on DSLR for some time now and hope to buy soon.

[Marco]

Dane and FreshLikeSushi, you guys must love each other, jesus...

[FreshLikeSushi]

Wow really? Most model photographers are like post processing crack-heads. Props to you then. You don't even use masks for skin?

Well, for me personally, I wouldn't feel like a picture is complete without running it through Lightroom. But then again I also don't have high end gear, so I have to make up for it in post to some extent.

My philosiphy is this
I am here to photograph a person, not an ideal. If they want better skin, work at it. better hair? work at it. I like to caputre the individual as who they are at THAT instant. the looks, emotions, whatever it is that is making me want to take that picture when i push the shutter button. Imperfections give definition to the photo. Freckles, pimples, scars whatever. its the person, not an ideal of beauty or perfection that i am capturing. BUT, if they have great skin, i have small stuff i do while i shoot with lights to make it look even better. same with hair, eyes, whatever. I can hide imperfections in some cases if they are really self concious about it with the way light falls like shadows, or accents to distract it.
I pride myself on getting it as close to the picture i see through the viewfinder, when i take the picture. It sickens me when i shoot with friends for fun and they say, " Ill just fix that in photoshop". I am a photographer (and now videographer), not a digital artist. I do the best i possibly can to put out a picture i am proud of, and dont mind showing out of the camera.

are there things i could do? yeah. i could throw a blur mask over it to hide some scars, or whatever. I could dodge and burn to do whatever. I can accentuate colors. etc etc

My rule of thumb, if i can be done by a normal photographer in a darkroom (not someone who is as good in the darkroom as with photoshop, i know they are out there), then i will do it if i feel it is truely needed. there have been a few landscapes where i push the green up a little bit, or reds, or whatever. but i dont do drastic changes ever. i dont clone things out, i dont cover things up.

[FreshLikeSushi]

Dane and FreshLikeSushi, you guys must love each other, jesus...

we have known each other on zilvia and wherever for a WHILE

[Withers]

My philosiphy is this
I am here to photograph a person, not an ideal. If they want better skin, work at it. better hair? work at it. I like to caputre the individual as who they are at THAT instant. the looks, emotions, whatever it is that is making me want to take that picture when i push the shutter button. Imperfections give definition to the photo. Freckles, pimples, scars whatever. its the person, not an ideal of beauty or perfection that i am capturing. BUT, if they have great skin, i have small stuff i do while i shoot with lights to make it look even better. same with hair, eyes, whatever. I can hide imperfections in some cases if they are really self concious about it with the way light falls like shadows, or accents to distract it.
I pride myself on getting it as close to the picture i see through the viewfinder, when i take the picture. It sickens me when i shoot with friends for fun and they say, " Ill just fix that in photoshop". I am a photographer (and now videographer), not a digital artist. I do the best i possibly can to put out a picture i am proud of, and dont mind showing out of the camera.

are there things i could do? yeah. i could throw a blur mask over it to hide some scars, or whatever. I could dodge and burn to do whatever. I can accentuate colors. etc etc

My rule of thumb, if i can be done by a normal photographer in a darkroom (not someone who is as good in the darkroom as with photoshop, i know they are out there), then i will do it if i feel it is truely needed. there have been a few landscapes where i push the green up a little bit, or reds, or whatever. but i dont do drastic changes ever. i dont clone things out, i dont cover things up.

That's a great way to do it too, but for me personally, if I take a shot that is otherwise good but has some pesky power lines running across it or has a bit of light in the background that is too distracting, I don't have any problem cloning it out to strengthen the picture. I don't ever do anything major either though. Some shots barely have anything done to them, and some shots get a lot of work to achieve a certain mood, it just depends on the location.

I also don't do any portraiture photography and as of now I only use natural lighting, so I just have to use what I have to be the best of my abilities, and that includes post work

[FreshLikeSushi]

all that matters is that you do what you love. I just mess with people cause its fun. Im sue you get out ant take photos MUCH more than i do. I do it so much for work, i dont do it for fun that much anymore.

Getting out and taking the photos is what really matters.

[hover]

on buying used gear:

my D300, used.
battery grip: new.
batteries: new
cards: new
Nikon 17-55 f/2.8: used
Nikon 50 f/1.8: used (had two, sold the never been used one to a friend)
Nikon 80-200: used
Speedlights: Bought my SB-900 new because I had to have it that weekend. I'm buying more used, ASAP.

By buying used, I've saved enough to buy another body. Or, looking at it the other way, if I had bought everything new, then I'd only have half of it.

[ProjektDaze]

I'm gonna go for a Nikon D5000 when I get the chance.

Bout $700 to $900. Capable of HD video too, rotatable display for crowd shots. I got to play with one, its friggin awesome.

I currently use a D40X, but they don't make those anymore.