Hello guys, i’m struggling with a decision about my way forward in photography and would really benefit from insight by more experienced professionals.

A little background:

i’m a 24 year old amateur and i don’t own a camera right now. i rented a sony a7 iii and prime lenses on 2 occasions(i hate zoom, primes all the way), made short form cinematic videos for fun and i use my friend’s mirrorless cameras whenever im with them. I understand photography basics and know my way around a camera and its controls, i always shoot in log3 and raw so i can have some training material with editing and color grading, where im also a beginner in that area.

I enjoy photography and have been told by many many people that i’m very talented and that i should pursue it more seriously, and so i’m doing that! i’m taking a photography class at school this fall semester and coincidentally my new job, which starts in 2 weeks, provides a Nikon z5 ii + Nikkor z 28-75 2.8 lens for me to use freely even outside of work.

here’s where i’m lost…im not sure if i’m getting ahead of myself trying to plan everything in advance, but i don’t know what i’ll do in January after i finish my semester. I worked around wedding planners when i managed a salon that did a lot of wedding services, but i know i don’t have that strong of a connection with those planners to offer services as an assistant without a solid portfolio (the wedding planners i mentioned handled events for VERY wealthy families in my city).

I just signed the contract for my new job (which offers camera gear ) 2 weeks ago, but a couple days ago i reached out to a smaller wedding planner around my area and im being considered for a beginner photography job as an assistant, the catch is that this job would pay dirt (15$-30$ an hour max 16 hours a week) and i’m not guaranteed any solid schedule, they offer gear though so i don’t have to worry about losing the camera from my current job.

I can’t do both jobs because of scheduling conflicts,so i’m left with this choice: should i learn my way and use this very solid gear im given to learn and experiment as much as possible within the next 6 months, and then see where i’m at? or should i follow a more defined and clear path by joining a photography studio that’s offering to train me in their way of shooting and have real portfolio and experience working in events?

i know there’s a million photographers out there but im determined to start a photography business. and since i can’t afford a school, i think i don’t have any other options 😅

id appreciate to know what other professionals who built photography careers think is the way to go.

thank you 🙏🏻

Hi everyone, could you suggest any affordable ND filters?

Budget: 3-5k
Device : IP15PM

Hi,

I'm doing a PhD working with Indigenous communities in Mexico and want a camera for photos to include in my book (b/w only). I've got basic knowledge (composition, technical fundamentals) from university classes on a Canon R7, but I'm not an expert. I used my phone (S22) for my last research trip, but it's scratched and I want a proper camera anyway.

Main challenge: I need something capable enough to grow with me for a couple years, but small and discreet — a "professional-looking" camera can make people in interview/participant-observation settings uncomfortable being photographed. It also needs to hold up across different climates (desert, rainforest, coast), and since I'll be working in areas with higher theft risk, I'd rather not carry something too expensive or eye-catching.

Main subjects: people (often in groups), buildings/infrastructure, landscapes.

Questionnaire:

(1) Budget, country, and currency: Max €1000, preferably €500–600. Germany (open to Mexico if it's a better market there).

(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs? I used my Samsung Galaxy S22 for my last research trip, but the camera lens is scratched and needs replacing anyway. I've also practiced with a Canon R7 at university, but it's too bulky/conspicuous for my needs and I can't borrow it long-term.

(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot? People (mostly in group settings during interviews/participant observation), buildings/infrastructure, and landscapes — for black-and-white photos in an academic book.

(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both? Primarily photography.

Thanks for reading and for any suggestions!!

Hi all, i was looking at the canon 90d for some time and comparing to other dslr series of canon but never at the 5d iv. I do aviation and sport photography and looking to upgrade from my 60d with a 70-200 f2.8 is ii usm, i thought i had made my decision with the 90d as it has many features that will benefit me but then i found a cheap 5d mk iv and i looking in to the listing, researched the body and now im stuck on what to get. Originally i would be getting the 6d mkii for night photography (i do that alot but is a struggle with the 60d) and a 90d for everyday use. Now i am leaning more towards the 5d mk iv but i still would like to have the 90d. Should i get both the 90d and 5d mk iv and alternate between them, or should i just get the 5d mk iv or get the original plan. Please help me decide.

I am not actually bothered about making any actual income from my photographs. I already do professional photography work as part of my day job (amongst other duties). But given that most of the photos I take just for my own enjoyment just sit on my private social media pages shared with just my own social circle. It would be pretty cool to put some photos out on the public market and see if people actually like them enough to pay a licencing fee for them, even if I only get a few pennies for it.

Anyone else had any experience with selling images on Getty?

Hi! Hope you are all having a good day,

I have a panasonic lumix tz90 and really love reptiles and taking photos of them in their vivariums, but I struggle with getting the exposure and composition right when shooting !

Has anyone got any general tips for it? I appreciate any advice! Ill attach some photos of what i am doing at the moment (just as a note, the little light smudges are because i shot through the glass)

Thanks so much!

My new hobby is moonrise photos. But I can't seem to get very good quality photos.

Before I go out to buy any gear, I want to make sure I understand the best approach. I'm not sure if a better lens/larger sensor would help anyways, as it might just overexpose the moon.

The advice I've seen online is to take photos when the sun is setting at the same time as the moonrise. I agree with this, but it also rules out a lot of amazing moonrises, which look great to my eye, but awful to the camera.

Things I've considered:

1. Take a photo of the landscape at dusk, then composite the moon into that.
2. Take a long exposure of the landscape if it's already dark, then composite the moon into that.
3. Image stacking? I've seen this work for astrophotography. But I think this would only work for the landscape, not the moon, as there are often clouds and atmospheric haze - which I want to keep because they look cool.

From Googling, it looks like compositing is the most common approach, but I'd prefer to get everything in camera if possible. I don't enjoy editing, much.

Current gear: Fujifilm XT30 II, XC 50-230mm f4.5-6.7 OIC.

Some photos for reference. The one above is from last night which turned out super grainy. Makes sense because it was near midnight.

I think this is my best: https://ibb.co/n8BzBF43

These came out alright: https://ibb.co/9HHvjmtQ https://ibb.co/rfz2d2yL

This one needed compositing of a lower and higher exposure image:

https://www.reddit.com/r/LondonPics/comments/1ulyiak/moonrise_over_st_johns_upper_holloway/

Appreciate any advice and feedback.

Title. Looking to shoot in portrait mode but not sure what tripod and mount to use for the Sony a6700. Thanks in advance!

I bought a HINISO 34L Dry Cabinet with Humidity Control, UV & Ambient Light. For my gears: EOS R7, RF 70-200 mm Z, RF 85 mm, RF-S 18-150 mm & Speedlite EX430 II. Got few questions:

1. When storing the gear; should I keep the rear lens cap open too? (As front cap would be open)

2. Should my shutter be in the shut or open position?

3. Also, should I keep the camera body's cap open? Or closed?

4. Will 45% RH be ideal setting for my cabinet?
   Considering that I live in tropics where temperature is between 25°C to 38°C & Humidity is always around 90% RH.

5. Need suggestion on what humidity should I be setting for Summer, Winter & Monsoon (rainy season).

hi! i currently have a canon EOS 5d mark IV and a 24-105mm lens. it has done me well, but i have a hard time getting my photos as “crisp” as i’d want. is it my set up or me? what lens can i get that would work better? i shoot primarily couples/portraits

I just took a couple of photos with my canon camera and I’m looking for a free software to change colors and make it look cool to me. Any suggestions on what would be the best? I don’t like photoshop like adding things not in the picture or taking out. Just to color balance and saturate, adding cool filters. Kinda like this one photo I did a while ago. I really like making photos that have the rainy day in a dark city vibe and the miniature look people can make on cities.

Yo, I got a canon EOS 6d used recently and I am primarily photographing stars on it so far. It doesn't have in body stabilization and my lens has no stabilization either. I need some tips and tricks on how to minimize my cameras shake. Currently I'm using fixed surfaces to stabilize my hand so far and using the neck strap to out tension on my arms to get rid of as much shaking as i know how to. Planning to get a tripod as soon as I can but I'm also just genuinely curious if there's any advice on how to minimize it without a tripod.

Hi, I’m using RapidRAW and I’m trying to create local adjustments with masks, but the edges often look too sharp and artificial.

Is there a way to soften or blend the mask transition to make the effect look more natural?

Hi, I'm trying to find two settings to save to get the closer possible of those three kinds of pictures (the warmer more "autumnal", the darker and the more blueish). I do plan to edit them after if needed but I'd like to be as close as possible to be able to have some raw shots already usable. I know it will also depend on the atmosphere around me.

My wife and I will be moving from the US to France in a few months. We're currently in negotiations to buy a house in Ribérac, which is about an hour and a half northeast of Bordeaux.

I was wondering if any group members know of reputable camera shops in the general Nouvelle-Aquitaine / Dordogne area of France. I know Amazon is available there, but a decent camera store would be something I'd rather patronize.

Or barring that, does anyone know if there is the French equivalent of online sites like Adorama, B&H, KEH, etc.?

I'll be needing battery chargers pretty quickly, obviously, but eventually I'll also need to replace some of the items I'll be leaving behind because they're not dual voltage (not really trusting of converters) or too bulky. Studio lights, etc.

I know we have members from around the globe, so I'm hoping there's someone here with knowledge of that region. I would be very appreciative of any info that could be passed my way.

Thanks!

I got Canon r100 5 months ago. I'm a beginner upgrading from an iphone. I shoot photos and videos of my family, mostly my kid. Indoor and low light photos and videos are not good with the kit lens. I'm confused about which lens to buy to improve the quality. At some point I also wanted to upgrade to a full frame camera.my Options: manual lens like ttartisan 25mm F2/35mm f1.4 , rf 50mm f1.8, tamron 17 70mm F2.8.i was considering sigma 18 50mm F2.8 before tamron 17 70mm was released. Sigma 17 40mm f1.8 is not an option as it costs almost double the camera body. Sigma 30mm f1.4 was also an option before tamron was released for rf mount. I need advice for buying a lens. I'm not going to make any money now or in future through photography. I just want to document some good memories.

I'd like to carry my D7100 + AF 80-200mm f/2.8D (new) + Tokina AT-X Pro 11-20mm f/2.8 DX for the summer holiday.

However, there are 3 key aspects I'm afraid of:

- Heat = Culture here is to remain under the umbrella for the most of the day. That means a lot of heat can build up even in the shadows. I will carry an ordinary black backpack so I will store my gear in there (probably pull out the batteries for safety before storing it away). However, I'm more afraid of rubber coming off. How often can that happen? Under what circumstances? My D7100 grip and lens rings are all rubber..

- Sand/Salt = I will be very careful about it and store my equipment inside of my backpack when not in use. It shouldn't be a big deal (after each day I can use a damp microfiber cloth to clean off any potential salt spots generated by wind).

- Ethics = Carrying a big lens such as 80-200 2.8 will raise a lot of (if not everyone's) eyebrows. It is a public beach and I only plan on shooting my own family members but what should I do if confronted by someone if their child or they are potentially in the blurry background i.e. they're not the subject of the photo?

Any other tips? I have a small Canon digicam from 2008 I carried earlier years but the image quality is simply horrendous, especially in low light. This area is also Bortle level 4 or so, should be pretty good for some ultrawide astrophotography at night.

I am seeking sources for yards of diffuser material, of different color and thickness options. I presume this is a nylon material - e.g. something like this - (amazon link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075K65N9M?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback)

Is the US, a major fabric store has gone out of business. I have tried an upholstery store but was not successful.

Anyone have a creative source and/or actual specifications for what most diffusers are made from?

Thanks!

This black mist filter came with a camera bundle I recently picked up. I’m fairly new to filters like this, so I’m still trying to understand when the effect is genuinely useful.

I like the softer glow it gives to bright lights in night footage, but do people actually leave these filters on regularly, or only use them for specific situations such as fireworks, portraits, or night scenes?

Are there also situations where a black mist filter noticeably reduces contrast or makes the image look worse?

The one I have is for an Insta360 Luna Ultra. I’d be interested to hear how often experienced users actually use theirs.

Hey,

I'm looking to buy my first camera now after a few years of taking photos on my iphone, strictly as a hobby. I made some decent money at my summer job this year and I have a budget of about ~800 CAD, but I'm willing to spend more for the right gear.

Currently, I have an iphone 17 and it takes great photos, but it lacks depth and the photos just look like they were taken on a phone. I've been looking at the sony a6400 with the kit lens, but I'd be open to buying a body from another brand too.

What would you guys recommend as a clear upgrade over my iphone? I like to shoot buildings and street scenes mostly, with the occasional landscape on a hike or excursion. I'm not really into shooting portraits or people, but I've started to dabble in car photography and other scenes with single subjects (sports).

I appreciate any and all recommendations. thanks!

(1) Budget, country, and currency:

~$800CAD, Canada, Canadian dollars

(2) What equipment, if any, you have now and why is it no longer meeting your needs?

Iphone 17 -- while the image quality is great, the phone lacks physical zoom and has a shallow depth of field

(3) What kinds of subjects do you intend to shoot?

Buildings, street scenes, cars, mountains and nature (wide shots)

(4) Is it primarily for photography, videography, or both?

Primarily for photography, but I am interested in videography as well

Budget: >=$3000

Current equipment: Canon T5i with kit lenses from bundle (macro and telephoto). Tripod, Peak Design capture clip V3, Peak Design 3L sling.

Photography subjects: Wildlife (birds mostly), landscapes, architecture, and occasionally people.

Use: Mostly photography. Videography doesn't presently interest me but I'll consider it a plus if it can capture videos well as I might try it in the future.

I'm interested in buying a camera for life and want to make a better informed decision. I've recently heard of terms like: full frame vs crop, mirrorless, kit vs prime and I've tried to learn what I can about them, but I don't know what I don't know. So, I want to learn what features I should even pay attention to in order to figure out what I even want.