Largobob

Have you thought of venturing out a bit to find interesting subjects? Tarpon Springs (Greek Sponge fishermen), Ybor City (Cuban cigarmakers), inner-city (African-American, Hispanic, Asian, etc), Seminole Indian Reservation, etc. As far as needing money is concerned, I have taken some of my best pics with a used ($12 from a Pawn Shop), fixed lens, rangefinder-focus, imported, 35mm SLR. Top-notch equipment is wonderful....but not always the only answer. You may also want to find a friend with similar interest in photography, to go out shooting with. Four eyes, two brains and shared interest might make for some great images. Good luck to you, Ellen.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Any decent hobby is expensive.... Shoot other subjects. A good place for nature shots is the Florida Botanical Gardens over in Largo.... I was there a few months back & loved it...

Spiney Loc: Reading, PA

Being on disability because of 3 back & 1 failed neck surgeries I understand limited/ fixed income. It took me 2 years of really scrimp & saving to buy my used Nikon D7000. I followed up with used Prime lenses a 35 & 50mm 1.8's. With a grandson now I'd love ❤️ a D7500 or even 7200 for better focusing. Truth is I shoot everyday, mostly with my iPhone 5. It's at least 5-6 years old. But it's always with me, so whenever I see a car, flowers 🌺, clouds ☁️, rainbows 🌈 veggies in the grocery store I shoot it. Usually several ways. I get instant feedback, can quickly edit & post to Instagram or Facebook, share with family etc.

This keeps my creative juices flowing. Hope this gives you some ideas. Spiney-Dave

AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

I know it hurts, but once in a while you have to utter those four horrible words: "I can't afford it."

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Lots of interesting buildings in Tampa. You can go to St. Pete Beach for sunsets. Lowery Park zoo or Busch Gardens. Wetlands. Maybe this wildlife preserve in Lakeland. http://safariwilderness.com/

Largobob

Florida Botanical Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo, Tarpon Sponge Docks area, Ybor City, etc, etc, etc. Just venture out and enjoy yourself.

Screamin Scott Loc: Marshfield Wi, Baltimore Md, now Dallas Ga

Honeymoon Island too...

cthahn

Join TBCC. Tampa Bay Camera Club.

Largobob

aellman Loc: Boston MA

I am in a similar financial situation. I have a Sony alpha a350 and an alpha a230 backup that I bought
for about $200 each on ebay. They do most of what a more expensive DSLR does, and I have
never found them lacking.

If you are not finding interesting faces, you are not digging deep enough.
There are interesting faces EVERYWHERE. I'm sure there are many within
a few blocks, but you could also get out of your neighborhood to a nearby
place where, for example, there is more ethnic diversity, poverty, or wealth.

Good luck. >Alan

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

It sounds to me, although you don't say this, that you want to shoot images of people on the streets in the likeness of what NatGeo would do, right? First off, you need to practice a lot to get images like that; the photographers they hire are professionals who have wonderful ability and most likely years of education and/or practice. At first in photography, it's not about the equipment, it's about getting the shot right and any camera can do that if the photographer uses it correctly and artistically. Practicing photographing any people will help you attain this goal. There are hundreds of people shots to be gotten anywhere you go, it's about having an eye for the shot and this, too, can be attained if it does not come naturally. In general, the viewing public likes shots of children (doing something or looking cute), babies, old people of either sex, people interacting, people in less than optimal situations (i.e., homeless or street people), and this is just for a start. Street scenes are often viewed in black and white as the starkness of BW adds to the image. I think you need to work on getting "an eye for the shot" and not worry about having expensive equipment. If you have a decent iPhone or other type of smart phone you can even start with that. Having expensive equipment does not automatically make any of us better photographers. Read up on people photographers and look at their images to learn more. Check out Werner Bischoff (I just went to an exhibition of his work) as well as the premier people photographer, Henry Cartier-Bresson who founded Magnum Photos in 1947.

millman221

Quite a thread. Not sure exactly what to say other than I think I'll make popcorn n stay tuned.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

ROFLOL

FiddleMaker Loc: Merrimac, MA

Excellent !!! (I wish I had thot of this)

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Same suggestion as for people living anywhere: There are more focus points than people's faces....
You can find things to photograph anywhere. You don't even have to leave your house:
think about the pattern of a brick wall, or a bit of green growing out of a crack in the driveway concrete.
Instead of looking for "culturally interesting faces", you could look for baby faces and toddler's faces (get parents' permission before you press the shutter release button).
Or, on the other end of life: faces of the folks of the generation before us.
Then there are the little things coming to our porch or sundeck: spiders and their webs, bees, butterflies...
Just let your imagination go, keep your eyes open, and you'll see lots of things worthy of taking a photo of.