I'm strictly a hobbyist and would like to post photos to a dedicated web site. I have flickr and Smug Mug accounts but would like to take it all up a notch to a dedicated web site of my own versus one hosted by the big guys.

I'm considering using Word Press to create the site or possibly Square Space. Anyone here using either or ? If not anyone have any suggestions. I've seen some really great sites posted here by members. Suggestions are appreciated.

6 months ago when I purchase my first DSLR the following site was very helpful. It's a simcam that shows how photos looking using different aperture and shutter speeds.

http://www.photonhead.com/simcam/

I've been a subsciber for a few years. My employer pays the cost yearly. It's intended purpose for me was to get up to speed on non-photo related software releases. But as it turns out since getting involved with photography it has proven to be a great tool for learning about photography. I really like the site lynda.com I think it's worth every bit of $25 per month.

I learned Aperture on lynda.com. The instructor is Derrick Story he does what I think is a nice job with the Aperture tutorial, it's an 8 hour video training module based on short videos ( most a few minutes long one that runs 16 minutes ). Each session gives you plenty of time to digest the newly presented material.

Great looking car! Interesting, my first car purchased used for $600 in 1968 was a Ford Galaxy 500. Your restored Fairlane looks so much like my car, same color and black hood, the engine was a stock 289.

Although I can't share any experience of photographing aircraft, I'd like to tell you what happened earlier this year.

I had just purchased my first DSLR camera a Canon t2i. About a mile from where I live is river/stream. There's a series of overpasses that the river flows under. I thought great I can experiment with shutter speed. I was in the process of taking photos, looked and noticed about 500 feet away a woman standing by the side of the road near another overpass. Who knows maybe she was waiting for a ride from someone? About a minute later I hear sirens then police and fire/rescue vehicles show up to assist the woman. Meanwhile my camera is still mounted on the tripod and I'm snapping away at the overpass I was at, not the one where the police/fire personnel were at. Out of the clear blue some curious onlookers are starting to congregate where I'm shooting. Next thing you know the woman who was waiting starts walking to where I was set up screaming at me for taking photos. She was followed by a police man who started asking what are doing? I explained I just got a new camera and talking photos of the river. I know the cop thought I was full of you know what. He started asking where I lived etc, etc. After I showed him ID I convinced him I was not photographing whatever was going on. Apparently, it was a domestic matter with a teenager and the mom.

Nevertheless after that I got out of there as quickly as I could then went a half mile down the road to photograph another part of the river.

Less than a year ago I went your route except my upgrade was to a T2i. I purchased the following for the T2i, but I notice the site now has a DVD for the t3i.

http://www.michaelthemaven.com/?page=products


You may also want to check out:
http://www.lynda.com there's a 3 hour tutorial on the T3i with photographer Ben Long.

You may also want to check out:
http://www.kelbytraining.com

Good luck

Food for thought on the better lenses!


Captain C. You've certainly gave me something to think about maybe not rush out and buy a new camera. BTW, your portfoliso, very nice work. Like the look of your web site as well.

Probably no more than replacing my spinet piano with a Steinway concert grand piano will do improve my piano playing skills, we all know it's practice, practice, practice or shoot, shoot, shoot.

Your point is well taken.......... sometimes having that better model has a better feel and a few more enhancements.

Robert, thanks. I was looking for somone who'd been there, done that. Makes sense to me, especially at half the price.

LOL I'm a gear head I'm also a part time keyboard musician. I won't even tell you the number of keyboards, I've been thru the last 5 years. :oops:

I shoot usually on the weekends, I do keep my s95 in my work knapsack for spontaneous shots. Landscape photography is my main area of interest.

I've been bitten by the gear bug. Short story is I took an Apple workshop on Aperture in December 2010. I was blown away by the sample Aperture library photos and felt I needed to upgrade since I just had an older Fuji point and shoot and Minolta film SLR. After some research a week later I purchased a Canons95, 2 months later a used T2i with lens kit.

I haven't been shooting all that much but do enjoy when I have the time. I've been toying with getting a Canon 7d, I've been watching plenty of youtube videos on the merits of the Canon 7d and the comparisons with 60d, T2i and T3i. I thought maybe this will be the last camera purchase for a long time to come, so maybe a 7d?

Yesterday I walked into the local chain camera store so that I could get hands on the 7d and 60d. Really liked the 7d, but then had a discussion with the sales rep on what to purchase. The rep tells me that he had considered a 7d but when it came down to it all the 60d was his choice. I wasn't ready to buy and need to step back and make an informed decision, since the rep confused me as to what to purchase.

I'm curious to hear feedback from forum members.

Thanks in advance.

Steveo