Toni, I'm sure you've realized by now that you have many, many good people on UHH willing to give you plenty of suggestions/help in anything about photography. For me, my vote always goes to JerryC because he gives you such a complete picture, pun intended, of information for your questions. Having said that, given that you want to hold the line in spending of less than $1K, I would definitely go to the Canon refurbished website to make a purchase. When it comes to refurbs from the manufacturer, no one, NO ONE, gives you better confidence with your purchase than it because everything it sells comes with a one-year warranty. Why? Because its own technicians have completely gone over the cameras, lenses, etc. and reconditioned them to good-as-new; hence, the warranty. Now, having said that, I would guide you to look at the Rebel T6i or the T5i for a camera and then get an 18mm-135mm lens, with the addition of a faster 50mm lens for your closeups. Why do I suggest the T5i or T6i? Because Steve Winter, a National Geographic award-winning photographer, used a straight-out-of-the-box T5i to capture his photos of big cats (tigers, snow leopards, etc.). If it's good enough for him, it's good enough for anyone. I'll give you links to everything I've mentioned here. Good luck in your pursuit!
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/travel-photographers-favorite-cameras/ (there are 10 photographers listed here. Winter is #7)
http://www.albomadventures.com/steve-winter/
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-rebel-t6i-ef-s-18-135mm-f-35-56-is-stm-kit-refurbished
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-t5i-18-135mm-is-stm-lens-kit-refurbished
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/ef-50mm-f-18-ii-refurbished
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/ef-50mm-f-18-stm-refurbished
https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/ef-s-60mm-f-28-macro-usm-refurbished (this would be a good one, too, for closeups)
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/ (this is an EXCELLENT website to learn about photography. Click on "tutorials" to get started)

Canon, and Nikon, have the largest array of lenses, speedlights, etc, to choose from. Sony, Fuji, etc, are good, but have a smaller number of accessories to choose from, and also have problems with overheating, short battery life, etc. I like the controls on Nikons better than those on Canons. You may feel the opposite. Check each out, and see for yourself. For portraits, use a Prime (single focal length) lens...a 100mm lens rather than a 100-300mm Zoom lens. For a Full Frame camera, a slight telephoto lens of a focal length of 60mm, or larger, would work. I like 85mm, or 105mm, or 135mm. Some folks prefer 150mm, or 200mm. Prime lenses will be sharper than Zoom lenses. The larger your focal length, the further away from your subject you have to stand. If you use an APS-C Crop Frame camera, you can use a lower focal length lens, and get the field of view of a larger lens....so a 60mm Nikon lens, on a DX camera would give the field of view of a 90mm lens on an FX camera.

Mirrorless can be handy, as the viewfinder, or screen, shows what the sensor sees, rather than showing an image reflected through mirrors, and / or prisms. Full Frame mirrorless cameras are about as big, and weigh about as much, as most DSLR cameras, so size, and weight, are not really factors to consider much. If you go mirrorless, a smaller sensored-Micro Four Thirds(M4/3), One Inch, etc, camera will give you size, and weight, savings, but also give greater Depth Of Field, and so NOT produce the sort of Bokeh (blur in front of / behind the subject) that most portrait shooters desire. All else being equal, an APS-C camera will give greater Bokeh, and a Full Frame camera will give even greater Bokeh.

The way to cut costs is to buy used, or even Factory Refurbished. nikonusa.com, adorama.com, bhphotovideo.com, and amazon.com, are the best places to shop. Other places may be good, or not.

In the Nikon line, a used, or refurbished D7200 would be a good DX (APS-C) choice. Adorama has one for $689.00. They also have a used Nikon 60mm Macro AF lens for $115.00. On the D7200 (a DX camera), that lens gives the field of view of a 90mm lens on an FX body, and that is good for portraits. The true 1:1 Macro capability lets you shoot from as close as 8.64 inches from your subject, if you wish to. The AFS version of the lens will cost a bit more, and focus from a bit closer (7.28 inches). This Macro capability lets you get close ups of things like stamps, coins, jewelry, etc, when you want to. You can also shoot non-macro images-portraits, etc-with the lens when you wish to.

You can get a used Full Frame Nikon for around $1,000.00. bhphotovideo.com has one (body only) for $1.099.95. Ebay has several for around $730.00 to $860.00.

The 60mm Macro lens mentioned above is an FX lens, but can be used on a DX body.

If I were you, I'd probably go with either a used Nikon D7200, and Nikon 60mm Macro 2.8 lens...or a used Nikon D610 and a used Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens.

You could find similar Canon products, which would usually cost a bit more (as Toyota cars tend to cost a bit more than comparable Hondas), or go with a used mirrorless system from Fuji, Pentax, Olympus, or such. If you go Full Frame mirrorless-for Bokeh-you will have higher cost, and lower battery life, and overheating problems. If you go Crop Frame mirrorless (APS-C, M4/3, One Inch, etc), you will get less Bokeh, and get the battery / etc problems, but have a smaller, lighter weight, system.

There is no one all around, always best for everything, camera, lens, flash, or anything else. What works well for one thing will be less good for something else. All of photography is a matter of compromises, and trade offs. Balance what you want / need in the way of: shutter speed, aperture, burst rate, etc, against: cost, availability, ease of use, and such. Come up with what suits you / your type of photography best. You have my recommendations above. Others will recommend something else. Do some research. Download, and read, copies of the owner's manuals of cameras you are considering. Read product reviews online. Watch YouTube videos about the cameras you are considering. I usually research a product for a year, or two, before buying it. By then I know a lot about it, and the price has dropped a bit.

Since you are just starting, I will say what I have said to others. If I were starting out now and did not already own a lot of Canon equipment, I would seriously look at mirrorless. There is plenty to choose from. While the variety of available lenses is more limited in the mirrorless world, there is enough of a range to meet anyone's initial needs. And the variety is getting better as more people move to mirrorless. By the time you progress to where you "need" a certain lens, it will probably be there.

I have been without a camera for about two years. The one I had was an "elementary digital" but it awakened me to a desire to learn and do much more photography. I have reluctantly settled for taking photos with my cell phone. Looking at endless reviews, researching DSLR versus Mirrorless, Nikon vs. Canon, all the bells & whistles, etc., I am OVERWHELMED with information. I want to photograph people in their normal life activities, hoping to capture candid shots, not greatly interested in video, and my other desire is on detailed close-ups. I want to be able to have at least one lense to do close ups of still objects or people's expressions while laughing, reading, crying, etc. I've seen far too many "packages" & am slowly coming to the conclusion-- I need to keep this as simple as possible. Perhaps one camera, one lense? I have yet to take even the most basic photography course. The photos of mine that are posted here (please look to get an understanding of my desired type of photo) were my earliest attempts. I am probably most interested in thoughts, as if you were starting fresh, between DSLR vs. Mirrorless, if you were to buy one additional lense for close ups. I need this to be simple as I am an "illiterate" in photography terms! Most of my friends photograph with DSLRs and have secured many lenses. They are unwilling to switch, understandably, and have no experience with mirrorless. I am also not wealthy, by any means, so under $1000 is a must! You'll note from my signature stamp...I'm still driving a 30 yr. old car, by choice. Thus, not expecting a flamboyant camera kit! I am at the very beginning now, and can start over. Help a "photography child" please.
--Toni

Canon, and Nikon, have the largest array of lenses, speedlights, etc, to choose from. Sony, Fuji, etc, are good, but have a smaller number of accessories to choose from, and also have problems with overheating, short battery life, etc. I like the controls on Nikons better than those on Canons. You may feel the opposite. Check each out, and see for yourself. For portraits, use a Prime (single focal length) lens...a 100mm lens rather than a 100-300mm Zoom lens. For a Full Frame camera, a slight telephoto lens of a focal length of 60mm, or larger, would work. I like 85mm, or 105mm, or 135mm. Some folks prefer 150mm, or 200mm. Prime lenses will be sharper than Zoom lenses. The larger your focal length, the further away from your subject you have to stand. If you use an APS-C Crop Frame camera, you can use a lower focal length lens, and get the field of view of a larger lens....so a 60mm Nikon lens, on a DX camera would give the field of view of a 90mm lens on an FX camera.

Mirrorless can be handy, as the viewfinder, or screen, shows what the sensor sees, rather than showing an image reflected through mirrors, and / or prisms. Full Frame mirrorless cameras are about as big, and weigh about as much, as most DSLR cameras, so size, and weight, are not really factors to consider much. If you go mirrorless, a smaller sensored-Micro Four Thirds(M4/3), One Inch, etc, camera will give you size, and weight, savings, but also give greater Depth Of Field, and so NOT produce the sort of Bokeh (blur in front of / behind the subject) that most portrait shooters desire. All else being equal, an APS-C camera will give greater Bokeh, and a Full Frame camera will give even greater Bokeh.

The way to cut costs is to buy used, or even Factory Refurbished. nikonusa.com, adorama.com, bhphotovideo.com, and amazon.com, are the best places to shop. Other places may be good, or not.

In the Nikon line, a used, or refurbished D7200 would be a good DX (APS-C) choice. Adorama has one for $689.00. They also have a used Nikon 60mm Macro AF lens for $115.00. On the D7200 (a DX camera), that lens gives the field of view of a 90mm lens on an FX body, and that is good for portraits. The true 1:1 Macro capability lets you shoot from as close as 8.64 inches from your subject, if you wish to. The AFS version of the lens will cost a bit more, and focus from a bit closer (7.28 inches). This Macro capability lets you get close ups of things like stamps, coins, jewelry, etc, when you want to. You can also shoot non-macro images-portraits, etc-with the lens when you wish to.

You can get a used Full Frame Nikon for around $1,000.00. bhphotovideo.com has one (body only) for $1.099.95. Ebay has several for around $730.00 to $860.00.

The 60mm Macro lens mentioned above is an FX lens, but can be used on a DX body.

If I were you, I'd probably go with either a used Nikon D7200, and Nikon 60mm Macro 2.8 lens...or a used Nikon D610 and a used Nikon 85mm 1.8 lens.

You could find similar Canon products, which would usually cost a bit more (as Toyota cars tend to cost a bit more than comparable Hondas), or go with a used mirrorless system from Fuji, Pentax, Olympus, or such. If you go Full Frame mirrorless-for Bokeh-you will have higher cost, and lower battery life, and overheating problems. If you go Crop Frame mirrorless (APS-C, M4/3, One Inch, etc), you will get less Bokeh, and get the battery / etc problems, but have a smaller, lighter weight, system.

There is no one all around, always best for everything, camera, lens, flash, or anything else. What works well for one thing will be less good for something else. All of photography is a matter of compromises, and trade offs. Balance what you want / need in the way of: shutter speed, aperture, burst rate, etc, against: cost, availability, ease of use, and such. Come up with what suits you / your type of photography best. You have my recommendations above. Others will recommend something else. Do some research. Download, and read, copies of the owner's manuals of cameras you are considering. Read product reviews online. Watch YouTube videos about the cameras you are considering. I usually research a product for a year, or two, before buying it. By then I know a lot about it, and the price has dropped a bit.

I have been without a camera for about two years. The one I had was an "elementary digital" but it awakened me to a desire to learn and do much more photography. I have reluctantly settled for taking photos with my cell phone. Looking at endless reviews, researching DSLR versus Mirrorless, Nikon vs. Canon, all the bells & whistles, etc., I am OVERWHELMED with information. I want to photograph people in their normal life activities, hoping to capture candid shots, not greatly interested in video, and my other desire is on detailed close-ups. I want to be able to have at least one lense to do close ups of still objects or people's expressions while laughing, reading, crying, etc. I've seen far too many "packages" & am slowly coming to the conclusion-- I need to keep this as simple as possible. Perhaps one camera, one lense? I have yet to take even the most basic photography course. The photos of mine that are posted here (please look to get an understanding of my desired type of photo) were my earliest attempts. I am probably most interested in thoughts, as if you were starting fresh, between DSLR vs. Mirrorless, if you were to buy one additional lense for close ups. I need this to be simple as I am an "illiterate" in photography terms! Most of my friends photograph with DSLRs and have secured many lenses. They are unwilling to switch, understandably, and have no experience with mirrorless. I am also not wealthy, by any means, so under $1000 is a must! You'll note from my signature stamp...I'm still driving a 30 yr. old car, by choice. Thus, not expecting a flamboyant camera kit! I am at the very beginning now, and can start over. Help a "photography child" please.
--Toni

With so many opinions I am sure you are pretty confused by now. Selecting a camera is a very personal decision. Ergonomics and the features needed for one's personal photography are important factors to keep in mind.
Because you do not seem to have enough information on photography your first step should be to learn the basics. If there is locally a Camera Club joining them would be an important step for your development as a photographer. Taking classes at a local school is also a good start.
Cameras and lenses are only tools. Modern cameras are very capable and any of them will fit the subjects you have in mind. Old cameras are very capable too and they can be bought at bargain prices.
I would not be in a rush to buy a camera. Learn basic photography first and you will be in a better position to buy the camera and lens you need.

There are more convenient options than getting an interchangeable lens camera (ILC, either DSLR or mirrorless), and that is to get a fixed lens camera. There are two categories; point & shoot, and bridge. P&S are much more compact, while bridge cameras look and feel more like the bigger ILC brothers.

You have to ask yourself if you want a big camera, if you want to carry multiple lenses, if you want the expense and hassle involved in such a system.

There are a number of very capable cameras that are small enough to toss into your purse. And remember, you can't take pictures if you don't have the camera with you.

To figure out what you want, of course, you should start with a list of what feature you want. These are the things to consider:

1. Flash. Some cameras have built in flash; some have a hot shoe for an external flash. Built in flash if very limited and not very good. External flash is better; and gettting the flash off camera will be important for portraits or if you do close-up work. In my opinion, a hot shoe is an important consideration.

2. RAW. The abiity to capture images in RAW format will improve your ability to edit pictures after taking them. It does provide a steep learning curve, but you can do a lot more with RAW images than with JPG. I always suggest shooting both RAW + JPG, and save the RAW for use when you learn how to process them.

3. Viewfinder. A good viewfinder is of value if you shoot in bright light, or dim light.

4. WiFi. Most modern cameras have WiFi; this allows you to transfer your photos as you take them, as well as control your camera remotely. This latter is a key feature for me, as I often use my iphone to control my cameras and get pictures from viewpoints that would be hard otherwise. One example; I clamped my camera to the front of a coaster ride and filmed under control of my iPhone.

5. Filters. There aren't a lot of filters needed for digital photography, but polarizers, close-up lenses, and neutral density filters are useful. The ability to easily attach filters in a standard thread size is a feature to consider.

Finally, a recommendation. Consider the Panasonic LX100. It covers all these features; in particular I think the Panasonic wi-fi app is the best. And for your use, you can add a Ray-Nox macro filter to improve the already good close-up focussing ability of the camera.

Of course, if you don't mind the size, ILC cameras provide a lot of flexibility. But to take advantage of it, you are going to be spending a lot more money.