-- be certain to get the 64 bit version, the 32 bit version has a maximum memory limit of 4 gig no matter what version (pro or home) (as stated here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa366778%28v=vs.85%29.aspx?ppud=4 The Pro version 64 bit will handle 192 gig, Home Basic 8 gig, Home Premium 16 gig

-- I have worked with many people who want to get 6 (or more) years of use from their computer so they spend 1 or 2 grand. I suggest you spend less and replace more often. A $500 pc could work great for your needs and just plan to replace it in 3 years with another $500 box. In 6 years time you'll have spent less overall, gotten a complete upgrade in the middle and likely (likely) avoided failed equipment due to age.

Many folks don't remember it but we went through growing pains with XP because is was a 32 bit OS where the older systems were 8 and 16. Lots of us had to upgrade software that would no longer run and replace printers (or get special updated drivers). Apple had the same problem when they moved from OS 9 to OS X - you had to create an OS 9 virtual computer within OS X to run your old applications, not many people bothered with it for long. Someone pointed out that they chose Linux instead of Windoze or Mac - in fact the Mac OS X runs on Unix which is the beefed up father of Linux and very stable.

With a camera that is in demand like the 30D you will do wonderful on eBay by setting the starting bid at 99 cents with no reserve, include many good detailed photos of the camera with a complete honest description of any scratched areas, shutter count, etc... There is always a slim chance you could end up selling the camera for way less than you hoped but it's not likely with this camera given the current auctions (see link below).

If you search eBay you'll notice cameras that start with a low price get sold while items with a starting bid at or near the reasonable sale price often don't sell at all even though they may be a good deal. People like to bid in the hopes they get an even better bargain, it's kind of fun to watch...

http://www.ebay.com/ctg/Canon-EOS-30D-8-2-MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-Black-Body-Only-/100102749?LH_Auction=1&_dmpt=Digital_Cameras&_pcategid=31388&_pcatid=782&_refkw=canon+30d+body&_trkparms=65%253A12%257C66%253A2%257C39%253A1%257C72%253A5848&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Would a 2.8 lens do the trick for you? There are some Canon zooms for around $1000 (probably a tad bit over) that will give you a constant aperture 2.8 throughout the zoom range.

Woops, never mind - I reread and see that a 2.8 wouldn't do the trick... new body then...

I believe I have the equivalent Nikon 50mm 1.8 (but for $200). I love the lens, sure I'd like the more expensive with image stabilization and a metal mount but if this less expensive model wasn't available I simply wouldn't have the lens, period. Lens I can afford & love vs lens I can't buy? Easy decision for me.

I 2nd the two monitor setup - apps like Lightroom are multi monitor aware and make use of the 2nd monitor if you tell it to.

All flat panel monitors targeted at computer use are LCD (I'm not aware of any that use the plasma design in the computer market). The LED versions use LEDs for the backlight as opposed to cold cathode fluorescent backlights. LED backlit monitors typically offer higher contrast and consume less power BUT cost a bit more up front.

I'm not a fan of flash at stage events, sometimes it startles the kids and other times it really annoys people... I don't mean to assume your rich but given that your paying 18K for a private school and have a T3i why not invest in a good constant aperture 2.8 zoom lens - your stock lens likely bumps up to 5.6 as soon as you start zooming in and you instantly loose a few stops of light. It will set you back 1 or 2 grand for the lens but will pay off with being able to use a lower ISO (less grain) and no flash or allow for higher shutter speeds.

I don't know Canon lenses very well but I think an example would be the Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens

http://static.bhphotovideo.com/images/images200x200/264304.jpg

as stated earlier, Picasa will do it when you export them and Lightroom 3 has a great deal of options that are easy to use when exporting - including resizing, embedding your name/copyright on the image, renaming, numbering, sharpening, etc...

Fwiw, if you have a child in school or are going to school yourself you can get LR3 for about $100

If you have access to AC outlets at the tops of bleachers like I do at my school, how about trying out some 300 ws monolights which can be had for ~ $200 each, some Cactus triggers for ~ $100 (2 receivers & 1 transmitter) (or Yongnuo at ~ $60 for 4 transceivers but don't handle high voltage strobes if you have them).

You would have about $500 into the rig with the monolights placed at center court on each side you should get some decent light and a fairly fast recycle time of ~ 3 seconds (or less). Just the lights with a basic reflector on them. I haven't tried this but have been looking into it for some time. My lights right now are run from a single power pack so I can't set them up on opposite sides of the gym...

And they would work nicely in your studio as well :)

Sure, it depends greatly on the situation though - If backgrounds are busy I tend to pick aperture priority so I have a better chance of a blurred background

between Auto and Scene on the mode dial you will find a lightening bolt with a circle around and a line through it. This is the Auto mode but with no flash. That should get you through tomorrow but then I would listen to the others that have responded and learn the ins and outs of Aperture/Shutter priority and the manual modes.

If you're not interested in learning the manual/semi manual modes you could pick up a SB-400 Nikon flash with bounce capabilities that would yield better results than the popup flash while still providing you full auto operation.

Good luck tomorrow :)

Wow.... consider this:

When shopping for common white paper you will likely find at least three versions of "white" expressed as a brightness level (as I recall) ranging from mid 80's to mid 90's. Taken without any other reference in a room the 85 would look nicely white to most people. Only when you place it next to a 92 does it look rather dingy.

Another example: Attach two different monitors to your computer and open up this image on both screens:

http://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2011/12/14/thumb-1323903585892-aaa001.jpg

(thanks for this great example MudShark :) ) Odds are good that the colors will be different one each monitor UNLESS you were to calibrate both monitor so they are color corrected. And here's the real gotcha - as the sun sets or clouds roll in or you turn on an overhead light your color calibration on those monitors changes!

Color is not constant.... that's why the printing press wasted ink on that color control strip...

Claiming that you got some color to be orange is only going to be correct under the same lighting conditions you were checking the printed output within. If the print shop had fluorescent lighting that "orange" isn't the same "orange" when viewed in sunlight. Your job as a printer was to reproduce images based on industry standards (the color control strip) - by refusing to use those and relying on your opinion given various lighting conditions and paper consistency you failed to give your customers what they were paying for.

You would probably be bummed out if you purchased 10 gallons of paint for your home only to discover the guy responsible for printing the color samples said "that looks like orange to me and that's good enough for anyone"

Use a sheet of white paper of unknown brightness as a white point in a photo will do the trick for the vast majority of photos but when I truly need to get it right, when I'm getting paid for a shoot or it's simply really important to me, I use a gray card.

Roger, I find it sad that you are so quick to say folks don't know what their talking about. Consider for a moment that, from time to time, it may be you that has something to learn... I certainly don't always "know what I'm doing" and often "don't quite understand the book" but I'm not going to just throw it out the window either - some very smart people wrote that book for a good reason - predictable, repeatable color.

Do you need a gray card DennisK? Probably not, but it really depends on what you're going to shoot and how picky you are.

Also, what kind of editing? Touching up for sharpness & color balance (I would vote for Lightroom) or altering the reality of the photo - changing the background, moving a head to another photo, etc then Photoshop or Gimp or whatever would be the direction to go

Other caveats to these modes is it may change the way your camera focuses on objects - that mirror on SLR systems typically directs light to the exposure & focus systems that make SLR cameras so good & fast. using Live view may revert focus & exposure to a point & shoot grade technology...

building on what Country's Mama said, if you've ever photographed a sunset you know it never comes out the way we see it but if you take a shot underexposed by 2 stops, another shot at "normal" exposure and another overexposed by 2 stops you'll have a photo that captures detail in the shadows and another with the highlights. Using software you can choose the best parts of all 3 (or more) photos and you wind up with an image which more closely matches all the detail you eyes are capable of.