Do those places all sell prof equipment? I'm looking to possibly get a 5d mark II or III, and maybe some new lenses

Hi all :) I absolutely live this forum for all the helpful advice that has been givin to me while starting out. You all are amazing! I reside in the prairies in Alberta Canada, and have been offered a free trip to California to take some family pictures. As I live in the prairies I am not used to shooting near the water. Are there any useful tips anyone can offer up? Would a polarizer be a good investment for near the water? I have heard they don't do we'll with skin tones though.
Also can anyone recommend some good places to givin San Fran to get some incredible backdrops?
One last question if anyone out there is from the Modesto area, where would be the best place to hit up on Black Friday for some new equipment ;)
Thanks everyone!!
Kelly

Thanks guys :) I don't usually have the clients come and look at the shots they want. I do have the confidence in my shooting and editing that I don't have them come for a preview before editing. I have never had a comment or complaint about it either. I am very generous with my edits and usually include around 40 shots in color and black and white. The ones I want my name on ;)
I really like the idea about the letter with a small picture added on the page! Good idea!
As I usually shoot families and a few concept shoots, I normally don't have anyone sign contracts, but always releases. Does anyone have a link or anything to a portrait/family session contract they use?
Thanks again everyone.! This place is always so helpful!

Hello everyone. I was wondering if I could get some advice from some pros on how they collect payment from clients. I am newer in the business, been shooting professionally for a little less than a year. I need to get myself in to a set of rules that I can stick to for collecting payment on a session. I was waiting before to collect payment on delivery of the photographs but now have a few sessions sitting on my hard drive without any payment and don't know how long I should keep them either. I don't do prints with my clients and only offer up the discs included in their session price. I hate that I have spent all that time editing for people to decide they can't afford it now. When I ask for people to pay at time of the session, some seem really put off by it and don't like giving money until they see the finished product. Any suggestions or maybe the normal protocol that I'm not aware of ?

Everyone has been so helpful with their suggestions and advice in here! I really appreciate all the feed back. Feel very welcome in this forum. Thanks guys!

Would you guys go with the 7d over a 5d? Or is it just because of the price tag?

Being that I've never used full frame and I feel silly for asking, but this is what the forum is for.... What is the difference between the 2?

Thank you. And you assume right. I have outgrown the equipment I have. I did make the investment in EF lenses after noticing a world of difference between the 50mm EFS I originally bought and the 50mm EF. No comparison. The only EFS lens that I have that still gets used infrequently is the one that came with my camera. Still trying to decide on a good quality zoom lens but think the investment in a new body is what I'm needing first at this point. I switch between my 50mm and 85mm EF all the time depending on whether I'm out on location or in studio. My biggest complaint with my rebel is trying to shoot in lower light without having to turn up my ISO so high and loosing so much quality

Thanks so much everyone for the helpful info and suggestions! I have always preferred quality over quantity and have bought only EF lenses besides the one EFS that came with the camera. I had bought a 50mm EFS for cheap and later on bought a 50mm EF. Not even close. I stayed investing in the better quality :)

Will the current lenses I have for my rebel work with either model?

Just wondering if anyone could give me a good idea what the best decision would be on stepping up my Canon. Currently I operate a rebel T2i. I already have investments made in to canon lenses but I am looking to upgrade my body as I am getting in to photography a little more as a business. I mostly do portraiture and not so much landscapes, but want the versatility of being able to take it everywhere, not just in studio. I want to make the investment in a long term body and upgrade lenses as I go if needed, but mostly want to invest in a body I won't want to be replacing in a few years.
I feel very comfortable operating canon cameras so I would like to stick with that brand. Is the Canon 5d mark III the way to go?