Thanks for all the input and I was soooooo hoping you would say it is a lens issue. I just made the investment of a 50mm!! I have been using the basic (not so great) one that came with the camera because I just made the switch to manual. I have been setting my camera to auto for sooo long and I knew I had a lot to learn. Now that I think I have control of that I bought a new lens and a flash
