help with next purchases

[Avas Mom]

Okay,

We should be getting some money back from our tax return and I would really like to improve my digital/photography scrapbooking supplies.

Current:
Computer: Mac book, 1GB memory, intel cour 2 duo process -- this puppy moves slow

Camera: canon rebel xs -- my very first DSLR, got it just this last Xmas, now i'm wishing i would have got something a little nicer

Lens: EF-S 18-55mm f 3.5-5.6 IS -- came with the camera ... from what i've been learning, I wish it was a lower aperture

Program: PSE6 -thinking about also purchasing lightroom lightroom)
Back up: mozy and 500gb external hd

Crazy pie in the sky dreams: to get good enough with my digital scrapbooking skills/photography, that i take super awesome pictures of my friends and family -- and maybe take a few family photos or put together scrapbooks for other and make a little bit of $$ -- but only enough money to buy more camera and dig scrapbooking equipment.

I know this is a tall order... but what would your recommend for next purchases/improvements? I was gonna focus on my computer and a lense.. or heck, just let me know what you use so i can figure out where to start


Thanks! Hatch
P.S.
my new sister in law is a professional photographer -- so this has been fueling my insane desire for better computer and camera equipment -- it's amazing what you can do with decent equipment

[esther_a]

My setup is similar except I don't have a Mac so I'm not sure about that. But at the top of my wishlist is lightroom and/or Photoshop CS. I want these so I can do actions on photos other than the few available for PSE.

[Avas Mom]

thansks-- so it sounds like on of the advantages of the full PS is that you can create your own photo actions. I've also learned that with PS you can type text on a path, ie circle, which you cant do with PSE

Hatch

[donitab]

One thing I was told was to invest in lenses first & then upgrade the body on your camera - your lenses will travel with your new camera body.

For sure you want a lens for portraits - the 50mm 1.8 is available for about $100. The 50mm 1.4 and the 85 1.8 are around $350.00.

Also you probably would like to have a nice zoom lens. I have a 28-300 3.5 which I love, but I am thinking of investing in a 70-200 2.8 at about $1200.00 for night time sports.

Good luck - how fun making your decision!

[deanie]

If I were in your position my priorities would be:
1. Good lenses-50mm 1.8 or 1.4, and a zoom. I have a Canon 28-135 and a Tamrom 28-300. I use the Tamron alot outside.
2. Lightroom-This is a fabulous tool for editing and organizing. It comes with presets (similar to actions) and there are many more you can download for free. I would also recommend a good noise reduction program such as Noiseware.
3. Storage- you can use up a 500G EHD very quickly with photos and PSD
files.
4. Full version of PS. PSE is a great way to learn and it's inexpensive. Pattie Knox makes fantastic text on a path templates for PSE.

Hope this helps!

[esther_a]

The reason I'd like to use Actions in PS is not because I want to create them but because there are great actions available to download that turn photos into sepia or warm them or whatever. Similar to lightroom (I haven't used lightroom so shoot me down in flames if I'm wrong ). Pioneer Woman has wonderful actions available for free on her blog that I use occasionally when I can get my hands on a computer with PS on it.

[Avas Mom]

Originally Posted by esther_a

The reason I'd like to use Actions in PS is not because I want to create them but because there are great actions available to download that turn photos into sepia or warm them or whatever. Similar to lightroom (I haven't used lightroom so shoot me down in flames if I'm wrong ). Pioneer Woman has wonderful actions available for free on her blog that I use occasionally when I can get my hands on a computer with PS on it.

Oh, I think i get what you're saying. I have noticed that there are many more actions for PS than PSE. I have purchased some actions (ie color pop, antique color, sepia, ect..) for PSE, but I think what you're saying is that there's more out there for the full version of PS -- right?

Carie (aka Ava's Mom )

[Avas Mom]

Hey-- I'm pretty sure I qualify for a education discount for adobe lightroom -- so should only be $99 --

So I'm sold on lightroom -- atleast I've made up my mind there

[LauraBean]

It's not a real sexy purchase, but you might do well with increasing your computer memory to speed it up some.

The Canon 50mm f/1.8 is a no-brainer purchase, well worth the $80 and very fun to use.

[SAHMom]

Two fairly inexpensive purchases I do first are upping your RAM. I just bought 4 gig of RAM to upgrade an iMac for under $50 from crucial.com... and did it myself and I am seriously the most non-techy mechanical person alive... LOL
Next, the 50mm 1.8 is a great great lens to learn on and it's under $100 for Canon.
If you can swing Lightroom, it has been invaluable to me in post processing.

[audrey77]

Question: Do you shoot manual with your camera? Or are you on auto?

[Avas Mom]

Originally Posted by audrey77

Question: Do you shoot manual with your camera? Or are you on auto?

I have been shooting manual -- certainly when i started at Xmas for the first month it was all auto -- but started playing with manual -- and i would say for the last month -- i have been trying to use only manual -- adjusting ISO, aperture, shutter speed (lol.. just like i learned on the canon website )

Carie (aka Ava's Mom)

[AllynD]

I think your first priority should be to increase RAM so you can run those programs.

I have a Mac Book with 2GB, and I also have a Mac Mini that used to be 1GB RAM until I upgraded it to 2GB. Apple would have charged megabucks, but I ordered the RAM from Crucial and my DS (Electrical engineer and computer savvy, but not everyone has one of those!) installed it for me. The Mac Mini and the Mac Book are not really DIY projects, but you can investigate ways to have it done less expensively than by Apple.

[Avas Mom]

Originally Posted by AllynD

I think your first priority should be to increase RAM so you can run those programs.

I have a Mac Book with 2GB, and I also have a Mac Mini that used to be 1GB RAM until I upgraded it to 2GB. Apple would have charged megabucks, but I ordered the RAM from Crucial and my DS (Electrical engineer and computer savvy, but not everyone has one of those!) installed it for me. The Mac Mini and the Mac Book are not really DIY projects, but you can investigate ways to have it done less expensively than by Apple.

Lynn:

My DH is talking about letting me get a new iMAC !! But regardless i will still be adding RAM to the macbook -- 2 is as high as i can go with my current macbook. I'm excited about a new i mac cause i could have as high as 8 of RAM -- and i have definitely figured out that getting your memory from apple is too expensive.
thx carie