So far I’ve shot 2 weddings, and 2 1/2 on the horizon. I enjoy them, find them rewarding, and they help to cover gear, but include their own stress.

I’ve spent three days shooting products for a food distributer in Sarasota, Florida.

One day I may be able to cover the cost of my gear. So far, I haven’t quite caught up.

Now I shoot mostly for fun. I think I would like a full time shooting gig. Maybe photojournalism, maybe products, maybe weddings. I think I would enjoy photojournalism the most. I also think I might regret making photography a job.

I love my off-camera light. I want another one. I use three lenses, a Tamron 17-50 2.8, a 50 1.8, and a 70-300 4-5.6 IS, and am confident that there are the best possible lenses for my budget. They are all sharp as I know sharpness. There really is no comparison to the kit lens. A simple mantra that I have passed on to those seeking advice regarding the purchase of lens is, “You get what you pay for.” Something else that may interest a newbie in collecting equipment, is, I do not wish that I had gotten any equipment sooner than I did. You should completely convince yourself that a piece will be used regularly. There is a lot of stuff I wish I would have, a macro, a super-wide, to name a few, but at this point I wouldn’t use them enough to justify them.

The only software I use now is Gimp, Canon’s RAW software, and Picasa.