my wishlist

I'm trying not to get overwhelmed and remind myself that this upcoming school is about learning not being an expert already. It's hard to believe that its less than a month till I leave.

Here's some things I'd like to learn in this next month...

I'd really like to go there with some working knowledge of Adobe lightroom since this is the software that they will be using.

I'd also like to go there having a working knowledge of off camera lighting. I've read through the strobist lighting 101 thing a few times and each time it starts to make a bit more sense but its still definitely an area that I have no real understanding in. I can't get my flash to do what I want it to do. Look at some of the things people are doing with off camera lighting. I'm amazed!

I don't think either of these things are going to happen because...

I could so easily drop over $2g's (I sure don't have that much) on everything I feel like I NEED to go to this school. In reality I probably have all that I need already. There's a few things that would make things a lot nicer though... there always is isn't there?

These are the things I'd like in order of importance. With the top of the list being what I will most likely buy first...

tc80n3 - $136.61

this just opens up all kinds of options for my camera. Besides having less shake when I'm doing macro photography or long exposures, it gives me the oppourtunity to do really long exposures and time lapse photography two things I cannot do without this little accessory. I've got an amazon gift card coming from my credit card soon so I'm probably going to buy this.

Shootsac - $179.00

I follow Jessica Claires Blog you should really check out her work its amazing. Rachel Barker introduced me to her blog because Jessica did photography for Gary Fong's wedding and Rachel worked for Gary's wife. But anyway, Jessica designed this bag and its getting some pretty great reviews. I think it'd be a great functional day bag to have, I've got my crumpler bag (which I LOVE) but its not really that practical for day trips where you never know what you might need. The crumpler bag is a great way to travel long distances though with your gear. I've travelled with it to Eastern Europe and to Mexico and it worked great. But much to bulky and not functional for a day trip when you need to access gear quickly. I didn't ask Jessica to use her images of her product on my blog... but hey its free advertizing right? She should be asking me if I would be willing to since I get so many hits on this little corner of the web... HA!

I think the best way to prepare to shoot is to know what your going out to shoot and pack as little as you can, it'd be real nice to just be able to go out with just your body and a lens (ussualy my 10-22 is my walk around lens)

But if i'm going to be shooting portraits on location I might need a flash and its a pain in the arse to walk around with your flash and lightsphere ON your camera when your not shooting and travelling. I have this little rectangular cheap video camera bag that just has one compartment that I used when I did this photoshoot in DC with a couple and it just wasn't at all comfortable or that functional.


Okay the moneys gone... so here's my wish list on the top is the...


50 1.8 - $71.28

A fast prime lens, this hasn't gotten that great reviews but its cheap and I think there is always occations for fast primes. Shooting indoors without a flash would be one of those occations. Why not the 1.4? I tottaly would but simply I cannot afford it right now. This is one of the cheapest things on the list...


70 - 200 f4 - $484.00

Found it used on KEH.com thanks to Mike Shoemaker. Again this lens gives me double the reach I've got now which would be nice in specific situations, sometimes you just can't get close to things as you'd like to. Why not the 2.8... because the 2.8 is a lot bigger and a lot more costly.


UV filters for these lenses - 11.97 - for the 52mm and 16.75 for the 67mm
(the one pictured is the real expensive ones, not the kind I want)

UV filters just seem like a must have in my opinion (for protection) but I'm going to start spending the little bit of extra cash and buying the multi coated versions. I'll go back one day and get multi coated versions for my other lenses when I have the cash.


Strobist Wireless Lighting Kit - $129

I'd get SW2 cause I already have a flash. This kit just seems like a good way to start out and learn this stuff. If I had the luxary of buying real nice lighting gear I'd do it... but I don't so since I'm just learning, this stuff seems like it should suffice.

Okay and now here's my DREAM luxary list for the school...

Canon G9 - $439.99

I absolutly WANT a small p/s camera because it just seems like I'd be more inclined to shoot the "fun" shots more and it'd be nice to be able to ALWAYS have a camera on me. I also would like the capability to do video so I can be sending back updates in other forms than just words and pictures. I like this specific camera because it has the options to expand if need be. A hotshoe flash... but if I'm doing anything that serious I guess I'd probably bust out the trusty 20d. But I need something small (that can fit in my pocket) that I can program the settings not just fully auto, and has decent video. I also just like having all my gear match so I'd be shooting canon.


4 gig SD card for the G9 - $30.97

Adobe Lightroom - $284.99

If we're required to use the program it'd be nice to go to the school with a bit of understanding... and have it on my own computer. But I'm sure it can't be to hard to learn and they are obviously going to teach us how to use it. I downloaded the trail version and I tried using it a bit and didn't understand it plus it slowed my computer way down. I since then have put in an extra gig of ram but my 30 day trial expired. I was trying to pump out a portrait gig I did and I was trying to learn the program at the same time so I just resorted to my old ways of doing things due to the fact they were quicker because I knew how to do them.


IPOD Touch - $299.00

I'd need some way to protect it while I carried it too and would want some different headphones so tack on some more money. I had an ipod once... it got confiscated from a kid at the high school i work at and he never came to pick it back up so I got it. I gave it away though to a friend that really wanted an ipod. But I like the idea of having an ipod again and being able to show ppl my portfolio on it along with being able to check e-mail too when I travel. This would definitly downsize the things I travel with. I felt very unsafe in Mexico with thousands of dollars strapped to my back travelling all around.

Its good to dream right and have goals, and to make lists and know why you want things.

If wishes were horses we'd all take a ride.

I'm still gonna go to this school and do the best I can with what I got. This next season is about training and learning so that the rest of my life I can capture things well. I just have to keep that in mind.

jim baker

p.s this whole in a way disgusts me because there are people alive right now that can't afford a meal.