2022 Camera Gift Picks for New Photographers – Missy’s Good, Better, and Best Picks

The holiday season is upon us, and I get asked every year which cameras are ideal for gifting. I pretty much universally recommend the Canon Rebel series, but this year I am making a change in my recommendation for the first time... ever! The future of digital photography is in mirrorless cameras, and things have been headed in this direction for quite some time now on the professional level. In the past 1-2 years, there have been several new releases at the hobbyist (crop sensor/affordable) level, including a couple of options from Canon that I can recommend for a beginner. Mirrorless cameras are going to be more expensive, even at the "prosumer" level, but I think it's worthwhile unless you are really uncertain how committed you are to learning photography. Mirrrorless cameras have a few significant changes from your traditional DSLR: they incorporate features and technology that you will not see in a regular DSLR (particularly when it comes to focusing technique), there is a learning curve when coming from a traditional DSLR, and mirrorless camera bodies require a new lens mount, meaning your older lenses will work with your new mirrorless camera only with an adapter. So, it makes sense to start your photography journey with a mirrorless camera since there are different controls and features, and most importantly, any lenses you purchase will be relatively future-proof. My Picks for Cameras: Good: Entry-level crop-sensor DSLR with EF kit lens (18-35 mm), such as the Canon Rebel T7 or T8i. Skip the two-lens kit with the telephoto lens and save up for a 50 mm 1.8 lens instead. Canon Rebel Better: Mirrorless crop-sensor DSLR, such as the NEW Canon R10 with 24-105 f/4 RF lens and/or 50 mm 1.8 RF lens. Canon R10, my TOP PICK Best: Full-frame mirrorless, such as the Canon EOS R6 with 24-105 f/4 RF lens and/or 50 mm 1.8 RF lens. The semi-pro option, Canon R6. (On a budget but want a full-frame mirrorless camera? Check out Canon RP.) Companion gifts for giving with a camera: 50 mm (or 35 mm) 1.8 lens, an essential lens for learning photography: RF mount for Canon mirrorless EF mount for Canon DSLR  Missy Timko Class Series Take classes with me to learn all about your new gear! Click here for all the details about my custom, private photography classes. Give a Gift Certificate with our custom packaging, click here Click here to sign up for classes now! Click on the image below to see my full range of beginner picks: https://kit.co/missytimkophoto/beginner-camera-kit-missy-timko-photography *This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products we love.

Pittsburgh Newborn Family Photographer | Artsy Couture Canvas Deconstruction & Review

Read more about the article Pittsburgh Newborn Family Photographer | Artsy Couture Canvas Deconstruction & Review

There are a lot of choices when it comes to products for my clients.  I generally sell canvas or framed fine art wall portraits, as well as archival custom photo albums, and have shopped a number of products to find the very best in quality for my clients. In a canvas printer I am looking for, above all, extremely high image quality--sharp image and accurate color tones.  I am very actively involved in assuring my colors and tones are accurate by using the X-rite "Passport" color checker when I am shooting and editing and a Spyder to calibrate my monitor.  I double-check compatibility with each of the vendors that I work with to make sure I will get consistent, accurate color in my products. For those of you unfamiliar with how this works, what I am talking about is making sure that the color and brightness settings on my monitor are set to look like what I will get from my print labs so that I don't get skin tones that are too orange, green, dark, bright, etc. Secondly I am looking for solid, archival construction.  I want my canvas wrapped around wood with quality hanging hardware and bumpers.  NO CARDBOARD.  Just no. I was using a canvas printer that I liked very much for a few years when I suddenly started having color issues back in October 2013.  I had been hearing so much about Artsy Couture, and their prices were less than my printer at the time, so I tried them out.  What I received from them was what appeared to be a well constructed, solid canvas, but the colors were way off--super orange.  Their customer service was amazing--friendly & prompt--and they sent out a new canvas that was better but still not the color & sharpness I am seeing from the pro labs I usually work with. I ended up taking a loss on that order and paying to have my client's order printed at another lab (the one I am currently using). I went to the Artsy booth at Imaging USA earlier this week and was very impressed with the quality of their products, their cute booth, and their friendly staff.  I was told that they were having short-lived color issues at the time of my order and that I should try again.  I was also told that the canvases are stretched around wood, which really surprised me because I figured it was some sort of super rigid cardboard given they cost a small fraction of the pro lab canvas wraps. Upon returning home I decided to dig up that old canvas--the one I received with color issues, and deconstruct it!  Here is what I found...                       My overall recommendation is that Artsy "Couture Canvas" is a good option for budget photographers or for consumers who are not willing to pay literally 3x the price at a pro lab.  I do intend to give them another…

Exposure Triangle Infographic | Aperture, Shutter Speed, ISO explained | Pittsburgh Family Photographer

I made this infographic for a short workshop I am teaching today for moms & dads who want to learn to take better photos of their kids.  The most important lesson is about exposure (how much light enters your camera when you take a picture), which is controlled by shutter speed, aperture, and ISO.   Are you interested in a workshop like this?   I taught high school art and photography for 12 years before I started my photography business full time, so I have a passion for teaching & learning and a long history of training in this area. Sign up on my email list or contact me if you are interested.