All nice pictures. I've been wanting to get into photography and my wife finally gave me a go ahead. Right now, I'm researching what camera to get and leaning towards Canon EOS Rebel T3i. Dont know yet though. Still researching...
You won't go wrong buying any of the major camera makers offering...Canon, Nikon, Sony,etc. The technology has reached heights that is truely amazing. A lot depends on how far you want to get in to it. If you keep at it and truely enjoy it and keep learning more then the system becomes very important and less the camera body. Camera bodies come and go as technology advances but the investment in other items such as lenses, tripods, drives etc usually stays so its difficult to switch systems as there can be considerable finances tied in to these other items. Nikon and Canon have been the leaders for years in systems so they are a safe bet.
Having said that, the camera doesn't make the photo, the photographer does. Having an expensive or great camera doesnt mean a thing as far as taking good photos. Telling a photographer that he/she must have a good camera for having made such a good photo is rather insulting to the photographer. THe implication is that anyone with a "good" camera can do that and that the photo is a result of the gear, not the talents of the creator. Knowing your subject matter, knowing the controls on the camera, having a sense of compostion, knowing the limits, having a good knowledge of software and knowing just the basics of photography will mean more to creating good photos than the equipment ever will.
IF you want to progress photographically the basics can't be stressed enough. Some of the basics would be a knowledge of what apeture and shutter speed are and how they are related and what effect they have. What is ISO and what does it do and what ware the trade offs. What is perspective and depth of field. How does contrast and color play. This is foundational stuff and is easy to learn. with a basic foundation in hand one can control the outcomes and that knowledge becomes a springboard for more learning.
