Mario,
I wanted to thank you for starting this thread. I registered just to say how helpful it has been, because I am in a very similar situation to you. Like you, I shoot mostly seniors and I try keep the experience more personal...develop more of a relationship, if you will.
I also shoot a few weddings, a little commercial work and the occasional family pic, that usually sprang from working with seniors. My senior work and my Miss Louisiana work has been what raised my profile locally, to the point where I find it really strange (but wonderful) that people know who I am. I'm hardly famous, mind you, but God has certainly blessed me in/through my business!
I've been told repeatedly that my style stands out from a lot of the photographers who are always popping up in this area all the time. I suppose it's because I tend to put a little bit more of a fashion spin on it then most...at least i try to anyway
I've been blessed in this because most of my seniors moms end up loving the same things that they do.
Like you, Mario, I'm at the beginning of evaluating whether or not MFD is a road I want to travel down...well, let me rephrase that...
I'm trying to evaluate if MFD is a road I NEED/SHOULD travel down...I really WANT to
I have even contacted Digital Transitions to get some (very) preliminary info on the matter, but I haven't gotten to the rent/demo phase, yet.
So I can't give you any first hand advice, but I think I identify with your struggle...
I look at a lot of my work that I've done and I'm pretty sure I would have had a really hard time capturing some of it in MFD (I base that on my time in college that I shot on a Contax 645 with film)...spontaneous stuff that just happened...
My 1Ds2 has been an amazing tool and I've really ENJOYED it too!
That said, there's a part of me that's craving MORE in certain situations and I miss that more deliberate workflow that MF demands. Plus, I can imagine a lot of the things I've done being greatly enhanced by MFD.
I am making all sorts of quasi-rational arguments FOR getting something that will allow for lots of cropping...
Times when clients told me that they want these beauty shots REALLY TIGHT so they can see all the detail of the products and the application...then we hear later that they didn't have enough white space around the heads for layouts like they want
a nice big back sounds like a nice answer to that, right? right? Shoot for white space, then let them figure out how tight they want it later
Another instance that I often think of, is when I'm shooting seniors full length in the studio, since this is usually their first time doing anything like this, they (naturally) aren't the most accomplished models and they suddenly have a WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL facial expression...but they've got a not-so-great pose going on. The question is then raised about cropping and I have to tell them that I can't really do what they want on that one. I could see a big, back being nice in that situation.
I would love to work with the high sync speed of some of the leaf shutter systems. I've never done that, but I could see over powering the sun as a useful tool in my belt, since again, my clients have been more receptive to the slight tilt towards fashion in my experience.
I also know that I could never ditch the my DSLR. It's too versatile.
If I had, basically, unlimited funds, I would run a phaseone 645DF/IQ180 (or maybe a Hassy bc of the true focus) AND probably pick up something like the canon 1DX.
Ironically it was my disappointment over a lot of the features announced in the 1DX that really started prodding me in this direction (speed and video over higher resolution...though I realize there are many legit arguments over cramming more pixels into a sensor, that size). It just made me realize how much i wanted higher image quality for a lot of situations. And not that I am set on NOT getting a 1DX, but it just seems like a tool that's not directed towards me, as I would like...not that I couldn't make excellent use of it...it just didn't get me EXCITED...not for what I do anyways.
There's that whole passion, thing, rearing its ugly head!
MFD seems aimed right at me, for a lot (not all) of the stuff I am passionate about.
But that leads to the heart of the matter. The biggest problem with MFD is the price. It would be a tremendous burden for me to take on that cost. With that burden also comes the risk of getting into financial trouble. Would the upside of the higher quality, be worth it?
I mean REALLY worth it?
Here's an answer it's hard for ME to get past...
I have been blessed to get to this point that I'm at right now WITH THE EXACT SAME EQUIPMENT I've had since I started my business.
Is that your situation, Mario?
Of course, as others have pointed out, MFD has opened up NEW avenues for several people on here. It might be the same for me. It might be the same for you. If we knew the future, we wouldn't be having this discussion right now would we?
For me, MFD right now is waaaay more of a WANT than a NEED. I have convinced myself that they are really good and genuine and somewhat rational WANTS
, the problem is that there is very little NEED in the equation for me (at least not that I can put a number on), because I just don't how much MY clients would be aware of it or how quickly it would pay for itself. Heck, their jaws drop when they ask how much my camera costs now. I could literally imagine them stroking out if they asked me about my dream setup! But beyond the shock and possible extra glow that would surround me bc of my uber-pricey gear, would it really raise my bottom line?
I don't know. But that's one of the reasons I'm here and sooo glad you started this thread, Mario.
BTW, quick questions, Mario...do you shoot anything in studio?