Meh: I don't like those horses.

:)

~V~

Soooz, certainly meant no disrespect. My sincere apologies if my comments read off harsh.

I do agree with you. The best photography possible is from understanding what you're looking at. In fact, in order to become a better belly dance photographer, I have actually taken belly dance class. Plus I "trained" while photographing for several belly dance instructional books and videos. I learned a lot doing this, which was part of my learning goal to overcome ignorance about The Dance. I'm certainly not a dancer, but my shimmy is getting better; just wish I could layer even 2 things at once, and do the footing for traveling that doesn't suck, LOL. However, I have learned to understand diverse belly dance styles, fabrics and costumes, use of props, how the dancer moves within a style, and how to read a dancer's unique movement vocabulary, relatively quickly. So, I totally agree with you: knowledge is power.

When I mean "getting the shot" in this context, I'm talking about significantly more precision in the "look."

For example, precise phasing of the dancer's position ... I can now specifically choose at will the angle where her face, flying hair, flying beads, jewelry, and other costume parts go in the shot. Sometimes, I can get up to three shots during such a turn, lift or drop. In other instances, like Shoshanna's Four Yard Veil, the moments to see like this go on for large fractions of seconds, it's breathtakingly beautiful to capture, but each moment itself is quite small.

I loved both my venerable 20D's, and even burned one out doing belly dance work, it was at like 250000 shutter activations. I'd like to offer this sample photo, which even with a prepared mind, I just could not have possibly done with a 20D:
tribes.tribe.net/michaelba...4dd783662d

I totally feel your pain on the extra weight, and I just don't much of an answer for that as such. I will say that it has been providential that my 1D Mark III weighs about 1/2 pound less than my 1Ds Mark II, which positively feels like a behemoth these days. That makes a day wear much better for sure! I wrote elsewhere on this Tribe about the absolutely incredible batteries in this camera system. Speed aside, and while not being particularly rough while working, I personally found that pro-sumer Canon gear is not tough enough for belly dance, and the environmental issues do matter. I've been to countless halls that were at elevated temperature, which reduced performance. Or on trips at higher temperature and high humidity for a show. I really much appreciated the tougher camera bodies in these instances.

The 20D is a fine camera, and I would think that the 40D is as wonderful ... I did have numerous belly dance tricks with the 20D I can share with you, if you have interest. Pretty sure they are applicable to the 40D or a Rebel XSi. Just send me a PM, delighted to share anything I know.

Wish you well!

Blessings and Light,
M