I've been doing some freelance writing for the last few years. I've found it harder and harder hear lately to make time for it, but with the economy in the can and work slowing down, I think I'm going to have some time to seriously devote to writing this late winter/spring.

The magazine I will be writing for has some pretty serious pictoral requirements. God and my Ivy League educated mother blessed me with an eye/ear/mind for writing (but not for spelling), but I know next to nothing about photography.

Put it this way... a good centerfold or cover type article in this magazine will put a $2000 check in my pocket the day the mag hits the stands. Each picture, in its own right, will fetch up to $500 if its a quarter page.. and perhaps even another $2000 for what they call "calendar quality".

I'm using a Kodak something or other right now... its about the size of my hand. Its great for hero shots and close in work... but just last week I had four longbeards try and land in the treestand with me. They were hardly 20 yards away... and even zoomed in all the way... the camera just won't pick them up.

I need a good high quality... stupid proof... digital camera. I'm not afraid to spend a grand... and I know I'm going to need a good lens. If anyone can recommend a good place to gather some information, that would be awesome. I'd like to keep the thing sorta compact so I can tote it with me to the treestand. I don't have time to just photograph and then just hunt... I have to do both at once.