Upgrading to Nikon D7100 from D5100

Recently I had this discussion with a friend and a similar discussion appeared in the Nikon Photographers LinkedIn group.
I used a D5100 for several years before upgrading to a D7100 which I use to photograph portraits and events. With the D7100 I have easy access to settings through buttons/dials on the body rather than having to dig through a menu. I wanted the high speed flash sync function which the 5000 series doesn't offer. I also like being able to preset 2 custom settings on the mode dial that I can change quickly. The body feels solid, but not too heavy to hand hold. I have also been very happy with the auto focus system especially during video capture. And I own several older non AF-S Nikon lenses that work well with the D7100. Although at first I liked the tilt/swivel screen feature of the D5100, I found it was a novelty that I didn't really use as much. I rarely use Wi-Fi but I have a wireless mobile adapter that works well for me.
I did my research on the features and rented a D7100 for a portrait shoot before I made my purchase. I like to be able to try equipment before I commit & my local camera store will apply the rental cost toward the future equipment purchase.

Business Photo Tips for Women

Recently I put together some tips for a female client I was photographing for a business portrait:

Clothing & Jewelry 

• Different necklines will change the apparent shape of your face. Please feel free to bring a variety of different jackets/blouses to see what works best 

• For a no-jacket casual look, bring various colored blouses ideally darker than your skin tone. Avoid big prints and busy patterns – solid color jewel-tones work best 

• Blue/green/turquoise shirts/blouses or accents can help emphasize blue/green/hazel eyes 

• Sleeveless tops/dresses can draw attention to your shoulders/arms. Consider bringing items with a variety of different sleeves 

• Turtlenecks tend to crowd the face so I don’t generally recommend wearing 

• Keep jewelry extremely simple - small is better. The photo is about your face not jewelry. 

Most Important: Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you look and feel great! 

Make-up & Hair

• Make-up should be clean and natural looking 

• I recommend using a generous layer of translucent powder to help your face appear flawless in photos - shine disappears, pores seem smaller, skin looks even, and blush is smoother. 

• Translucent powder also works well along lip line to prevent lipstick color from bleeding 

• Avoid shimmers, frosts, overly bright colors or products with lots of sparkle or shine 

• New hair cuts/styles can be tricky. Best to schedule a hair cut a week or so ahead of photo to give it time to grow-in and to get used to styling a new cut. 

Please bring your own hair brush/comb, makeup and hair products for last minute touch ups. 

Drink lots of water and be well rested (helps minimize dark circles under the eyes).