Nightmares about calculus and the heat equation...
Bodhrans-Not-Bombs
I prefer octaboxes and beauty dishes hides
As someone who's a runner, nothing annoys me more than photographers who feel the need to slap their watermark over the final full-size image. What is someone going to do, make a 24x36 print of me barfing at the mile 22 water station for their home?
I'm probably buying an R3 next spring and have zero plans to get rid of my 16-35/2.8 III or 70-200/2.8 II. My issue with my current body was the autofocus and other SLR-specific things, not the glass. I think a lot of GAS people diagnose the wrong issue.
If anything, I'll probably get another EF piece.
Flickr circa 2005 was gold.
Go fisheye, be ungovernable
What are you looking for? Nighttime shots with clear artificial light, or found lighting only?
Subject compression is noticeable all the way past 600mm, just look at landscapes shot at that focal length and see how close everything gets together.
It's harder to tell with portraits because someone's nose to eye distance isn't that much to begin with. I love long telephoto portraits though, thinking about buying a 300/2.8 just for that reason...
Flying with tripods sucks, so I'd question if you truly need one unless you have a particular shot in mind. And you could always rent one if you go to a place with a decent photography infrastructure.
You'll find out the things that attract you to photograph them and the things that repel you.
Pay me enough and I'd hand them over, sure.