Congrats, your work is an inspiration to me

I may be late on the comments here but I have the rebel...I love it....fantastic.  I use the kit lens more than anything.   It may not be as fancy and wonderful as the other canon lenses, but it just works and works well.  My 50mm macro lens is my other favorite.  The rebel has everything you need.  Another reason I went with Canon is price vs quality...you get awesome quality for a great price across the board.

You are very welcome and I am truly honored to have one of my images kick off the contest.  I am excited about the contest.  I am reading these links and tips and this sounds like a wonderful challenge and one that I can learn from! 

I have received a lot of advice! Thank you! I filled up a 2 gig card in my Canon Rebel over the weekend.  I have posted 6 shots already, more to come.  I also bought a lightbox to do some macros, which I love.
 
I will take all of your advise and see if I can implement it sooon!!  Thank you all!

How do you even go about starting out to take a picture of a Model?  I would love to do that, at least once to see if I liked it.  I would not even know where to start

Congrats to all! I just finished looking at everyone's work from this collage.  Fantastic.  As a self taught and hopelessly still learning student of the lens, you have all inspired me!!!!  FANTASTIC WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!!! Thank you to whoever voted to have me in on that gallery pick!  I am honored and am very happy.  Yesterday as I was taking some pics, i thought hmmm I wonder if ill ever be any good at this.  I wake up to check Renderosity mail and was notified of this pick.... Thank you to all!  When I get to work today ill look at all the other fine picks.  I didnt even know this gallery pick section existed.  Thank you again to everyone.
 
One happy little vulcan aka Chuck

yes all of this was before I asked this question.  I did find where the sensor is...and moving the mirror back does not affect the sensor.  You have to use a menu function that will hold the shutter open and the sensor is behind that.  so I believe the sensor is in fine shape.  Just this view finder pentaprism is dirty.  it does work fine.  So I will take it to a professional to see if they can clean or replace the viewfinder items.  I just took at 30 second out of focus picture of a white piece of paper and zoomed in as I viewed it with paintshop pro...it looks clean as a whistle..no spots or anything that I can tell.  SO lets hope I have not messed anything else up.
 
I do appreciate the warnings and advise, which I will...from now on...adhere to!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

where is the censor?  I did flip the mirror back manually and brushed with one of those photo brushes... I did not do anythign with the menu.  also the mirror the I rotated back had another mirror or something behind it and it had a movable section like 2 halves that I opened and cleaned...I probably messed the entire thing up.  best I can tell the images are ok.

I read here where someone liked to shoot before 10am due to the light changing.  I went and shot Saturday in a desert park in Phoenix, and had a fantastic time.  10am was indeed about the time the shadows started to dwindle.  I have posted most of what I shot already in the gallery.  I have a few others still to post.  You all have helped me a lot and I am enjoying this thread.  Thank you to all

what the heck is a tripod permit???????/

do you keep the camera in your trunk of your car?  I would be afraid of it being stolen!

The reason I mentioned Malls...is I went to one after I got this new camera...with the instruction manual...sat at the food court...and just was trying to learn the camera.  I was not shooting...just pointing...adjusting, twiddling, etc.  next thing I know, some security dude comes over and asked me what I was taking pictures of.  I said, nothing really, just learning this camera...just learning the focusing and how the zoom works, etc.  He said ...Ok, I can see your not doing anything wrong, but we have had a call, and we do not allow cameras in the mall as it is a "family oriented location" so thats the only reason im here. 
 
So I guess in essense he is saying people dont want you shooting them...i.e. maybe worried about shooting the kids?  I dont know... I was just off in a corner and mainly pointing at a water fall int he mall.   oh well.  So now im paranoid!

I remember in the old days, i could go anywhere public and shoot.  Nowadays, Malls, public places seem to be off limits due to so many worries.  How do you all combat this?  Just go to the wilderness?

when yhou do that, will they randomize their look, height, etc?