I'm the first to profess I'm learning the ropes along with everyone else, so I hope you take away just even one bit of info that will make you fall more in love with this world of photography. Here are some of your questions...
*I live in FL and am always on the look out for new locations. But the problem is I'm afraid of trespassing. I love going to grass fields or wheat fields and shooting a couple of photo sessions only to realize I just trespassed. Do you have any suggestions for this dilemma? Any hot spots in FL? :)
As beautiful as FL is, it's also really difficult to find good locations for shooting (as it seems like you know). So I've had to be really "creative" with locations. I have to be honest, though. When I see "NO TRESPASSING" I read "Get in, get the shots, and get out!" I won't exactly trek into a stranger's home, but if I find a gorgeous, empty field I'll make use of it. Over the months, I have photographed in some wild places. My neighbor once pulled up to his home only to find me lying in his driveway photographing a little girl in a massive pettiskirt. I've knocked on another neighbor's door and asked him if I could use his courtyard because the landscaping was awesome. I've shot on South Beach on the balcony of a closed restaurant with the homeless sleeping at my feet, because the graffiti was fantastic. I've photographed in hotel gazebos (READ: get in, get the shots, get out) and in the center of outdoor malls. I've yet to find something that is as foolproof as the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens or Prospect Park. I'm not sure where exactly in Florida you're located, but I've heard of the Morikami Gardens in Delray Beach. Might want to check that out, www.morikami.org.
* I use a Canon XTI mainly with my 50mm 1.4. I feel that the color is very dull until I fix it up in RAW and PS. Any suggestions to lessen my post processing time?
The lens you're using is a great one, and the same I primarily use. That color pop you're looking for is contrast. I would say it comes down to excellent understanding of light and exposure. Understanding light will help you get photos with strong colors right out of the camera. You'll need that along with killer post processing skills and you'll be set :) ....I know, I just made it all sound too easy.
*How do you get those eyes?!?
Getting eyes that are SHARP is one of my top priorities when shooting. The way to accomplish that is to get it right in the camera and then with some post processing. If the eyes are not pin sharp right out of the camera, there is no way to fix that with post processing. The way to get sharp eyes is a combination of light, focus point, shutter speed and aperture. You want to make sure that light is reflecting off of your subject's eyes, that you choose the right focus point - between the eyes for close up portraits, and that you're aperture is correct so the entire eye is in focus. With post processing, use your marquee tool in Photoshop to select around the actual eyeball and then use the unsharp mask tool to taste. It's magical :)
*What do you think of programs like Capture NX2 or Lightroom?
I've never used Lightroom, so I can't provide any input on that. I use Capture NX2 for basic post processing on my RAW/NEF files. Photoshop also has a program called ACR which reads RAW files, but it's not properly compatible with Nikon's NEF files.
*How do you manage to get such crisp photos?
Some extra tips I've picked up are if you steady your feet and hold your breath, it'll help you stay still and focused (liability note: please don't hold your breath for too long!). Sometimes I'll lean my body against a wall of some sort if I'm shooting with less light to help steady my body. Also, focus between shots!
And because posts are always more fun with pictures!
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