What would be a good DSLR for me?

I'm looking to get into photography professionally and have been taking classes here and there but am mostly self taught (Hey, most of the people I have talked to told a fine arts degree was a waste of money and I have a pretty extensive arts background anyway.) I have been starting to try and shoot models in a high fashion style and attempting dramatic Boudoir images (spelling? Doesn't look right to me for some reason… ) I have been using a Minolta SLR film camera (I know! But I couldn't afford a digital camera of the same quality) but want to upgrade to digital now. Like I said I would like to do this professionally eventually. I was considering a Canon T3i or the the Nikon equivalent. I can't really afford a super spiffy 2000-3000 dollar deal and wanted to know if the T3i would give me good quality images (My photographer friends all swear by Nikon and snub their noses at Canon.)
WIll this be a good camera while I try to build a portfolio and some more experience? Or is there another better in my price range?

The Nikon equivalent to the Canon T3i would be the D5100. Both are fine cameras, and capture the photos you need, as long as you know what you're doing. I don't think you'll see any difference in image quality so whichever one you choose doesn't matter.

Go to the store and have a feel for both cameras. The real difference you will immediately see is the placement of the buttons. On both cameras, adjust the aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and also the Image Delete button. Which one is easier to manipulate for you? Which one is more comfortable in your hands?

If you've been shooting film, digital should be a cakewalk for you.

Don't listen to your friends… In the end, if you want to save money on lenses, canon is the way to go. I'd say wait until they announce the T4i this year… Most likely within the next month.