Wednesday, March 2, 2011

A Growing Love of Photography

I have taken up a new cause.

With The Professor.

I'm trying to convince him that I need a new camera.

One of those slick ones that will let me capture images like this:

Photo by John Eastcott and Yva Momatiuk

And let me post images like this:

Photo by Mike Yamashita


But our conversation has been going something more like this:

MEI think I would like to get a better camera.

HIM: Why, what's wrong with the one you have?

MEI'm thinking I want to take better photos and the little Canon just isn't powerful enough.

HIM: We just got that camera.

MEAbout six years ago.

HIM: What happened to the camera before that?

ME: I still have it but it's ancient!

HIMMmmm (this is him pausing to assess if that's really true)

ME Also, I think it would be a good hobby that we both could take up.

HIM Yeh, like I would ever get to use it.  (sarcastic sound bite here)

HIMHow much are we talking?

(This is where I know I'm at risk at losing the cause.)

MEA good camera is rather pricey.  The Pioneer Woman and The Chronicles of a Country Girl both use a Nikon D90.  Their photos are incredible!  Here, look (as I open up their websites for him to look at).

HIM:  (He looks, lacking my enthusiasm.  Showing any enthusiasm would weaken his stance.) So how much?

I tell him a ballpark range and he considers that number.

HIM:  They cost that much? Better start saving our pennies.

I nod and the conversation is over. 

At least he didn't pass out!  (Photography can be an expensive pastime, like, "you can't retire because of all the lenses you bought" kind of pastime.  I imagine he is quickly calculating up the costs ...  two sons also pursue photography.)

I love taking pictures.  Whether I am any good at it or not, doesn't really matter.  I love the discipline.  With photography, there will always be something new to learn, something new to try.  Just like creating this blog.  I love the discipline of its creation.  Its execution.  Even though it stresses me to no end when delving into HTML code.  Scary business!

When I started my blog back in December, I began using the photos that I had taken with my little Canon PowerShot.  They were okay, but not great.

When I got it a few years back, it was exactly what I needed.  Something small and compact for all our travels.  I could put in my pocket, available at a moment's notice.

And I loved it.  It was simple and I never had to worry about f-stops and apertures or shutter speed.  The most challenging thing was whether to use the flash or not.

But that was then.

Lately, I'm discovering that my little Canon is not up for some of the photos I want to take. 

For example, there is a lot of activity happening outside my writing window.  Horses, squirrels, song birds and stalking cats.  Like right now, a half dozen finches and two doves and a squirrel are all feeding off the ground where some little rascal (likely the squirrel) knocked down a bird feeder.

This past summer, I was never able to capture the little hummingbirds that flew outside my window lapping up the nectar from my Butterfly Bush.

My little Canon, as hard as it tries,  just doesn't have the power to capture these delightful events as they are happening.

So what kind of camera do I think I would like?  (Just in case The Professor is reading this.)



A Nikon D90 SLR Digital Camera.

(Did I shout that out loud enough?)

In the meantime, my little Canon continues being a good work horse.   A good little Shetland ... but I need a Clydesdale.

(Well, maybe I don't need it, but I sure do desire it.)

I'll keep you posted on how our conversation progresses.  The Professor did mention that I had a birthday coming up.   

Yippy-Yi-Yah!


missing the mom gene