My New Toy

Mama’s gotta brand new bag…errrr…toy.  But I would adore a brand new bag to go along with the new toy…specifically one from Cheeky Lime (hint hint)…more specifically the pink one.  What’s this new toy I speak of?  My very first, DSLR camera!  Yay!  I can’t believe I waited so long before making this investment.  I was way over due.  Here’s an early shot (I’m still learning) of me and the camera in a very classy mirror/camera pose (in the bathroom…sheesh):

I promise my photography will get better.  Speaking of, did anyone notice the improvement in photography this week?  I’ve been using the camera for all of this week’s blog posts.  I notice the difference in quality, mostly in the sharpness of the image and color quality.  It takes me no time at all these days to photo edit thanks to the gorgeous color quality.  Anywho, I invested a whopping $600 in a Nikon D3100, an entry level DSLR.  I chose this one over the Canon (the other contender was the T2i) mostly because of its guide mode.  I like how the camera helps teach you how to use it in guide mode.  I’m not one to read manuals and prefer to explore settings and options on my own so I’m really appreciating guide mode, which is a step up from “automatic” and a step below “manual”.  The camera is literally guiding me through choosing correct ISO settings, flash settings, white balance, etc.  It’s pretty neat.  Before I know it I will be graduating to full on manual mode and then chomping at the bit to invest in a bigger, badder Nikon.  But until then, I’m totally enjoying taking photos of anything and everything that crosses my path.  I’ve only had the camera for five days and have already taken well over 2,000 pictures, my favorite subject of which is Goose.

Have I mentioned that I’m really digging the sharpness in image quality?  No?  Shall I mention it again?  My old camera, a Canon point and shoot could not do this:

Poor Goose.  He’s almost always ready for his closeup but he was giving me the evil eye in that picture.  Or maybe that’s his, “momma, you’re blinding me with that flashie thing eye”.  So those pictures were taken in some artificial lighting because it was nighttime and were all taken in a guided mode.  Now for some pretty, natural lighting pictures from Saturday.

I love that picture.  That was only about my 200th picture into my photographic frenzy.  I had just picked up the old watering can for $3 at a flea market that day, along with some $7 tulips at the grocery store.  The above picture was taken using a guided setting to help create a sharper closeup shot and a blurred background.  I think I accomplished that mission.  Here’s another one:

I love my camera.  I can’t stop taking pictures.  Just when I thought photography couldn’t get any more fun, a DSLR completely rocked my world and now I’m even more addicted than before.  I’ve spent the last four nights reading the manual…like actually reading the manual…technically the online version of the manual since I accidentally threw away the English manual that came with the camera and kept the Spanish version, but it’s still a manual.  I can’t seem to get enough of learning what the camera can do and how to manipulate color and light and texture.  It’s so interesting.  Light fascinates me.  I’m starting to wonder if I missed my calling.  Maybe I was born to have a camera in my hand.  Hmmm…is it too late for art school?  Perhaps.