The New Girl in Town

Just before we headed out to a family reunion-vacation, my camera died.  I had spent days hours researching why my SX series cameras all seem to wear out not long after the warranty expired, and what to get next. It became clear that I shoot enough that I needed to move up to something designed for more use.  An important part of that is when the camera body and lenses are separate entities, you can replace broken parts without replacing everything, and when you want to upgrade, you upgrade just the parts you wish to upgrade- the body or a lens.

I used to shoot medium format film, and used a Hasselblad 500 c/m camera body with various lenses so I had an idea of what I needed/wanted.  Choosing the camera body was a balance of affordability and wanting to have lens choices in my bag, not on a wish list.  I decided to stay with Canon because I have loved my SX cameras and know the camera functions and can intuit the user-interface fairly well.  I had considered Nikon, but there is a place where the choices and permutations become mind-boggling, so sticking with Canon simply narrowed the field.

I wanted to be sure I had a camera when I left.  I knew I'd have a chance to read and practice with the camera, but I knew I was headed to sights like this:

I ended up going with the least expensive version of the next step up- the digital rebel xs (or 1000D).  The choice allowed me to add a telephoto lens, a portrait lens, and a lensbaby.  I have a macro lens in mind.  I'm pretty tickled.  This wasn't an ideal time for the expense, but I use a camera for what I do for a living, and when thngs are sent off to a publisher, the preferred file size exceeds what my iPhone is capable of producing.

Someday, I'll step back up to where I was when I shot film, but now I have three littles whose wants and needs are far more a joy to provide.

Oh, on another note, I have a confession of sorts.  If you are a long-time reader then you already know I had been using a version of Photoshop I called Photoshop v. Dinosaur... it was Photoshop 6.0, which came out in September 2000.  yes, 2000. I never checked on updating it, until of course, it was too late to update.  So, primarily I used it to resize files so I can upload them, adjust contrast, brightness, occasionally crop, and sometimes adjust curves or levels.  When I had to replace my laptop, (why yes, I do tend to wear out my electronics) I could not install my PS Dinosaur, and had to buy CS4.  which I do NOT know how to use, except for the above mentioned tasks.  (yes, I ordered some books, but it is all about TIME baby! and I was drowning in lists... and angst about my workload and motherhood. )

Anyway, what this all means is that much of what I post is awfully close to SOOC.  (Straight Out Of the Camera) Somehow, I've not really let go of that whole film photography business.... you know, where what you had on the negative was what you had, and you adjusted for contrast, did the happy dodge and burn dance, etc, but there were no actions or pre-sets, or ....I am about to embark on learning CS4, but I thought you ought to know- I've been a pretty much WYSIWYG kinda photographer.

I admire work that has been beautifully post-processed.  I know that those images start out as good photographs- compositions that work, the basic bones of focus and light and line have to be in place, so you can implement your vision. Which really, when you ponder it, is an awful lot like working in a darkroom, but without the trays of chemcials, and you know, the dark.

 

 

Comments

[john]

Glad to see you posting again! Thinking of you and missing you. Congrats on new camera.

xoxo

[Megan Warren]

I bought the 1000D about 4 months ago - I'm still learning how to use it - but you'll love it!

[Sally Calligan]

Rest, and enjoy the new camera. Baby yourself and the new baby.

[Liza]

I love that you stuck with what worked for you and didn't manipulate your images. I too have a background using film. I tend to print straight from the camera- If my f/stop and contrast is good- why manipulate!! I am slowly updating too! I miss watching prints develop but not the smell!!