I THINK I can do this........

Wow, where do I start? I've completed two shoots since my last post. The first shoot was for my son's soccer team. I did my youngest son's official team shots. They're pretty nice. I did myself proud and the parents are happy. I didn't make any money, but then again, I don't do this for the money.

Well, if it's not for the money, why do I do this? Truthfully? Therapy. This is my way of getting over my feelings for my wedding photos. Yes, I'm still sore, because I can't take back the day to get good pictures at this point. I'm learning photography to help myself figure out exactly what it takes to make bad pictures. So far, I've come up with gross neglect. I've been learning so much in this process that I truly believe that anyone who takes photos to earn money and has no earthly idea about what they're doing (other than pressing the shutter) is guilty of gross neglect and is just plain old selfish. There. I said it.

So anyways......... I did an AMAZING shoot on Sunday. I made Pregnancy Portraits for a friend, and I have to say, I'm impressed! Natural light does amazing things for a photo. AMAZING things. I reckon it's time to connect with my inner strobist.

Cream of the Crop?

Boy, I tell ya! When someone turns on the light to a dark roach-infested room, they scatter! I know, I know. This is a crazy way to start a post, but this is best way to describe the feeling I got when I attached my Sigma 10-20 to my D700 last week. It was almost as if someone had stolen a portion of my picture.

As a newbie, I purchased a D90 and it has an APS-C (DX) format. As I climbed the educational scale, I rewarded myself with a D700 and it has a Full-Frame (FX) format. The fights on various websites persist even at this very moment regarding Crop Factors and which is better. So what does this have to do with anything? Well, when your first experience with DSLRs is with DX format and then you move to FX format, something changes. It's like a quickening. I'd read so much about the differences between DX & FX, but to be completely honest, I couldn't 'see' what all the hubbub was about..... well, until last Friday. My 50 mm f/1.8 gave the same results on my D90 as it did on my D700. The 'stolen' portion of my Sigma 10-20 photos is what made me see the light.

Take a look at the photo below. On an APS-C format, I'd get the whole room with teh Sigma 10-20. The photo below represents the Sigma 10-20 on full frame. Darn shame, eh? Time for the 12-24.

So what does this all mean? I have to spend more money. When I sold all my old lenses, I specifically saved the 10-20 because I didn't quite 'get it'. What a shocker! I 'get it' now and it's painfully obvious that I'm going to have to start rolling pennies to get the lenses that I need.

Photography is not for girls.......

I am the epitome of 'girl'. I am a consummate consumer of all things prissy, pink and clean. I don't like to get my hands dirty and I get a manicure/pedicure twice a month. Heck, I even insist on having my nail polish match my clothing, and my makeup, and my shoes, and my camera bag.............. My idea of 'roughing it'? Room service.

Photography is NOT for girls. It's for adventurous women. The kind of women that can appreciate the beauty of nature and want to be a part of it. Women that will wade in the water to capture the perfect shot. The kind of woman that has the chutzpa to play with the biggest of big boys and achieve if a not an equal elevation of composition, the master of all masterpieces!

One such woman is Matt's (Maciek) wife. No, I've never met her, but her photos are visible on Nikon-Digital.ca for anyone up appreciate. Matt posted some of her work a few days ago and I instantly came to the conclusion that I need to 'step up my game', as his wife's pictures are phenomenal. In some cases, her photographs gives his a run for the money!

I doubt that she is concerned about coordinating her shoes to her bag when they're in the field. Breaking a nail probably never comes to mind either. I think I can say with 100% certainty that eyeshadow and lipgloss is not an issue on those days.

So, what I learned in writing about this? I've learned to be thankful for the cover that protects my LCD screen on my D700. Why? Because my foundation has a tendency to rub off my nose when I'm taking pictures. I've also learned that I should probably go to the nail salon more often to make sure that my nails stay at an active length and that wearing diamond studs is sure way to keep my jewelry at a minimum! My recommendation for getting the perfect shot while 'roughing it'? Go on the hotel balcony and don't use cheap glass. **snicker**

We all have our own strengths and weaknesses.

Way up in the sky little lamb, do you see what I see?

I'm learning. It's an uphill battle and a lot of fun, but a battle none-the-less. There is still quite a bit to learn. I'm still working on composition and slowly making the transition to light.

In this episode of 'Dee's Learning to Take Pictures', we'll focus on comment and critique. There's an old saying, "How can a billion Chinese be wrong?" Well, they forgot to add, "How often do a billion Chinese agree?" Different people see different things. I've learned to take comment and critique with a grain of salt. What my eyes saw and how my camera translated those thoughts will not be what most people see when I present a photo for commentary. All photos are open for interpretation and many times we must agree to disagree. I am reminded of this as there is a particular photographer who intensely grains his photos. His photos are not my bottle of beer, but I can't help but giggle when disagrees with the style of another photographer. Hell, it down right baffles me, but to each his own.

I see pictures everywhere. It's quite distracting.... hard to focus. Some days I feel like I have Attention Deficit Disorder. I can't be seen without my camera. I can't leave the house without my camera. I must always have it with me. I sit it in the carseat when my daughter isn't with me.

So right now I'm reading 'Nikon D700 Digital Field Guide' by J. Dennis Thomas. Glad I picked it up. It makes sense of the manual. Lord knows you get "just the facts ma'am" from manual and calling customer support is worthless. Overall, the camera makes me happy.

I Drank the Kool-Aid......

and I liked it! You guessed it. I purchased the D700. Boy, talk about an agonizing ordeal! I went looking for people to talk me out of it and no one would do it! Can you believe this?

So I go down to my favorite camera shop and talk to Sue. Sue is known for her camera smarts, intelligence and non-salesman-like attitude. I KNEW that she would save me. I told her that I was planning to purchase the D700 FULLY EXPECTING her to say, "No, Dee.... you haven't maxed out the D90 yet." Nope. She said, "I think you should do it. If I were you, I'd do it." I darn near pissed myself as Sue was my last hope. I only needed ONE person to justify my hesitation. Not a soul. NOT EVEN MY HUSBAND. Can you believe that one? As a matter of fact, he egged me on. Insisted, even.

Someone's going to read this and think, "The D90 is a phenomenal camera, why did you change? Couldn't you have simply purchased better glass?" Three reasons: 1.) Have you seen what that camera can do in the dark? The ISO is off the hook! 2.) It has the D3's sensor. Can I also mention that my children's sports teams gave me a job taking pictures?

It was better to get out now while I could still get 'some' money for the D90. Why the agony? Well, to be completely honest......I'm cheap. I can't shop without coupons so purchasing a D700 required me to take a Valium prior to ordering it. Saying that my husband darn near forced me to make the call to Adorama is closer to the truth than you know. I so hate spending money that the very idea of the camera's price started to make me ill. Just in case you're wondering, yes, I can afford it. No it won't affect my husband's ability to pay the mortgage. Again, I'm just cheap.

Ok, here's the $60 million dollar question: Can I tell the difference? You'd better freaking believe it! I can zoom into a picture for what seems like forever with startling details! Shucks, I didn't know until yesterday that my two year-old daughter had nose hair!

Overall, I'm satisfied. Damn Canadians!

Resistance Was Futile......

Well, I did it. I have succumbed and purchased the revolutionary D700, and I feel just horrible. I know, I know.... you want to know why. Why did I make the switch when I've had the D90 for less than a year, and why do I feel just horrible?

Well, I feel horrible about my new purchase because somewhere along this photographic journey I gained a respect for professional photographers that they are probably not used to receiving until their dead.

While a nicer camera does not mean nicer pictures, it does mean increased responsibility and more time spent learning.

Ok, time to take the camera and harass the family dog.

Canadian Drug Lords

Be mindful of the Canadian drug lords. They are some of the biggest pushers of all things Nikon on the planet. They give you a sample, then you're hooked! Yep. Instant NAS (Nikon Acquisition Syndrome). It's in the air up there, ya know? They even give it to the kids. Got folks up there randomly talking about ISO likes it's ok. Mmm hmm. They're passing around NAS and folks are taking to it like its kool-aid.

I've never been the experimenting type. You know....one of those people that tries things for the first time? Nope, not even in college, where everyone has a story. Nope. I've always been straight-laced and walked a fine line. **shaking my head**

Something has happened. I don't know when it started, or how I got to this point. About a year ago, me (the non-experimenting type) started to dabble in photography. Sure, I had my trusted 'point and shoot' Nikon L12, but something came over me. I wanted a real camera and purchased Nikon's D90. I liked the D60, didn't want to spend the money on the D300, so I went for the D90. A few months and a couple of kewl photos later, all hell has broken loose. I want more Nikon. I don't know why. I just want it and can't fight the urge. Sad truth is, no one is leading me back down the path of righteousness and frugality. Every one seems to understand my urges and are companioning themselves to my gear lust. A higher power is calling me.

Lest the Canadians and their skullduggerous ways....... they hath introduceth me, unto the folds of Nikon's D700, and it claimeth me as mine Lord. Translation: I just put all my shit on craigslist and I want that fucking camera.

Be gone, 18-105mm VR, 55-200mm VR, Sigma 70-300 DG Macro, and Sigma 10-20mm..... I no longer needeth thee.

I reckon I'll keep the nifty-fifty and continue working the pole to get the 70-200mm f/2.8 VR.