The Not So Wordless Wednesday Where I Do the Happy Dance

I recently realized that I never stopped thinking in terms of a good picture. In Jr. High and High School I enjoyed taking pictures - to the point of taking a photography class my Senior year and using my Step dad's 35 MM (I believe - Minolta). I still have a pile of negatives in a box somewhere. I'm sure that if my wedding negatives were ruined by moisture; they must be too - where ever they are. Before that class, I LOVED taking pictures with our old Brownie camera. I loved the look and shape of the pictures.

So when High School graduation came around I knew I would receive some type of graduation gift, not much, but something. Most of my friends got BIG gifts - cars, trips, multiple items for college, etc. I asked for a boom box, a little 1980's tape player/radio that I could easily take to college with me. At the time it was in the $20 range.

My mom asked, That's what you want?
"Yeah, so I can play my cassette tapes on it in my dorm room." I responded. (made sense to me)

Although I found out, after the fact, that my step dad was originally going to buy me a camera for graduation - a nice SLR camera so that I could continue down the photography road. Only when he found out that I expressed a desire for a tape player...

Well, let's just say he went the cheap-a** route.

Not in my wildest dreams had I thought a camera would be an option so it never occurred to me to hope for one. But really, he couldn't get the camera (a couple hundred bucks) and spend an extra $20 for a tape player? Or - hello - get the camera that I would have loved and I could get a tape player for Christmas? Cheap.

But that's an ugly story that I won't share...

Over the years I accumulated instant cameras only to have something happen to them after time. In college, I was given a pocket camera that only took blurry pictures.

When I moved out West after college I had another pocket camera and took some nice shots of the L.A. skyline, as well as some other sites, from locations I would never have an opportunity to visit again. The camera was stolen out of a friend's van before the film was developed. The camera was never replaced.

I some how ended up with two cameras in the mid 1990s, they were placed on top of a toaster oven at my mom's house - unbeknown to me. They melted.

One had black and white film in it for some creative shots I was trying. Most of the shot actually come out. (I previously posted one from that batch the old truck in front of an old house.) I think the rest of the prints were lost in my most recent move...ironic.

A year after my mother passed away, I had an opportunity to travel to Latvia. I volunteered at a homeless mission every Thursday. The paster sent me off with his SLR camera.

To another country.

With a NICE camera!

One problem. I didn't have the user manual. I didn't know how to use it, I was so out of practice. And I couldn't find the flash control to turn of the red-eye strobe. But I still got some nice shots. Enough to remember. A few that could have been better with a little more knowledge and experience of the camera under my belt. What a blessing.

For our honeymoon, we used disposable cameras, in fact we used disposable cameras right up until we got our first, cheap digital camera to try out before diving into the digital world. That would be 6-7 years ago. Yikes.

Then we got a free camera with a computer purchase. [That's the one that Harrison currently uses.] About 6 months after Harrison was born, I was ready to upgrade, but not to a DSLR. I hadn't proved that the use would warrant the price.

I was also intimidated.

There were moms in my Newborn Mommy and Me class that whipped out HUGE DSLR cameras to take shots and offered albums of great pictures for viewing.

I was triple intimidated.

I was also still somewhat hormonal.

One mom was just SO confident with that camera in her hand. I envied her.

I settled for a point and shoot. It was a Casio. It should have been a Canon.

Last Summer I started a blog about Harrison so family could see pictures of him in real-time. In January I started a blog for me; an old desire had been awakened in me.

Like a hungry bear coming out of hibernation; I wanted to see the world through the lens of a camera again. I wanted to capture moments that I can relive and enjoy visually. I want more. But something else came to mind too...

I remembered my ALL my camera nightmares.

I will never be a phenomenal photographer. Maybe not even a great photographer. But I just want to enjoy the process of looking at the world in a different way; capturing and savoring the beauty of it. And I not only hope that I can teach my child to see the world through his creative gifting; but also never to lose sight of that part of himself as I did.

My husband decided that I needed to keep blogging and taking pictures. And lately, a friend asked me to take some pictures for a project he is completing. I don't feel worthy, but it may be easier with a nice little gift from my husband. The new *fits the budget* Canon Rebel XSi D450. Isn't she a beauty?

Her battery is charging as I type this. Attached is the new Canon 18-55 Image Stabilizing kit lens, an improvement over its predecessor that comes with the XTi kit; and on Thursday I am expecting a little bonus in the mail in the way of a 50mm 1.8 lens. A good starter lens, especially for someone who is still intimidated by this beauty. And that is not stock photography, that's the real thing. I immediately marched upstairs to take a picture of the camera! I know it's not a Canon D40, Nikon D80 (or bigger!) but I know I'll have some fun with this entry level camera, as I am re-entering the SLR world.

So I just need to say again to the Guy-I-Dig, thank you. Again and again and again. Thank you.