A New Hobby

Hobby – Distraction – Money Drainer – Time stealer – Excuse for a messy house -Whatever you want to call it, I have a new one.

I bought this baby not long ago, and have been tinkering around with it for awhile. Still feel like I have no clue (because I don’t) how to work the thing, but it’s been fun to pretend to be professional.

I’ve driven my family nuts snap-snapping in there faces at every gathering. Let me tell you, I’ve got a lot to learn. I’ve had some pictures turn out pretty good, most have been okay, and A LOT have been really bad. It’s a work in process. Please don’t expect the pictures on this blog to transform overnight. But they are no doubt, better than my old point and shoot so it’s worth every hard earned penny.

I’ve gathered a couple of resources to help me learn the tricks to the trade. You may have seen them surfing around.

The first book I read was this one here: Say NO to Auto: by Kristen Duke Photography.
It was a great beginner book on learning the settings. I had a couple of my readers recommend it and I’m so glad they did. I’m not so much in the dark now. It really opened my eyes to what my camera can do and the potential that it has. Up until reading and applying the things she talks about, I kind of felt that my camera didn’t have the capacity to take that great of pictures. It is probably the most basic of the Canon Rebels. Little did I know – It was all me screwing it up! Good to know 🙂 She had an updated version of the book available now which I can’t wait to get my hands on.

This next ebook, I’m still reading through, but I’ve loved it! It is from Katie Evans Photography, titled: The Key to Taking Pictures like a Professional Photographer. It is very thorough and sheds light on so many aspects of photography. Great for the clueless (like me) and for others who may have more of a clue as to what they are doing. I read it every chance I can get.

I’ve also found great help on Pioneer Woman’s site. I read her posts under photography discussing aperture. I’m glad I read this first, it was the perfect introduction for someone with no photography background whatsoever.

Any way, as I’ve mentioned before, my justification for all of this was to never have to pay for JCPenny Portraits ever again. It was rarely a good experience for me.

So I decided to play my first photography session with the baby, who is now 7 months old.

Though I hope much improvement is yet to come, I am officially saying “bye-bye” to JCPenny.

We will see how that goes.

I took a bazillion shots, and got a few good ones. I haven’t a clue where my focus was aiming half the time. I thought it was on her. Oh well.

Perhaps my biggest mistake was trying to do it all when she was extremely tired and hungry. Not too many happy faces for mommy.

Just look at those eyes. Makes me tired to look at them. Poor thing.

So I thought I would cover them a bit since she wouldn’t look at me any way. I think she has learned how annoying I am with that camera in my face, she seriously will not look at me every time I get it out. Little stink.

But on the rare occasion I can trick her into looking at me, and I’m fast enough – she melts my heart with those puppy dog eyes.That was certainly the best of the lot. I will admit to the help of Photoshop though. Speaking of Photoshop, that is a time stealer too. Anybody have an extra few thousand hours they can give me for all my hobbies? I’ll take a maid and a babysitter too 😉

Of course I’m not the only one enjoying my camera either.

This one will pose for me any time.

Not only that, but she also begs to be the button pusher too. She isn’t to bad at it, either.

I know.

I’m a complete weirdo.

But hey, if a 4 year old can do it . . .