camera, thy camera, wherefore art thou?

It's highly personal, you know, this shopping for a camera.  For one, this is an intimate decision.  It will be close to my person almost all the time; like my favorite flip-flops. Second, I'm just very particular about my camera - having had a wonderful experience with a Canon, everything else seems less-than, now. Especially considering the much-to-be-desired experience I had with a Nikon and Fuji not too long ago.

But what is one to do when there are six hundred million five hundred fifteen thousand and one options to choose from?  And knowing that frugality is first and foremost on the priority list - do we buy used- and trust that it will all come out in the wash?  Or will we be smitten and then woe-is-me when it just suddenly stops working? Quality vs. Frugality - this is an excruciating compromise.

Of course all of the above can happen with a new camera.  With a warranty, even.

These simultaneously slow and tedious processes are at the top of my field-mouse-brain to-do list.

1. save for camera
2. shop for camera

Literally, number two is much more strenuous than number one. Shopping for a camera is stressful for me.  I get confused between the SD and the MP and the optical zoom and the MB.  Look for a digital camera lately that still has an actual viewfinder window?  Not just the humongous screen on which to review your taken photographs, but the little tiny eye ball window.  

So, here I am, talking to you, gentle and nearly faithful readers and asking for you to opine with me.  I'm not a professional photographer, although I like to pretend to be.  I love taking pictures, it is one of the very best ways I know to stay present; to live in the moment, while capturing a corner piece of the past to carry with me into the future.  It's my unorganized way of piecing together the visual quilt that is my life.  

Why is the choice of camera and picture-taking important to you?

Would you buy a used camera?

What are your thoughts on Canon?  Other brands?  

Do you pay close attention to how many MP and the amount of optical zoom or just go with an inexpensive price?  

Talk amongst yourselves, I'll be back with some herbal tea and we'll sit a spell and watch the clouds roll by.

computer up, camera down

For whatever reason, because I've been busy with company, and other stuff too, I have not taken the time to post on this blog. Part of that reason, I've justified to myself, is that my camera quit working right after I got back online with a computer. I have none of my collection of photos on this computer. Because of that, I feel uninspired to blog. Not that I can't write without a photograph, but when my mind goes blank, it helps to stir up a feeling, and then a post commences.

It's Monday. The air is crisp and I can feel the change of the season in the air and in my toes. (they're a wee bit cold) When I look outside I see the subtle changes in the colors of the leaves. I see the extra fuzz coming onto the horses' coats. And the waning of the flowers in the gardens. Most things still flowering are going to seed. And there is this overwhelming desire to grab my camera and capture it all but, alas, I cannot.

It was hot enough this summer to delay my complaints of cold until at LEAST November. Although my vegetable garden suffered for the heat this year, I do feel as though every year gets better and better around here. I learn something new on an almost daily basis. Like how high heat, humidity and irregular watering can make for the most bitter cucumber you've ever tasted. Not even the hogs will eat them. They typically eat everything except for citrus rinds. As we give them all of our scraps (except meat) they have come to love the leavings in the garden. I've also learned not to throw the seeds and trimmings from hot peppers in the pig slop. Poor things, that lesson was a one-time event.

I did some transplanting of Chrysanthemums, red Salvia, Hollyhocks and Periwinkle this morning and now I'm going to make use of the pine straw that Captain Strong Arms is gathering for me. I'm enjoying this bit of sunshine today, with a high of nearly 90* well into October and am now going to burn some memories onto my own personal memory card; my brain. Camera or no, I'll remember this fall with fondness. And I'll just have to work a bit harder at jogging my post-generating senses sans photographs.

It's beautiful out there, you'll just have to take my word for it.

disconnected

After nearly five years of togetherness, my computer and I have separated. Not by my choice, of course. Either the hard drive or the processor has forced this break up. Although the withdrawals have not been nearly as bad as expected, I sure miss being able to pour out, or soak up, as it were. Hopefully I'll be back soon. I miss everyone!

signed affectionately,

farmhousewife