the "birthday girl" ~ canon digital rebel xt
My introduction to digital photography was with my dependable, trustworthy Canon Digital Elph 200s point and shoot. It was love at first sight ~ cute and compact and purchased for a whirlwind holiday in Australia in 2002. It has served me well and has allowed me to take some fun photos, but I quickly realized to get more control and shoot the kind of pictures I wanted to take, I would need a digital SLR. You know, the kind that cost a lot of money.
When I was reading Week 3 of the Artist's Way one of the exercises in the chapter has you finish sentences. One sentence is along the lines of: If money were no object, I would buy my artist ___________.
The blank space in my copy of the book holds my handwritten words formed long ago the first time I started the Artist Way back in 1996 where I had filled in "... a really good camera!!!" Exclamation points and all.
I have been researching cameras for a couple years now, going back and forth between Nikon and Canon and finally decided on the Canon Digital Rebel xt. Obviously this wasn't an impulse purchase for me. There were a several factors that helped me decide on this camera, but the main ones were:
1) Most definitely price. There are a lot of great features packed into this baby.
2) Instantaneous start up time, image stabilization, exposure control and the ability to shoot 3 fps.
3) The amazingly, gorgeous, and stunning photographs that so many lovelies achieve with their rebels.
I don't know how many months have passed that I have been talking to anyone who would listen about how much I wanted this camera. Probably a good year or more. I would go on an on... and on and on and on... about features and lenses and blah, blah-blah, blah-blah. It sounds like an excuse, and I realize that it is, but it's also the top reason I haven't launched deep dishing yet because I simply wasn't happy with the food photos I was getting from my digital elph. It's a great camera, and will still be with me at all times, but I just couldn't figure out how to control certain features of it. It's not the camera's fault, I take full responsibility for my complete incompetence.
Anyway, I have been saving, hoping, wishing and praying for this camera to come into my life and finally three angels appeared to me as if in a dream. The first two angels were in the form of two of my closest, not to mention gorgeous, girlyfriends from way back in the day, Dianna-banana and Sue-berry. I met them both in Mr. Galliotti's art class in high school and have been in love ever since.
sue-berry and frankie taken about two weeks ago ~ canon digital elph
dianna taken about two weeks ago ~ canon digital elph (I love d. in this photo but wish the lighting was better)
Unbeknownst to me they are also little schemers who pooled together a substantial gift certificate towards the purchase of my camera which rendered me speechless and in tears for a good hour, at least. I love you both and thanks again for an amazing early birthday gift. I truly couldn't ask for better friends. You have both been nothing but cheerleaders for me in all my endeavors and crazy dreams throughout the years. I know you did this because you support me, believe in me, and want to see my happy and free. Or perhaps you just wanted me to shut up already about this camera. {wink} If you had blogs, I would link you and love on you here ALL THE TIME.
The third angel appeared in the form of my husband. He has been telling me all along to get the camera, but I just couldn't justify it financially. He told me he would go in halvsies with me and having that, along with my gift-certificate, was enough for me to justify ordering it. Last week I submitted my order and immediately wrote Jimmy to say, "I did it!" His email reply was this:
Yeah, Sweet Baby!!!!
I don’t want My Sweet Baby to pay for this. If you tell me what the girls put in, I’ll cover the rest. You can then use what you have for any extras you’d like – lenses, filters, stands, etc. Sound good?!
x! x!
j!™
umm... yes, he trademarked his signature by the way. And yes, he calls me sweet baby, that alone revealing more personal information than I am able to convey in many of my posts.
So many wonderful things have fallen into place over the past few days ~ which I can't wait to share ~ and this early birthday gift is simply the most decadent 72% cacao extra dark chocolate icing on my moist and yummy birthday cake. I can't even tell you how excited I am, my birthday is not until July and it's already rocked. This camera is even more special to me than I anticipated because of the way it came into my life. Of course now I need to read the manual and learn how to use the damn thing. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.
Let the photos commence...
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Thank you so much to all you bloggie angels who commented and emailed me about my last post. Thank you for not judging me or thinking me crazy, but rather being understanding, insightful and open. I want to have a schmoopfest sleepover with you all where we wear our pj's, open many bottles of wine, bring our cameras, share our stories, laugh, dance, eat and play and just spill wide open.