Got It
Take a look at the photograph.
Take a nice, long look.
And brace yourself.
BECAUSE IT WAS TAKEN WITH THE CAMERA I WANT! YAY!!
It gives me great pleasure to announce to one and all: Whine-Aid was a success. A massive success! And yesterday, with the final contribution to Shut Him The Hell Up About The &*$@! Camera He Doesn’t Have, I made my way to the camera store, tears in eyes, hands quaking, lip quivering and looked right into the eyes of Camera Salesperson Guy and said, “hold me.”
Actually, I didn’t say that. I said, “RING IT UP BUCKO!” And he laughed because he’d been waiting for this day for a while and was as happy for me as I was for me.
The photography accompanying this morning’s post Tree Fortress was actually taken with The Rebel Force (Canon EOS Rebel XSi) (and don’t even act surprised that I’ve already nicknamed it, you’re not new here), but I didn’t want to announce it because those were my first attempts at real life photography. What’s more, I didn’t think it really fitting to get all hap-hap-happy about those shots because they were taken outside in full light on the automatic setting. Which is really hard to screw up (even though I did) (a lot), and nothing to brag about because it’s really the camera doing its thing. All I did was click the shutter and even a monkey can do that.
The rest of yesterday..and last night…and this morning…was spent reading manuals, trying settings, watching videos online, re-reading manuals, retrying settings, watching more videos online, and being more or less convinced I’m a moron.
Aperture, f-stops, ISO, nuclear radiation, plans to the Death Star, who shot JFK, quantum mechanics, who you dated last divided by Pi, and something having to do with why the full moon this week coincided with That Week (and it did) (more on that another time) (*sob*)…
…all that and more comprised my trying to figure out this camera and render a photograph that didn’t suck.
I took about (not making this up) 320 shots since yesterday. And thank God everything’s digital these days, because if this were the old days and all those tests required old-school film, the kids’ college savings would be GONE.
The correct balance of existing light, exposure, f-stop, aperture, ISO aaAAAaaand acting like I know what any of those things means? Very taxing.
But we press on, yes? We do not give up, right? If I can puzzle out the Wii (and I actually can’t) (yet), I can hunker down and lean into Try Try Again with (here it comes again) The Rebel Force.
And then. This morning. After having slept on it and (confession here) being rather on the nervous side that, after all this whining, I may have gotten in over my head, I rose, made (sign of Cross) the coffee and picked up My Precious.
And messed with the settings for the ten-thousandth time…because I thought it was starting to make sense to Right-Brain Synesthete (who would have completely reverse the way ALL camera settings mean what they mean because if you ask me they’re completely backward and inside out).
And then took this shot.
Manual / Shutter Speed: 1/200 / F5.0 / ISO 800
(and please don’t quiz me on exactly what that means again, my brain is still mush)
I yelled, “I got it!” and woke up half the house.
The shot heard round the world.
So…
…I’m happy. I’m not whining.
And I need to thank:
John (in Wisconsin) for giving me the crazy idea and Dollar Bill #1 to kick things off
Jeff (in Florida)
Juán (in Spain)
Mike (in Wisconsin)
Billy (in Georgia)
Linda (in Texas)
Jo (in Ohio)
Carol (in British Columbia)
and Manu (in California)
for being salt-of-the-earth folks and good-humored enough to suffer my whining and help me get the new camera. It is, in all seriousness, a critical piece to all I hope for the Waltzing In Perdition blog. I’m going to have to come up with some way to thank each one of you.
Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to become the most annoying husband and father in the free world with this camera.
You’re unique, Todd.
I must admit I liked the last entry pictures and I thought they were taken by “The Rebel Force”. They are way different, have a texture, a life the other ones you took don’t have. And the black and white Cute Red Head it’s a beautiful picture. She looks the way you always picture her: focus, compromised, worried…, and cute. And the ones with August are marvelous, both of him looking from the window and standing at the door eating…So, I got you, Todd, though I didn’t want to ruin your surprise. Though it’s still a surprise. Enjoy the new world of your precious toy, and torture your family with pictures that would last forever. And keeping enjoying us with them. Thank to you… Oh, I have to admit! You’re a great guy and I do like your blog (and books)!
Ah! You’re nice but unable to write my name properly. Todd, take a look, buddy: JUAN. Leave the accent to my middle name and to my surnames in your favorite long foreign name. Just JUAN…Got it?
good show.
we should have an outing (no, not THAT kind) and you can learn some cool techniques I picked up from the Brooks boyz
First of all, many congratulations Todd! I love new toys myself. Wonder if/when Apple will come out with the iEye (camera).
Secondly, my dad (John Macco) also kicked in $1. Just thought I’d add him to the list.
Sounds like fun! (And what are the “Brooks boyz”?)
As always, thank you Frappé.
SIR! YES SIR!
Wait wait wait-wait-wait…John kicked in $1? He did? Really?? No, he didn’t? (Did he?). Hm. *thinks* I may have to thank him by throttling back on his abject fear of technology. (Nah.)
Look Chachi make fun of my dollar if you will, but who..WHO started the campaign to stop your incessant whining! Alas, the world, the whole word owns me yet, like Cruly, Moe and Larry I realize not everyone will fully appreciate my contribution to mankind. But God knows so there.
Oh man! You’re right! I completely forgot about the $1 bill you sent through the mail! Ha ha! That was HILARIOUS. And, yes, everyone: let it be known far and wide: Whine-Aid was not only a success…it was conceived by John Macco. (We officially remove John from the Must Be Mocked Because He’s Afraid Of The iPhone list.)
Ok then…and…I get to hold the super powers for one week…or no deal.
…let’s not push our luck, hm?
I know I’m late to the party with this post. I just wanted you to know that I too have a Canon XSI. I got it by convincing my wife that WE NEED THIS so that I can take professional looking baby pictures… I also got a 50″ softbox and flash. Not to mention wireless radio triggers (eBay) so that I don’t have to string flash cord everywhere.
I’m happy to report that the gambit worked and I am actually able to take decent pictures with it! I took the shot that you can see in this post: http://www.gladdads.com/2009/05/broken-arms-big-burps.html
Have fun with it and I don’t want to see another Whine-Aid for accessories!