summer_jackel

Circuit CIty going out of business is, I know, a very bad sign of a chilling economic crisis...although I must admit that I boycotted the place because they were rotten to their employees, and I am kind of glowing about their death. Regardless of whether I should be scared or chortling about the chain's demise, however, I have been making out like a bandit on scavenging its bloated carcass. New scanner, external hard drive (to back up my data, because I know that eventually this aging computer will die and lose all my stuff), and a prize toy I've been coveting for years: an actual camera of the type where you can change the lenses, etc. It's a Sony DSLR-a200, it was very cheap (relative to its usual price, not my budget...ow), it is bewilderingly shiny and I have no idea how to use it in a competent fashion. Photographers out there, feel free to give helpful input. Please.

Oh yeah, that reminds me of something I meant to rant about. During some downtime at work, I was reading through the manual for this new scary electronic thing I inflicted on my life. After awhile, my mystified cohort says "wow, I've never seen anyone actually read one of those before." We both have a few laughs over this (me thinking of that T-shirt Thinkgeek sells which says 'RTFM,' as well as all of the computer experts/tech support people I know who I can easily visualize snarling, "yes! Read the *&^! manual! PLEASE"). Cohort then follows up with, "yeah, I usually just get a man to explain these things to me."

I must have given her kind of an eloquent look (I didn't intend it, I swear), because when I looked up from my manual, her eyes went huge and she started backpedaling like crazy. Keep in mind that this is a smart, reasonably well educated and self-sufficient 30something woman who I somewhat enjoy as a friend, and that I'm convinced she was totally serious when she said this.

Face, meet desk. Oh, so much feminist fail.

So anyway, feel free to give me pointers on how to use my new device. I did actually read the manual, but I remain full of amatuerish lack of clue. I am inviting advice from men too, although of the three semi-pro/professional level photographers who I know read this journal, two are women.

OK, I've had my rant and feel much better now. Here are the first pictures.

What I had conveniently strewn about to test the camera on were cats. The interior of my house has really, um, challenging lighting conditions for any kind of photography (the BBC crew who came here were amusingly annoyed by this). It was interesting to see what new camera did. Promising results, though: I'm sure that if I knew how to use the thing, I'd get better results.

Blurry, but awwwwwwwwwww look at his pretty little paws all tucked in.

OK, onto a real challenge: lighting conditions of doom plus Nocturne, world's least photogenic cute kitten.

My new palm tree probably has a .001% chance of survival in my house over a month. Between the low lighting and the kitten, you know, but I still hope it lives. My live Yule tree is still doing fine outside, at least.
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