What can I say? I'm a man, an ordinary man. I have needs, wants, desires like any male. Sometimes I resist and sometimes the flesh is weak and I give in. Last week I was weak and although I tried to resist I couldn't and ultimately gave in to that demanding inner voice and did something I shouldn't. I should know better I agree. I confess. Mea culpa.
What did I do? I bought one of these:
Nice and shiny and smooth - it's got knobs and twiddly things too!
Like I said above I'm an ordinary man. Therefore by extension, it's not my fault!
A few years ago my lovely G bought me a good quality digital camera and since then she's encouraged me to become more interested in photography and, like any dutiful husband, I do what I'm told. The over the years she's kept telling me how good I am with the camera, what a good ‘eye’ I've got. For quite a while I just pottered along with the standard lens that came with the camera butts eventually I saved up and bought a better lens. Now I'm more experienced I really enjoy getting out into the landscape or into crowds. I could always see plenty of photographs I wanted to take but the equipment I had wasn't good enough. After a while I added another lens of better quality and with more of a zoom. Like most men, once addicted, things get a tad more expensive. Whether it's golf, or fishing, or photography (thank God I don't do all three!) It costs a lot of money if you want the right equipment. And of course, it's not our fault! Blame her not me!
A few years ago my lovely G bought me a good quality digital camera and since then she's encouraged me to become more interested in photography and, like any dutiful husband, I do what I'm told. The over the years she's kept telling me how good I am with the camera, what a good ‘eye’ I've got. For quite a while I just pottered along with the standard lens that came with the camera butts eventually I saved up and bought a better lens. Now I'm more experienced I really enjoy getting out into the landscape or into crowds. I could always see plenty of photographs I wanted to take but the equipment I had wasn't good enough. After a while I added another lens of better quality and with more of a zoom. Like most men, once addicted, things get a tad more expensive. Whether it's golf, or fishing, or photography (thank God I don't do all three!) It costs a lot of money if you want the right equipment. And of course, it's not our fault! Blame her not me!
There are any number of magazines out there encouraging us to compare one thing against another, to get into the detail and informing us on what it is we really need for our particular obsession. To get the best from anything you've got to have the best kit right? So it's a good job there are publications to help keep us up to date about what's best and where to get them at the best price. Let's face it, it's a good job we’re not nearly as easily influenced by advertising as our wives. We're not so lead by our emotions. We’re much more logical, objective, rational and impervious to the wiles of devious retailers and marketing people. Yes, thank goodness it's me and not The Lovely G who's into photography.
Or it would have cost me a lot more than the 600 quid it did! And thats 300 quid less than the normal price.
It is lovely though.....or will be once I get my eyes tested and get better glasses to cope with manual focus - or should that simply be 'if I live long enough to enjoy it!'
It's going to be a lean couple of months at least. And now I've got major sucking up to do.What's that? You want another cup of tea? Don't get up - I’ll get it for you darling ! Would you like a nice bit of cake with that too sweetheart?
See you later.
7 comments:
Right, now I'm seriously jealous. I have a nice little fun camera with a pathetic zoom on it - nothing strap-on you understand! My pictures of wild birds (like the Redstart recently) are the brown dot in the distance . . . Takes me back to being 10 years old, visiting Longleat Safari Park with my Brownie 127, and the lions were the dots on the horizon . . . Some things never change!
Good Reasoning!And we shall expect you to share your photos in huge batches.
I'd like to take better photos--but I'm hopeless with techy stuff, so a new camera would languish.
Ooooo...a new telephoto?...envy! I put one on my Christmas list, but only out of fantasy. I love the top bird shot especially, and look forward to lots of photo-rich posts. Lucky man!
Anyone who reads your blogs knows you have a great deal of photographic talent Alstair,so I don't see how lady G can possibly have any grounds for complaint.
She will of course, but they always do it to make us "better persons"
Be very careful in doing the caring/sharing things. Remember that the ladies have that extra sense that detects guilt-based actions. Just don't overdo things. A cup of tea in bed, yes, but no cake. Too much.
Hey Alistair! Nice photos, matey. And whatever the expense, I'm sure G understands! I'm sending some folks over from my blog right now; I salute your male sensibilities! Indigo
Hi Alistair,
Taking my first baby steps into the DSLR world soon.
I am leaning towards a Canon 650D.
Do you have any recommendations/snippets of advice?
i don't mind the odd macro shot with my Lumix TZ7 so will have to find something for that 'n all.
Adam
Tamborine Mountain.
BB - This is a mid size mid price telephoto {my first sojourn into this area} with a modest zoom of 500mm so not quite the football stadium sports journalist kind of kit. With all the birds coming to the garden and Edinburgh and it's festival crowds I hope to get plenty of practice across the summer.
MM - I have to admit the male reasoning was fairly tongue in cheek { as was the extent of the 'sucking up' I actually have to do.} There will be lots of sharing to come, no doubt about that.
Rebecca - I am lucky with this one { but then again I kinda 'made' my own luck with it, didn't I...}
TSB - Ach she's not complained really - just winced a bit about the price. To be honest a couple of cups of tea pretty much got me out of it. I completely agree with the no cake in bed rule!
Indigo - Cheers buddy. Male sensibilities are at their best when slighly overstated { in my case anyway!}
Hi Adam - Thanks for the visit and the comment. I wouldn't say I'm competent enough to give advice. I'm just an enthusiastic amateur. I use a fairly old canon myself, the 400d rebelxt with just 10m megapixels. I've now got the standard 18-55mm {that often comes with the camera when you buy it}, a wide angle 10-24mm for landscapes, a 50 - 200mm zoom and now this 150-500mm telephoto. Mine are a mix of canon and sigma lenses. I find sigma good build, good quality lenses and a good price. I shoot a mixture of jpeg and RAW files but prefer to do minimum manipulation of shots with photoshop or adobe camera raw - both of which come with photoshop elements. I'm hoping to get a canon 5D Mk II as my next camera. That would be a dream piece of kit for me.
I use a filter kit to highlight skies - a few neutral density and ND graduated filters of varying strength as well as polarising filters on all lenses to help colour and reflection - but am still experimenting with the neutral density kit. {Definitely promising so far though}
I've found some useful youtube sites {Karl Taylor and Gavtrain have been quite interesting} and have taken a few courses run by professional photographers on basic techniques. I've picked these up very cheaply through groupon on-line discount vouchers, so whatever is avaiable where you are is a good place to check out.
Mainly I'd say just enjoy whatever you have. Carry the kit as much as you can - I'm always seeing great shots when I don't have a camera with me! - experiment and get away from the auto settings on your camera { a couple of hours tuition - via the online vouchers - on this was a great investment for me} Don't get sucked into thinking you need lots of kit all at one time. Build your stuff up gradually as you understand what kind of stuff you prefer shooting.
Hope this helps.
PS {Oh - and don't tell your wife how much you've spent.......}
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