Sunday, November 29, 2009

Blank

I've been whining all along about how my camera was cheap and junky, and how it was making noises normally reserved for motorized vehicles, and how it was being held together with duct tape because it literally lost several screws...
... and the camera heard me...
... and the camera got mad...
... and it decided to commit it's final act of lunacy by focusing in and out non-stop while making grinding noises and finally displaying an error screen. "Ha!" it seemed to say. "That's what you get for bad mouthing ME!"

And so I have no camera. Here we are on the verge of a very photo-happy time of the year, the winter holidays, and I will be reduced to remembering it by cell phone snap shots.

*sigh*

Zach sweetly sketched up a plan to build me a camera using sticks, toilet paper tubes, sea glass, and a flashlight. I don't want to torture myself checking out digital SLR (drool!) cameras on Ebay and Adorama because unfortunately, it's just not in the cards at the moment.

It's mind numbingly upsetting and sort of freeing all at the same time. I LOVE taking pictures. Ever since I was a little girl I've been a shutterbug. But this weekend, everything seemed slower and deeper without my shutter finger leading the way. I seemed to be more present in everything I was doing. So this will be a little exercise in Zen for me. Or rehab if you will.

The question really becomes, do I drop $100-150 on yet another crappy-point&shoot camera and start clicking again this week. Or do I start saving for a digital SLR and go photoless for a few months or more? I don't know the answer.

In the mean time, please be patient with me. I may ramble without photos. I may dig up old pictures and take a stroll down memory lane, or I may go quiet here and there. Or I may see about that sea glass and toilet paper tube idea. And my shutter finger will be twitching.

12 comments:

Joy said...

I'm sorry to hear about your camera. :( Good luck figuring out your next step. I can't wait to hear about your next adventures, with or without camera. BTW, the same thing happened to us summer of 08 WHILE we were on vacation. Ergh!

Holly @ Domestic Dork said...

There has to be SOMEbody you can borrow a camera from while saving up for a good, used SLR.

Positively Orphaned said...

Just go for a cheap one. You can get a used one for less than 50 on eBay.

Little Lovables said...

I have a really crappy digital camera if you want it. It's better than nothin', I suppose. I am packing to move on Saturday, if I find it, I'll send it to you

kate said...

nooooooo......phooey! I'd look on freecycle or put a plea out on craigslist to borrow or have someone's old camera and save for the someday camera....because you take beautiful photos and you will seriously swoon over an slr. Watch ebay, and google refurbished cameras-- that's how we got ours, and it knocked a couple hundred off the price. In the meantime, your words paint lovely pictures too:)

And tell Zach I LOVE his thinking!

Behan said...

that just plain stinks! OTOH your reflections on a few days of seeing without an itchy shutter finger... well, I can understand that.

For what it's worth, we recently got lucky and added a DSLR on board Totem- and I am just amazed at the difference in the photos. My brother gifted us with the body of his Nikon D40 when he upgrated to a fancier camera (anticipating fatherhood!). If you think you can stick it out to save the $$, I am frankly blown away by the difference in our photos by having something better than the ol' point & shoot.

...meanwhile, Freecycle away! When you ask the universe, you just never know what goodness might be around the corner!

Unknown said...

oh, super sorry to hear. i vote for save for an slr camera ~ we got the one we're using constantly from costco, they have a great return policy and it has been the love of my life. i am a picky photographer, mainly hated the delay feature in all the digital ones. if you can, save up for the Canon EOS, you will be thrilled. it's just like the old slr with no delay and great shots. good luck figuring out the next step!

Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cat said...

Cindy, it's time. Go for the SLR.

You can get a Canon XS with a very decent image stabilized lens for $480 from B&H right now. That is not much more than a decent P&S.

You've got small hands so the smaller Canons like these ones will do well for you.

Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish said...

Very hard decision. Hoping something works out soon. I appreciate your zen approach and comments on living more in the moment without feeling the need to capture or record every minute. I grapple with this and sometimes have to make a conscious decision to leave my camera behind or at least tucked in the bag so I can just let go and soak up the moment without a lense in between. This could turn into one of those situations when a loss suddenly becomes a turning point or moment of creative invention (I like Zach's idea!). And for what it's worth I love my DSLR.

Lisa Russell said...

Visit a pawn shop. I just got my daughter a 30gb iPod for $89 and I saw a Canon digital SLR for $199. I'm getting myself one for Xmas. My camera broke in September, time has flown.

boatbaby said...

Hey Diane -- who you calling small hands?
;)

Thanks everyone for the great ideas and kind words. Still on the fence and without a lens. I'll keep ya posted!

Diane, Evan, Maia and Charlie the cat said...

That was Evan, which made me wonder;)

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