Me + Cameras = Happy

So now that I like to fancy myself a photographer, it seemed only fitting to have some pictures of me with cameras. That's what photographers do, right? But which camera should I have in the photo - the one I can do the most with, the one I carry around the most often, the one that looks the coolest? At this point, I currently own 6 cameras, so there are quite a few options to choose from. I decided to have fun and take pictures with all the different cameras to show off my collection! And also show off my new haircut.

The Canon EOS 50E - a 35mm (i.e. real film) SLR camera. I love the way true black and white film looks and this camera is great for shooting that.

The Canon PowerShot A540 - my first digital camera! This little guy is very compact and takes great daylight pictures. The screen on the back is a great size, bigger than my other digitals, and it's small enough that it's really easy to use for quick shots that don't need anything too fancy.

                                      

The Canon PowerShot S3 IS - this is an advanced Point and Shoot camera. It has more options than the A540 and so it gets a lot more use lately.  It's not considered a "professional" camera, which means I can take it into concerts, and it's lightweight enough to carry around in my purse every day. I bought this camera before our trip to Ireland last summer, and it's perfect for traveling.

Okay, technically this camera doesn't work. Well, the camera would work, but it's a vintage Kodak from the 1950s and they apparently don't make film for it anymore. Which is a shame because it's in great, working condition and I bet photos from it would look cool. I love the accordian-style box part of it and think that makes it worth keeping as a prop even if I never get to use it for anything else. 

The Holga 120 TLR - the newest addition to the camera family! I just got this Holga as a birthday present and I'm hoping to shoot with it this weekend. It's a plastic, "toy" camera that takes retro-looking 6 x 6 square film pictures. And the flash "flashes" in white, yellow, red or blue. Should make for some very interesting shots, so be on the lookout.

The Canon 20D - this one is kind of my baby. A digital SLR that I bought used in 2008, but was a splurge for me at the time. This was the camera I used for my photography class last summer and I really learned a lot with it. It's heavier and bulkier than the S3, so I don't carry it around every day, but I can use all my different lenses on it, so it's great for any kind of advanced shooting. It has the Lensbaby lens on it in this picture.

Los Angeles Derby Dolls

Anyone who knows me well could easily tell you that I am not into sports. I am completely uncoordinated when it comes to playing sports and just not interested when it comes to watching sports. The one exception to this is Roller Derby. I went to my first LA Derby Dolls game a few years ago and was instantly hooked. The games are fast and action-packed, the players are charismatic, and the fans are really into it. Matt and I and some of our other friends have been going ever since. Along the way, I became friends with lovely and talented Gori Spelling, one of the jammers for the 2008 and 2009 champions, the Tough Cookies. For awhile now I've wanted to take photos of a derby bout, but cameras aren't allowed in for the general audience. Gori was nice enough to let me be her family photographer for a recent game and I was really excited to take pictures for the first time.

Because of how fast the skaters are going and the low light of the arena, some of the pictures are a little dark and grainy, but I was pretty happy with how enough of them turned out. I'm hoping I'll be able to take more in the future and will keep getting better with practice.

Here are a few of my favorite shots, but there are a lot more to check out here.

Columbus Wedding

Two of my amazing friends from New College, Sarah and Phillip, got married in August 2009. They are such a great couple and their wedding was incredibly personal, stylish, and sweet. The ceremony and reception were at a park in downtown Columbus, Ohio, overlooking a train trellis. The day started off overcast, but the sun came out after the ceremony in time for portraits and a gorgeous sunset over the river.

Congratulations, Sarah and Phillip! I love you guys and I'm so glad I got to be part of your wedding celebration!

New Camera, New Kitten

Three weeks ago, I got a new kitten from a local animal shelter. Her name is Emma Goldman and she's awesome. Last week I got a new but used Canon 20D digital SLR camera, which is also awesome. Put the two together and I now have a copious amount of cute cat pictures. The turtle will be getting jealous soon that he's not the most photographed subject in the house anymore. These are some of my favorite shots of Emma so far, and I'm sure there will be several more to come.