Look what Mama got !!!

No.......not this little piece of cr......p (oops, did I say that?).

This little.................is responible for so much frustration, lost moments in time, fuzzy memories (and frankly....I don't need any added help there ;) and, did I mention FRUSTRATION?

The shutter speed (or lag) is so ssslllllllllllloooooooooowwwwwwww that said subject was bound to move, thus rendering any settings moot. Now, to be fair, perhaps dropping this little..........may have caused some of the problem but returning it to Sony only drew blanks as they said it was in perfect order. Yeah, right! My little Kodak Easyshare (before this one) took lovely pictures but I could hardly see what I was taking with a, what seemed to be, 2 cm screen so I upgraded to lots of pixels (useless) and a 3 in LCD screen. Ahh...bliss - now I can see my crappy pictures SO much clearer.

So, what's a girl to do? Pull out my hair, whine and plead for an early b-day present (really early as I just had a birthday) or just go out and buy one myself?

So.........that's what I did. And.......I didn't mess around either!

Voila!

Mama's new toy!

Now, all I have to do is.........learn how to use it. Easy peasy, right?

So, last week I went to LLLoseau for a 4 hour course on "learning the body of a D300". Now the workshop had only about 5 men and me - all with the same camera but not necessarily on the same playing field. When the intructor began to talk about aperatures I quickly (ever eager to learn a new word) asked "what's an aperature?", the audible groan emitted from my fellow workshoppers confirmed to me just how steep this learning curve would be. But, I plugged on. During a break, a kindly gentleman (actually looked a little like Santa Clause - said he was a pro but just couldn't be bothered to read the manual) gently touched my arm and said, and I quote - "You're very charming (this was the set-up) BUT, what are you doing with a camera like this? - you could take as good a picture with a point and shoot" (WHAAAATT?)

Need I elaborate on what I WOULD have liked to have said to him? I just smiled somewhat sweetly (I was raised properly after all) and turned around and steeled my resolve to learn this thing if it kills me!!!!!! (Don't say I CAN'T do something - oh yeah, just watch me!)

So, I have a plan.

Susan (from our journey to mei mei) was sweet enough to link me to an on-line company who give all sorts of photography courses (she's taken them and it really shows in her work) and I begin a 4 week course next week with Tony Sweet. It's through betterphotos.com and I'm quite pumped.

First, I have to really learn how this baby works and then I can get a little creative. I'm really looking forward to seeing the tiny little hairs on my darling Dahlia's upper lip as well as finally re-doing by art pictures (which are pathetically poor, I know, you don't have to tell me, I have eyes :) And of course, getting some great shots of baby sister...........very soon!

So.........wish me luck!

PS. Ummm.....er.....I just read over this latest post and the thought "spoiled brat" came quickly to mind (and I wasn't thinking about Dahlia). It's mama who needs the time-out here. Let me just say that I am grateful for any camera and the time and opportunities to take pictures - period. Anything over and above that is bonus.

OK, so I'm getting off the naughty mat now ;)