My Photos

Olympus Evolt e420 Camera

For my 40th birthday, Stephanie got me a great new DSLR camera. I’ve been dithering around about wanting one for quite a while, but hesitated for a couple reasons; I just got a new camera in 2006 and kinda felt guilty about wanting another so soon. I also couldn’t decide what I wanted – compact or DSLR. I carry my point and shoot everywhere with me, and take tons of photos, and was afraid a DSLR would be too bulky to have with me at all times. I was also hesitant because it’s been 20 years since I last took a photography class and taxed my brainz with apertures and shutter speeds and such.

But at the same time, I’ve really been feeling the limitations of my point and shoot camera, and wanted to take better pictures; to shoot photos with greater depth of field or in low light situations that compact cameras really don’t handle well.

For a long time I’ve been reading reviews, looking at stats on Flickr about camera usage, and lurking around the websites of photographers that I like and learning about what equipment they carry.

For a long time I had my eye on the Canon G9, a high-quality point and shoot. I also considered the widely popular Canon Digital Rebel series, but never could quite bring myself to go that route, given the $800+ price tag. That’s quite a bit beyond what we spend on birthdays or Christmas, and is hard to justify spending on something recreational when we’re trying save all we can.

But my birthday rolled around, and Stephanie completely vetoed my campaign for a new toilet for the upstairs bathroom. I couldn’t decide what I wanted at all. And then Digital Photography Review came out with this review on the Olympus Evolt e420 DSLR Camera. It was highly rated, small and light-weight, but a real DSLR. And it was under $600. That’s still a lot of money for a birthday, but I only turn 40 once. And it’s cheaper than a mid-life crisis sports car.

The e420 is pretty great so far. It’s quite light and easy to carry around, although bigger than point and shoots. There’s a lot I need to learn about it, but it takes some pretty great photos so far. This is a shot I could never have gotten with my old camera, which would have flattened out:

Drusilla

A nice night shot that wouldn’t have come out:

July 4, 2008

And the colors are really rich:

Walking Tour of Old Northside

I’m looking forward to really digging in and learning how to use it.

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Tibbs Drive-In

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Tibbs Drive-In

Saturday night fun. We took Phoebe to see WALL-E at the drive-in theater tonight. Other than the drive-in at Roswell, I haven’t been to a real drive-in theater since I was a little kid. Lots of fun.

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Asshole parked in my parking space

Asshole parked in my parking space

I swear, one of these days

Update: This was an over-reaction on my part, and I’m sorry about it. These are new folks who live across the street from us. The condos they moved into are supposed to park in off-street parking behind their building and not on the street, and especially not in front of our house. From what our neighbors say, that information is supposed to be given to new residents, but I don’t know if these folks have that information.

Further Update: No, they knew they shouldn’t be parking there. And they’ve been told repeatedly that they’re not supposed to do so. And they continue. So the law will soon be involved, since they’re violating a city ordinance to park here.

Sec. 621-117. Parking for longer than six hours restricted.

It shall be unlawful for the owner, driver or operator of any vehicle to park such vehicle, or to permit the vehicle to be parked or to stand, for a longer period than six (6) hours upon any street, alley, highway or other public place in the city, other than with the written consent of the owner or tenant of the property abutting the street, alley or place where the vehicle is parked; provided, however, this section shall not be deemed to permit the parking or standing of any vehicle in contravention of any other provision of this chapter or Code prohibiting, restricting or regulating the parking or standing of vehicles.

(Code 1975, § 29-263)

Also — let me make it clear, since I got a comment — putting this photo up is NOT a violation of these people’s privacy. You have no expectation of privacy if you park on a public street, whether or not you’re doing something wrong. Photography is not a crime, nor is publishing photographs taken in public spaces. They only place you have an expectation of privacy is in your own home or dwelling place, or places where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy such as a hotel room, gym locker room or store dressing room. It is perfectly legal for me to both take and publish this photography and I don’t have to obscure identifying information, like the license plate.

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