Sun, Dec. 23rd, 2007, 07:45 pm
I did something wrong

[info]mia_mcdavid has woven shawls as Christmas presents for her mother and mine. She wanted to send pictures of her working at the loom to them as well. So I found my old Nikon SLR film camera, saw that it had film in it and took some pictures. As she wrote, we are running way behind on our Christmas preparations, and today she reminded me that we needed to get those pictures processed.

The snow has been bad this weekend, and we had a close call in the car yesterday (I was driving). After getting home from church and shopping afterwards I was reluctant to drive anywhere. So I shot off the end of the roll, pulled out the film, and walked about 1/2 mile to Walgreens. They have a one hour processing facility, so I dropped it off and trudged back. The return trip was worse because I was going southwest, and there was a strong (and snowy) west wind. A short rest and I went out again for the Dr. Zhivago trek--Hey, I have a very appropriate fur hat, and my route took me through a wooded park, which for a while completely masks our exceedingly ordinary suburban neighborhood.

I came home, got out the pictures and....nothing. There were some pictures from Thanksgiving 2006, and some pictures of Mia weaving the Ulster tartan on her now-retired rigid heddle loom. Nothing of her recent work. Something went wrong, possibly with the camera, but much more likely with the photographer. I need to do something different.

Mon, Dec. 24th, 2007 03:50 am (UTC)
[info]mia_mcdavid: Something different?

Is it time to consider a digital camera? At least you know the photo works the moment after you take it . . .

Wed, Dec. 26th, 2007 04:18 am (UTC)
(Anonymous): Different

I always wanted to try my hand at photography. I never wanted to bear the expense or degradation to the environment of taking hundreds - no, thousands - of shoddy photos that would go to the landfill.

A few years ago, I received a digital camera as a Christmas gift. Nothing sent to the landfill! No cost for film, and little for prints! No evidence of the thousands of shoddy photos! Beginning with Digital Photography for Dummies, I began to learn and play. (Photoshop Elements was soon added to the repertoire: the picture I wanted to take was often hiding inside the one I actually did take...)

Guess what? You can even upload them to Walgreens, see that they arrive, and get e-mail when they're ready.

It's not the skill and artistry of SLR, but certainly a winner for folks who are always a minute behind schedule - of which I'm one. (Sister Edith)

Wed, Dec. 26th, 2007 08:13 pm (UTC)
[info]gmcdavid: Re: Different

Mia and I are convinced...perhaps excessively so. There were two digital cameras for the family under the tree on Christmas morning, one from each of us. Mia has since returned one for a full refund.