3: Beginning

The first

Once upon a time there was what there was, and if nothing had happened there would be nothing to tell.

~ Charles de Lint, Dreams Underfoot

#4

I have a post written about The Weather Channel and Me (appropriately titled “TWC and Me”).  I’ve been working on it for a few days, and have it all polished up and ready to go.  The recent snow and some of the photos I took of the snow combined well with my ramble, which is really a soft rant about the naming of storms and how I feel about that.  I know, it’s old news.  It bugged me at the time they started doing it, and it’s still bugging me now.  The only good I could find in it is how amusing it is that they might be naming a winter storm after the Roman god of fire (Vulcan) should we have that many winter storms this season.  Sometimes the smallest things amuse me.

The reason I’m not posting my soft rant about TWC and me is because I am excited about the new camera in my life, and even though the first few pictures are not that good, I wanted to share them because they are the first few pictures.  A beginning.  That makes it perfect for this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge where we’re asked to show “Beginning.”  Coincidentally, it also ties in with the Daily Prompt:

When was the last time you did something completely new and out of your element?  How was it?  Will you do it again?

Photographers, artists, poets:  show us NEW

#5

While photography is not completely out of my element, the camera is.  It’s much more complicated (or so it seems at this point) than any other camera I’ve owned.  So far I am enjoying it, and intend to keep doing it again.  Over the years I’ve often heard the phrase, “it’s the photographer, not the camera,” and while that may be true to a certain extent, I’m beginning to realize that it’s the camera, too.  The clarity I’m getting is incredible (and sometimes too much because it shows that I need to dust!).

This also gives me a chance to show off another gift I received for Christmas from M the Younger and his wife, Mere.  It’s something that also meets the qualification for NEW.  A masala dubba or, as I call it, a spice thingie.

#13

I do a lot of Indian-inspired cooking, and have wanted a masala dubba for a couple of years.  Having this spice thingie is almost as exciting as the new camera.  Almost.

Sunrise this morning

Back to the camera.  I think I’ve already mentioned that I learn best by doing rather than reading.  I did use the manual to get me started (how to attach the strap, how to charge the battery, where to insert the battery and the memory card, and, most importantly, how to turn on the camera and set the date and time).  I also had to learn about attaching the lens since that’s something I’ve never done.

Through the bedroom window

There is so much more I need to learn, but right now I want to play and explore and discover things about the camera on my own.  I will have to go back to the manual eventually.  I don’t know the basics of the lenses (my camera came with three lenses as part of a bundle deal) or what to do with all the other stuff that came in the bundle.  Even the camera case is a puzzle to me.

Bella (edited in Photoshop)

As for that post about The Weather Channel and me, ah well.  I’m going to trash it.  Or maybe I’ll see if I can salvage some of the story part of it in which I give a little history of me.  I’m no longer in the mood to rant, and frankly, I no longer have any doings with TWC.  I use other weather oracles to get my predictions for the day.  Most of the time I do the most sensible thing of all: I step outside and see what’s going on.

In the kitchen window

Thank you for visiting today.  I’ll try not to subject you too much to my early experiments with the new camera, especially since some of these early experiments are less than optimal.  I took the camera out for a walk today, and came back with a lot of crappy images.  When I mentioned this to a friend, she replied that “crap is a stepping stone.”  That made me laugh.  She’s right.  It is.

I hope your weekend is going well.  Are you finding time for play and/or learning?  Did you get any new toys for Christmas?

One last look at this morning’s sunrise (from the kitchen).

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Today’s joys:  Morning yoga practice (I could feel my body responding with an “ahhhh, that feels good!”); a beautiful sunrise; breakfast with M; watching the ice floating on the creek; listening to the blues on the radio.

The only shot from today’s walk that I’m willing to show you.