Photography

I have spent a lot of the last week or so thinking about photography.  There is a reason for this - it is too dark to take any ACTUAL photographs.  Grr I hate the change in seasons for SOOOOO many reasons.  I never thought photography would be one of them.  But this last year I have fallen hard for my new hobby of photography.  I have enjoyed taking part in the Weekly Photo Challenge 2011 so much and I have learnt so much.

I have decided that it is now time to upgrade my camera.  At the moment I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS60.  It is only 6.0 MP and 3 x optical zoom.  However, it does take pretty reasonable photos, now I've learnt how to use it!  I had thought I would like to upgrade to a dSLR camera.  I even decided to have a go with my brother's dSLR so I could decide how much of a difference it would make.

Week 31 - Small

I spent just half an hour snapping away in his garden.  I got the above shot for the photo challenge and loved the shots I got.  However, that half hour of photography nearly killed me.  A dSLR is simply too heavy for me to manage on a regular basis.  One thing I have definitely learnt through the Challenge, is that to get a good photo you need to take lots of photos, and I couldn't do that with a heavy camera.  This means no dSLR.

Week 32 - Lines

This next photograph was taken on my regular camera and I just tweaked it in Picasa!  I have tried to learn how to use GIMP (free photo editing software) but I don't even know how to start learning how to use it. 

Week 33 - Urban

As I am feeling more restricted by my camera, I am finding that I am editing the photograph more and more, to get interesting shots.  This shot really disappointed me, but adding a filter and making it black and white, at least added some interest.  I feel like I'm coming up against the limits of my camera (as well as my usual physical limitations).

Week 34 - Abstract

The Week 34 - Abstract photograph really pleased me.  It is really hard to see what the subject it, because it is reduced to such a small area, there is nothing to use as a reference point.  It is a photograph of my wooden chopping board.  I want to take more photos like this one, and the next one!

Week 35 - Yellow

This is a close up of a washing up glove!  These close up, detail orientated shots are my bread and butter on the blog.  I am always taking photographs of the stitch details and the texture of the yarn I'm using.  However, I am pleased with the photographs I took on holiday.  I took lots of landscapes.

Week 36 - Happiness

Learning how to use my camera meant that I didn't have scenes that were bleached out by the sunlight, in the way I had previously shot my holidays!

Basically, what I have decided is that I need to get a new camera.  It needs to be up to the jobs I need it to do, ie blogging, but it also has to capable of me taking more creative shots as well as the basic family type photographs.  To this end, I've been doing some research into compact digital cameras and I think I have found a camera that will fit in with all my requirements.  I have settled on the Sony DSCHX9VB Cyber-shot Digital Still Camera - Black (16.2MP, 16x Optical Zoom) 3 inch LCD.

This camera is not cheap, but I think it will allow me to take blogging photos well, even in the Winter months, as well as allowing me to move forward in my photography without killing myself with it's weight!  This camera allows me to have more control over aperture, focus and exposure.

I'd love to hear any thoughts or recommendations from anyone who has an opinion.  I have very little knowledge in this field and I am basing my decision on reviews and technical comparisons.  Any personal opinions and experiences would be VERY welcome indeed.

I am hoping to get contributions towards it's purchase for Christmas, so any family members who are reading this - make your cash donations to my other half!
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I might have fallen off the Weekly Photograph Challenge wagon of late, but I still think a lot about it and intend to take photos when I am able.  I don't think I'll be able to catch up before the end of the year, in the way I had intended, but I am still pretty proud of what I've managed to achieve.  I hope next year I will be able to join in again, and get much better shots with an improved camera!