So Excited.

I am so stinkin excited. 

I entered to win a absolutely fabulous bag designed specifically for cameras. 

(On this blog)

First of all, let's just state the obvious.

I could NEVER afford this 3 digit number

(not that it's not worth it, just not in my oh-so-glorious teacher budget)

but I had seen ONA before and thought they just looked like wonderful.

Especially the plum color.

(Random fact: I am consistently teased by close friends, and the hubs, about having a different favorite color every week)

I think plum is a beautiful color to wear.

But red (and yellow) will always remain first in my heart.

Long story short, 

I WON IT!

This little padawan right here.

I'm so excited I think I'll post a couple more photos that this little ole padawan has taken from this little ole big girl camera that will soon have a beautiful new home!

I sure do hope I am "earning the respect" of a new lens. 

Did ya all know I still almost pee my pants when I hit the submit button for a post with pictures. 

That's fun fact #2 for the day.

Oh! We need a new photo up top. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED our wedding but it's about time. Anybody like to play photographer like me and would like to snap a few of us in the next couple weeks, por favor??

I totally would, but, let's be honest, we all saw how the self portrait turned out. 

The Grand Finale! Part A

Self Portrait

Finished.

Done.

Succeeded.

Accomplished.

There are so many things I want to cover that I made part A just in case I forget something and need to make a part B.

So like I said at the very, very beginning.

It's a process people.

I can't believe I have learned SO much and still have no idea what I am doing all at the same time :)

I have learned there are lots of different settings to adjust and what there names are. 

Inanimate objects are beautiful but are getting SUPER boring. Time to move on to people

My husband gets bored really fast when he is my human subject. 

Technical terms like bokeh.

How to appreciate good lighting outside.

It's no fun to take photos inside

I'm too scared to ask people if I can take their photo. Even though I really want to practice.

Editing can really help fix an oops. and I would like to have a better photo editing program.

Apparent some people think I am good at writing. That's hilarious in itself.

Overall though, I feel this accurately describes how I feel when opening my Canon camera bag.

This really is just the beginning of a beautiful friendship :)

I SO completely and naively thought that self portait on the last day would be much easier and way less awkward.

WRONG.

It was horrendous, and I felt like I was doing a trashy myspace photo all over again.

Let's enjoy these gems, shall we?

Precious.

I wish I could tell you that was all of the not-so-good. 

There was this times about 40.

I don't think self portraits are meant to be flattering or easy.

I've decided it's next to impossible.

They got a little better eventually.

And I will leave you with the two. 

(I guess I can consider that a win...I'm ending this with two photos...of me of all people)

My hubby likes one and I like the other. Can you guess who likes which one?

I don't think the above one is the best. And I don't think it is an awesome photo of me.

But it is the most natural.

and that is my goal.

To capture the natural beauty that does exist in this world.

I have so much more to learn and am so excited to learn it.

Oh and without further ado. 

And much deliberation.

The name of my "yettobenamed" Canon Rebel is

Zoila

She is named after a housekeeper on a reality show called Flipping Out.

Here is clip of her. (Viewer discretion advised :))

She is spunky and fun and has an attitude and is beautiful

And has an accent.

My camera would be all of those things and more.

Thanks for reading my crazy rants and putting up with me for 30 days.

This happy padawan greatly appreciates it.

It's a process, people.

Introducing Melissa, the photographer.

(excuse the "myspaceness" of this photo)

So I did it. It happened. I bought myself a big girl camera.

This is one of my lenses. I look like a little girl on Christmas morning.

Because I pretty much was. 

After saving, saving and more saving the camera stork delivered my Canon Rebel T2i.

I couldn't stop taking pictures.

My very first picture! I know. I'm a natural :)

Finally able to capture one of our beautiful sunsets!

I have wanted to take a picture of this cactus since we moved in in November. Sweet. Long. Last.

 

I know there are going to be lots of bumps a long the way. I promise to post my (hopefully) good photos and my not so good photos, so we can laugh together. Not every picture will be "picture perfect".. I can accept that and own it. It's gonna be a process, people. Deal.

On the plus side, you will get to see these blogs a lot more often.

Perhaps I'll even have more than 2 1/2 followers!