Bank Holiday Pastimes...

All day David has been playing with his new toy/baby...his Nikon D200. I can see he is really pleased that we got him his own camera, although he says I can borrow it...occasionally...LOL
I am really looking forward to having pictures to scrap that I haven't taken. He used to be a keen photographer, even developing his own black and white photos in his little studio at his parent house. So it is good to see him persuing his interest again, it seems his passion for photography has been re-ignited.

I have also been crafting today, I have made some paper blooms and also been playing with my shrink plastic. I stamped and coloured some flowers. Will show you them tomorrow when it is light enough for photos. I have also been working on my Painting with Light assignment. This week we are "Looking for Light". I have worked out how to do it, and now I just want to find a couple of interesting shots. I think I will have another go tomorrow afternoon/evening.

I have processed a few shots from Woburn Safari Park, and will upload them shortly.
Caz
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What a Day!!!

David's inheritance from his Gran arrived on Friday and was promptly paid into the bank. While the majority is being saved, we wanted to do something fun with the money. We need to get me a new laptop for work, so £2k is earmarked for that once I look into Vista compatability of my clients software. We decided that we wanted to buy another new lens for the camera, as the Sigma 70-300mm macrco lens that we have is a little slow and the photo quality is now as good as we would have liked. We decided on the Nikon AF 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 but after reading a ton of reviews and asking advice we decided it was too slow and apparently has focusing issues, so back to the drawing board. After a good nights sleep David suggested that we get another body, but this time a D200. As he is always having to wrestle the D80 for me it seems like the perfect solution. We also decided on a couple more lenses, the Nikon 18-135mm f/4.5-5.6 lens and the Nikon AF 70-300mm DX VR lens. So after some web searching this morning we took the short drive into Central Milton Keynes and into the Jessops store. David had been in on Friday and saw a D200 Nikon Refurbished Body....so we got that plus a refurbished 18-135mm lens. We dropped into the larger Jessops store and ordered the 70-300mm lens bought a CF card and drove home.

So chuffed with our new purchases we started to have a play, and to our disappointment we found that there was a problem with the camera, the lens was fine, but the card slot would not recognise the CF card. So a trip back to the shopping centre was on the cards....after much driving backwards and forwards we had to go to the main Jessops and buy the new camera. So today has been a day filled with highs and lows. First we have a wonderful new camera, and got the body and 1 lens for £775, then we get home and it doesn't work, then we end up spending an extra £200 and getting a brand new one (which is what we had originally budgeted for). So on one hand we saved money, but on the other hand, not as much as we would have if the refurbished camera had worked, C'est la vie, as the French would say.

So tomorrow we are off to Willen Lake to take some photos. I need to get some shots for module one of my Feel Good Photos "Painting with Light" course. I am looking for a cool silhouette shot and think the Peace Pagoda may be a lovely shot.
Caz
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