It appears that the Internet Rule Of Opposites is at play here. You know the one. You post something on the Internet and then your Life reads what you posted and turns a 180 on you? Like when I said that Foto Friday was a burden and I was letting go? Not quitting, but taking the pressure off?
Well, the pressure lifted and then (thanks partially to some of you) I was inspired! And have ideas! Foto Friday has been revived! New and improved, even! (Like how I have left “Foto Friday” out of the title.)
You are probably reading this and thinking that I am crazy. Can I just say something to clear things up?
I am crazy. Certifiable even. I am also a whole lot of fun at parties.
First, I ordered a new lens!
It is the 24-70mm f/2.8 and it is some kind of special. From what I hear. The estimated arrival date was Thursday and I raced to the mailboxes in the afternoon. NOTHING. In my excitement, I forgot that I live in the buttcrack of nowhere and that mail is never on time.
Sigh.
Hopefully it arrives today and we are getting intimately acquainted while you are reading this.
I have not taken many photos in the past few days. I have been busy with our Company’s year-end (Meh) and the Top Secret Project (Woo!). I did post these two photos to Flickr. Click on them to see the commentary.
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I also took a sweet photo of Miss Emily yesterday. I had to wake her up in order to pick Graham up from school. I flicked on the light, saw her sweetness, and ran back downstairs to get my camera.
DON’T YOU JUST WANT TO SMOOSH HER? I sure do.
This photo helps to make up for the fact that she yelled at me/threw things at me for most of yesterday.
Dear Emily’s eyeteeth: SHOW YOURSELVES.
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Last fall on one of my Foto Friday posts someone (Was it YOU?) recommended the site Beyond Megapixels. It is run by Lisa and her husband and they give tips, product reviews and more! They are a wealth of photography information. They also shoot Canon, which makes them dear to my heart. It was there that I first read about the Canon 40D and I purchased it shortly thereafter.
The reason I mention Lisa is that I have a growing collection of lenses and accessories. I also have some pretty sweet gigs coming up and need something in which to carry all of my crap photography gear. We emailed back and forth yesterday about bags and she got her from Crumpler USA. She has a bag but wishes she had gotten a back pack.
I chatted with Randi as well, and she just got a backpack from Lowerpro.
I cannot decide which would be better; bag or backpack? If you use one or the other, I would love your feedback. Any brand that you swear by would be a great help too. Because I like to have so many options that I drive myself crazy trying to decide. Hitting my head on the table out of indecision is all sorts of fun.
Since I am all about the linkiness in this post, I thought I should point out that my (outdated, somewhat stale) link list has been added to. I added a section with photography-related links.
I adore work done by blogging friends Heather Hayes, Anastacia Campbell and Melissa Glen. My real-life friend Christy has a photography site of her own, and recommended this site and this one too. Another new blogging/photography friend Holly recommended this one.
Then there is the wonderful Shutter Sisters, with whom I find great joy. This is a site where women come together in order to encourage each other ansdgrow together.
I am inspired daily.
So what I want to know from you (in addition to the above case/backpack question) is this:
Do you have a photography website that I need to know about and link to? If not, are there sites that I should know about because they are THAT AWESOME?
I’d love to know.
27 Comments
My pal, Joe Pennant, has been putting up online photographs for ten years now.
http://pennant.blogspot.com/
His are a different, slice of life type. Awesome mad skillz.
witchypoo’s last blog post..Am I Nicer When He Looks Like Jesus?
Comment by witchypoo on April 11th, 2008 @ 2:55 amboy… I think I need to fly to BC and hug you! My photo-friend that I’m working with shoots Nikon so sometimes its hard for us to talk-tech. Yipe Yip Yippee for Beyond Megapixels. I added them to my reader PRONTO!
AND, I’ve been buying and stalking Crumpler for a few years. I’ve been to the retail store in Toronto and have purchased online. LOVE them… I have the “5 million dollar home” camera bag (need a bigger one now) as well as “the luncheon” laptop bag. Crumpler=FUN!
Holly’s last blog post..Giving Back
Comment by Holly on April 11th, 2008 @ 5:16 amPS. I’m torn b/w bag and backpack. With the bag I can wear it across my shoulders and still access the bag and ‘crap’… with the backpack I have to take it off…. BUT I need a bigger bag now so do I really want a potato sack across the front or stabilized on my back. ACK!!!!???
Holly’s last blog post..Giving Back
Comment by Holly on April 11th, 2008 @ 5:17 amMy favorite blogs are from wedding photographers. Becker is so boss with his B School, where you can watch clips on tips for the business side of photography and more.
kirida’s last blog post..Jacking Tessie’s post and making it all about me!
Comment by kirida on April 11th, 2008 @ 5:18 amPersonally, I love my lowerpro sling shotbag. It fits comfortably behind my back, and when I need my camera, it essentially wraps forward, and then the bag is in the perfect position to steady the camera with my arms if I need to (because that nifty fifty doesn’t have IS and sometimes I need something to keep my hands steady).
Karla’s last blog post..The great escape, now on wheels
Comment by Karla on April 11th, 2008 @ 5:45 amSuch sweet photos. 
sizzle’s last blog post..He’s the Cheesiest
Can’t help you on the carmera bag vs backpack issue although for my laptop, I LURVE my backpack/roller bag. It converts to a backpack or a roll suitcase. It makes me happy when I travel with my bemamoth laptop.
I WANT MY CAMERA TO COME NOW!
Sigh. Only 3 and half weeks to go.
Off to smoosh the cuteness! Too funny that we used the same word!
Kami’s last blog post..A man of few words
Comment by Kami on April 11th, 2008 @ 6:47 amI’m a big fan of my Lowepro bag. My sister (who actually knows something about photography, unlike me) recommended it when I got my DSLR. She said it’s the best brand at keeping your stuff dry (hey, we live in Vancouver - wetness is something you have to factor in.)
hills’s last blog post..Like A Hero Or A Champion You Are The Best You’re The Best
Comment by hills on April 11th, 2008 @ 7:45 amohmigosh! i love her.
hoping those eye teeth come to visit soon!
ali’s last blog post..things i have learned this week?
Comment by ali on April 11th, 2008 @ 8:36 amI will send a note to Emily’s eyeteeth since I am sending a message to my son’s. Yesterday the dentist told me that his 8th tooth is coming in. If that wasn’t bad enough there are three molars moving up. No eyeteeth yet, but those will be here soon enough.
Gorgeous photos as always and congrats on ordering the new lens.
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Comment by TheAngelForever on April 11th, 2008 @ 9:50 amI’ve only had mine for a few days, but I’m very glad I went with the backpack. I’m hands free! Plus? I have tons of room in there for more lenses when I purchase more in the future. So far…I’m pleased with my purchase:)
Randi’s last blog post..SLR 101
Comment by Randi on April 11th, 2008 @ 9:59 amThe ‘Shoot Sac’ by Jessica Claire………an amazing photographer……I challenge you to look her up!
Comment by Sarah on April 11th, 2008 @ 10:19 amI need a bag too, and am similarly torn! So I will be following these comments with interest.
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Comment by bethany actually on April 11th, 2008 @ 10:48 amI have no useful advice on the bag front, since I have just a tiny little digital camera, and it came with a case.
I have been looking into buying a fancier camera, though. It’s nice to dream of what I could one day own!
I just can’t get over how beautiful your kids are. They are seriously making me want to have my own bebes, and very soon!
Sharon’s last blog post..A frustrating experience turned positive
180/360 is the next big thing.!
That shot of Emily is very sweet
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Great photography sites … um … have you heard of dutchblitz.net? I’d start there.
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Comment by Mrs. Wilson on April 11th, 2008 @ 1:10 pmOK! OK! I can’t take anymore of the cutness…I’m looking at flights!!! have fun with that lens!
songsinblue’s last blog post..Lessons in
Comment by songsinblue on April 11th, 2008 @ 2:09 pmcuteness* see??? I can’t even type anymore.. 
songsinblue’s last blog post..Lessons in
Was it ME? Hahaha. Thanks for the link love. The reason why I want a backpack is primarily because it will fit both our cameras, all our lenses, and the laptop. But if it were just me, I’m good with the regular bag. It’s easier to access and you can keep it in front where it’s safe.
I may be too excited about your new lens. Have fun!
Comment by Lisa on April 11th, 2008 @ 6:01 pmSecond the shoot sac!!!!!!!!! AMAZING. Oh, and I LOVE this ladies work. She is awesome. Click around she has a blog too? http://www.heatherbookoutphotography.com/
I JUST got a new Tamron lens thats amazing.
Lisa’s last blog post..Baby turned BIG GIRL!
Comment by Lisa on April 11th, 2008 @ 6:08 pmDustin bough the sweetest backpack from Lowepro when we bought our second body. Seeing as he will be my wench and carrying around the majority of the equipment. I want a Crumpler. Have you seen their website Ange? Hilarious! That guy with the camera in frong like his wang. What the!? He wanted a backpack for sports/wildlife photography. And I wanted one that was pretty. And functional. But, definitely the back pack is more comfortable. But, for what you’re doing you probably won’t need a backpack. How often will you really be hauling ALL your equipment around with you at once?
But…maybe go to Photography West and check some of them out. They’ve got a bunch to choose from.
Hope you get your lens soon.
like now.
christy’s last blog post..Borded.
Comment by christy on April 11th, 2008 @ 8:07 pmHas it come yet? I hate waiting for exciting packages in the mail. Hopefully you get it before the weekend!
My favourite photography site is well, um, yours but I also love any wedding or baby photography. It’s so inspiring to look at someone else’s photos…
Great shots and hope those teeth make an appearance before too long!
Comment by Michele on April 11th, 2008 @ 10:18 pmI got this bag from Lowepro : http://products.lowepro.com/product/SlingShot-200-AW,2035,4.htm
I like it because it is a sling so while I have it on I can slide it around to open and get things I want without having to take it off. The reason I didn’t go with something like the crumpler is that I think that if I carry my gear around for a few hours while I’m out shooting it would pull on one shoulder and make me feel uncomfortable like an overstuffed purse usually does. That being said there are occassions where a smaller shoulder bag would do when I don’t expect to be hauling it around.
Some photography sites I look at are:
http://www.theimageisfound.com/
http://www.popphoto.com/
http://www.photolife.com/
http://www.rebekkagudleifs.com/ - also on flickr
I am all about the Crumpler BAG. I think backpacks looks too boxy and I’d rather wreck one shoulder than look unstylish, eh? Haha. But really, the crumpler bag is *awesome* AND comfortable.
Comment by Martha on April 13th, 2008 @ 9:16 amWell I don’t have a lot of gear to lug around yet but I really like my friend’s camera bag that doesn’t look like a camera bag. She had it custom made to her dimensions.
And a couple of sites I lurk on and really love their photography:
Jinky Art and Tara Whitney. They take beautiful pictures.
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Comment by Kuky on April 17th, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Dutchblitz, so glad you have decided to keep Photo Friday. I have only ever lurked here very occasionally from my sister’s (Robyn) site. But your site and journey with photography, and my blog friend Tanneal’s site have really inspired me to pick up the camera with passion. I haven’t photographed artistically in over 10 years, and it was never with my own camera. But I am determined to get fantastic with my little digital, while gettiong reacquainted with the basics of photography. Then I will earn my DSLR. So thankyou…..
Comment by michelle on April 11th, 2008 @ 2:11 am