Today

After Natalie’s doctor’s appointment we invited ourselves over to Gran’s house.  James was GRUMPY and really wanted to see Gran!  And I’m one hundred percent sure he was happier there than at home.

Random dancing shadow shot:

James’ appetite has been off today, which really just makes him extra picky.  :)

Gran gave him a boatload of frozen blueberries, which he LOVED of course.

We came back home about 1:00 and tried to somewhat put the house in order.  Having a grumpy James makes life harder!  {but still so worth living}  :)

We walked to pick up Joanna and came back home for naps.  I put James down in his room and the girls down in their room.  In hindsight I should have let Natalie be in there alone, but I really wanted to rest (and that’s hard to do with Joanna roaming the house).  I laid down in my bed and got veeeerrry cozy.  But before I could fall asleep the UPS man delivered my new lens!  It’s unlikely I would have been able to fall asleep anyway, so I switched over to the couch.  The girls got increasingly noisy in their room and then woke up James. :(  He’d slept an hour which is not a terribly unusual nap time, but I was hoping he would sleep longer.  He and I snuggled; I sent Joanna to the front window to finish resting (and so I could finish the TV program I’d started :); and Natalie promptly crashed in her quiet room.  Three shots will do that to you!

So… now about my lens!  I have been drooling over a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 but I just couldn’t get justify spending that much right now.  But I was really feeling constrained with my 50mm in the house.  I felt like I needed something wider.  I thought about a few things, but settled on a Canon 35mm f/2.0.    The price had dropped a little on it, and it just felt like it was within our reach right now.  I’m pleased so far!  I can get a bit more in the frame and I can hold things in my hand and take a picture of them.

These next two aren’t actually great pictures because I had the aperture wide open so they’re too soft, but you can get an idea of the difference between the two focal lengths.

50mm:

35mm:

I tried to sit in the exact same spot, but I may have leaned in more or less; it’s not a perfect test.  :)

{The above camera is my dad’s old film SLR, which I have on a shelf in my living room.}

And here I am holding the 50 and taking a picture with the 35.  I really couldn’t take pictures of things in my hand with the 50; the focus distance was just too big.  {Or whatever.}

And then I played around with a gorgeous subject who had just awoken from her beauty sleep.

That late afternoon light sure is pretty.

I ran a black and white action on it, and I like it.  I may fiddle around with it some more though.

She just has this gorgeous skin and pretty pink lips!

For the record, she was laying on a blanket on the floor in front of the back door.  :)

I think this lens is going to be on my camera a lot.  I can see where I might like to have my 50 on instead, but this wider angle is going to be very handy in the house especially.

And to wrap up, how about a current photo equipment wish list?!!

• Tripod, like this one.
• Ball head for the tripod, like this one.
• Sigma 30mm f/1.4 (I think.)  Or maybe the Canon 28mm f/1.8
• Canon 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6
• Canon 20mm f/2.8
• Canon 85mm f/1.8
• Camera bag.  I’m thinking I need something pretty.  :)

I really like primes, in case you couldn’t tell.  I like to zoom with my feet!

I am so so loving my camera and taking pictures.  And I’m loving sloooooowly adding to my stash… without the children having to starve.  :)