Fun Underwater

Since Brad and I spend a lot of time swimming in his pool, and are about to head out on our first beach vacation in about 48 hours, we couldn’t pass up this underwater digital camera from Photojojo! For 35 dollars, how can you say no? Though it warned me it wouldn’t ship until mid-July, I received the package in less than a week. We were able to test the camera at the 4th of July party that was sorta rained out on Sunday. Of course, that’s what made it all the more fun!

It’s so freeing to take pictures of all the fun water action without worrying about your camera getting wet. You can just leave it floating in the pool and let everyone grab it and do what they want! It also takes video…no sound, but still pretty great!

Mini

As is custom with all my toy camera loves, I’m obsessed with my first roll of film. Diana Mini is one for the books, a definite keeper, something I would recommend for anyone wanting a plastic toy camera!  Bulb mode. Multiple exposures. Flash with color slides. Square or rectangular. 2 pictures in 1. 35 mm (read: easy to get developed) film. In fact, if you only ever get one toy camera in your life (though I’m not sure why you would…), I would say the Diana Mini is the way to go.

I have a problem…

Christmas Bonus time! So…I decided to buy,*SHOCKER*, another camera. This will be the last one for a while…I SWEAR!!!!

Ugh…so cool! Cannot wait to play!
(I know I already have the Mini, too, and I adore it, but sometimes it’s nice to not have to squint to look at your photos…)

And also, not that I have to justify my behavior, but I always make sure to dot my Is and cross my Ts before I make such purchases. Money is saved, bills are paid, and I’m not at the bottom of some camera-induced debt which will cause me to be kicked out on the streets, with only my cameras on my back, begging people for money or, more likely, rolls of film to play with (yet).

Photos (and my purchase) from Photojojo!

A Successful Christmas Story

I can honestly say that Christmas 2010 was definitely one of the tops.

Why did I love this Christmas? Hmm…spending the entire day with my family. Turkey baking in the oven because we had our first ever Christmas without travel or worrying about visits. Pretty much everything I wanted (and more) under the tree. My sister winning a lot of money (we’re talking hundreds) on a $2 scratch off lottery ticket. Brad coming later and exchanging gifts (and later going his house to find a few more presents I didn’t expect…gosh, I adore his family). Falling asleep for 8 hours straight in my new Slanket (why, yes, Santa gave me one with a burger and hot dog design).

I have to say, it’s easy to get a little jaded as you get older. The one thing that helps is shopping for perfect little presents for the people I love (and I think I did a pretty good job this year…). A few setbacks on Christmas Eve kinda knocked everyone’s spirits a little. But by the morning, the mood was back and I’ve never had such a relaxing and satisfying and beautiful holiday weekend.

Hope everyone got what they wanted and had a beautiful, enjoyable, relaxing, and blessed Christmas!!!

Ricohflex

Oh, it only took months and months to get the film developed and months and months (okay, two, we dropped it off in October, during my surgery recup) to pick it up, but Brad and I finally saw the first roll of Ricohflex film.

The focus ring doesn’t really work on the camera…but we were pretty pleased that we got some cool, retro-looking pics out of it. And, oh my gosh, do I miss those summer days. It is bitter cold now…I miss those hot, sunny, lounge-by-the-pool days.

Unfortunately, when you click to enlarge the middle pictures, it only shows the bottom one. I can’t seem to figure out the problem. Sorry!

Addicted

My name is Michal Lynn, and I am a camera-holic. Just one thing, though. I DON’T WANNA QUIT.

Okay, so I absolutely love my DSLR. And I wouldn’t trade it or exchange it and I don’t regret the pretty penny I dropped for it because it gives me insane joy to use and I believe it will bring me happiness in many forms in the future. It truly is my go-to camera, my baby, my pride and joy.

But man oh man…do I ever love cameras. I cannot get enough. There are so many to lust after. And the films for some of them? TO DIE FOR. Ugh.

Click on the pictures for more information from their source sites!

 

And yes…I have a problem. EEK!

Holgas

The next round is black and white. Hope they turn out nice. I always like getting them developed. I tend to forget what I took or when they would be from…

And sometimes, they look so great and it’s such a pleasant surprise.

Decisions…

So, although I’ve wanted this for a while now, I think it’s high time that I purchase a DSLR. This is a HUGE deal for me. I could wait and get it for Christmas, but honestly, I just don’t feel like sitting around waiting for someone to do this for me. I’m nervous to make the jump, but I want to.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the point and shoot I have. But…I don’t know. I still feel like it holds me back in terms of depth of field. And, if the lighting is off, I’m left with something washed out or too dark.

I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. I’m still trying to figure that out. But cameras have changed my life. I never had a hobby before. Something that made me happy, no matter what else I was doing with my life. And it’s not like I’ll never use the thing. Regardless of whether or not I end up doing something photographic, I want to capture memories and moments as best as possible and always. And I’ll still want to share them with the world. And I’d like them to be the best that they can be.

If I finally take the plunge…well, you’ll see…

Camera Lust

You didn’t think I stopped lusting after toy cameras, did you? Because, though I did satiate my appetite for a while (I do have 5 cameras in total to play with, and that doesn’t even include the things I can do on my iPhone), my eyes still wander…

A good friend introduced me to Photojojo the other day. Maybe that wasn’t the best idea… There are a lot of great accessories (I think I stumbled upon this through a different blog, so I’m sure I’m not telling you any new info), and cute little knick knacks. But this little puppy is pretty great.

 
Though I prefer a camera to have a flash (ok, I don’t even use it most of the time, but it’s nice to know I can if I need it), I love this. It’s such a fantastic idea. Two completely different photos on one print that can either compliment or completely contrast each other. And 35 mm film is always a plus. It’s nice to drop off the film from my wacky cameras at Rite Aid. (The Holga film gets dropped off at a special place with inconvenient, to me, hours and I usually wait a week to hear from them. They’ve forgotten to call me before, too.).

So…I’m a little tight on the budget right now, but if I find myself with a few extra bucks, I think I’m going to have to invest in this.

Gosh, I can’t believe I lived a life without all of this camera love before…

New places

I had been wanting to stage a bit of a shoot in the strippin’s (old coal mine crap) for a while now. So I wanted to scope out the scene. I thought I would just check out the area across from my neighborhood, but Ed decided to show me the long way. And ya know what? I am so glad he did. Sure, it’s just a bunch of mounds of old coal crap being dug up and separated and whatnot. But it was peaceful and beautiful in the strangest way.

I kept thinking of the movie Garden State, when they encounter the “abyss.”

I need to get a pair of hiking shoes. And I need to find more hidden places to look at in awe. I like seeing beauty in the little things we overlook or forget about. And I like having my eyes opened to new things.

Portraits.

Last week, I went to take some pictures with my friend Ed on one of my favorite roads. There’s nothing really special about it. It’s not that long. But the sky is amazing and open, and the road is lined with power lines, something I’ve become obsessed with visually lately. There was also a surprise treat for me, an abandoned/destroyed warehouse complete with graffiti tags. I can’t wait to take more photos of people. This is just the beginning.