Like most people I love a good photograph, but I’ve never been the one carrying around the camera. I’m the friend who says shoot me copies will ya? Basically I’ve made do with what I’ve been able to get with my camera phone. But I’m not crazy, I knew I was missing a lot. So I grabbed the Canon T4i and started snapping.
I have two cats, Bailey and Olivia, and much to their chagrin they are always my subjects. I pulled out the Canon and fired away….
Oh my gosh… it was so crazy fun! First of all, I felt like a “real photographer” for the first time in my life. Second, the camera feels great in your hands and it’s super easy to operate. Full disclosure, I didn’t read all of the directions, I just put the camera on different settings and felt my way around. This is what I love:
1) There are many choices or none at all. You can be the expert and focus the camera in different ways yourself, or you can set the camera and it will do all the work;
2) My cats were scrambling to get away from me initially, so I just put the camera into “sports” mode and shot away. (You’ll use this when you see action you want to get, but goodness knows you won’t be running alongside to get it:J).
3) You can go crazy and shoot as many pictures as you want, and feel confident that there’s a good one in the bunch. When you’re finished just go through the shots and “trash” the ones you don’t like and keep the rest.
4) There are some fun photo “filters” that can add to your creativity. And you can choose to add the filter AFTER you take the photo, so it’s not something you have to plan for. The filters just to add to the fun.
Here are three of the seven filters:
Bailey was initially having none of the picture taking stuff, so he “hid” under this chair…
I added this cool “fish-eye” effect. I think he looks like “angry kitty” and that he’s making a mean face at me.
Bailey imagines himself “king of the castle” so often he’s up high somewhere.
I added the “toy camera” effect, because in his mind he’s the center of the universe.
Bailey’s often lounging on my messy work table….
Since he was surrounded by color I added the “art bold” effect.
I like this one of Bailey jumping.
And I often find Olivia here, peeking around the corner while standing on top of my bathroom vanity.
Here’s the deal -- There’s something beautiful happening every minute, everywhere. What I learned from this camera is that often those “telling” moments are too quick for the naked eye, but this Canon catches all (that’s why you get those professional pictures that show your loved ones with expressions you’ve never seen before!). So grab this Canon and see what you “see” for the first time. Happy snapping!
Rachel