In my bag!

I have been asked recently what kind of equipment I have, use.  Well, I'll share my dears!  I want to start off by saying though, that I am a little spoiled, have grandparents in the field and all, and get some pretty great software and equipment as gifts.  I can in no way afford this great stuff, and in all honesty, you really don't need it.  However, there are a few items in my must have bag...

First off my main squeeze is my Nikon D7000.  This is my baby, my love, and also an incredible gift from my mother. I also have  Nikon D5000, and if you would like to buy it, no lens though, let me know.  It is smudged a little with gesso!  Not kidding! For my everyday lens, I keep a 18-108 3.5, but I prefer my prime lens, 35mm 1.8.  If I were loaded, I would go for the 1.4, but anyways...  I would love a macro, but that just won't be happening for a while.   I am a huge lover of DSLR's.  I used to use a film SLR and I love being able to change lenses for what I need. Since I mostly take shots of kids, I need some serious fast shutter speed.  I have never been able to get clear kid shots with a point and shoot! ...I love talking light, f-stops and the such. I am a little nerdy in that way.    I also have a fisheye adapter, this is a cheap $20 plastic lens, that fits on a basic kit lens, but I don't have a lens like that anymore.  However, it does fit on my 1.8 but only gives me a wide angle effect.  For $20 you can't beat it.  I took these with that adapter!

hehe...this last one is of Hogwarts at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando! Woot!  If you think this adapter is awesome, let me know and I will send you the link!  It takes full fisheye that look like this...

You can crop this image into a nice square and you won't see the circle.  I do it all the time!

Now, I firmly believe you can get incredible pics without all this great stuff.  Light, knowing how to use your camera, and creativity will let you get great shots with any camera.  Just look how much I post pics from my iphone!

Now, software.  Well, honestly, I have it all.  But what I use for simple things, for layering textures, and for doing templates into books, is Elements.  But, what I really use for everything, and I highly recommend if you can or want to edit, is Lightroom!!!  I also have full photoshop, and honestly, I just don't go there.

For my video, I used my oldest daughters video camera, and she has a SamsungOIS or something. It is in full HD.  Lucky her to have this great camera, she saved!!!, and lucky me I get to use it!!!  I edited my video in imovie.  Yes, we are a huge family of mac heads! (FIL law used to work for Apple, and you know what they say...once you go mac, you never go back!  HAHA, that was naughty!) ...If I didn't have her video camera, I would have used my phone which takes great video as well!

I don't have a speedlight, yet, and I rarely use my built in flash.  If I were to use that flash, I would recommend putting a white card in front of the flash to soften the pics, or to buy a plastic puffer.  They work well, and are only a few bucks.  I would rather have a soft pic than ugly flash face!  Just my opinion.

Oh, I also have a tripod, but not a good one.  MUST get a better tripod.  Such an amazing tool to have. I also have a cordless remote which is awesome sauce! I have some filters that make fun twinkles in lights, and I think that is about it!

here are some twinkle lights!

Here is a pic from last year that I layered in Elements.  I just layered one shot over the other.

Having a 1.8 will give you the tools to make bokeh!!!

I heart bokeh!!! and that 1.8 will be able to give you depth of field like this one below.

So, that is what I have, in my bag!  Hope you enjoyed.  I love reading what others have and use!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, sorry for the picture repeat.  These shots were already shown in the past.  I just thought I'd share again!

...and I am putting together a slide show to share, hopefully tomorrow or the next day, of shots I took at the beach last month.  They show such joy!~

...and excuse my ramblings...I tend to do that!