Out with the Old, In with the New

So I just got my new gear earlier this week and I'm loving it! I have been using any excuse to play with my new toys, and my dog Bear has been kind enough to model for me. Here are the results:

and my favorite of the day:

Farewell Dear Friend

This may sound strange, but last week my wife and I spent a moment saying goodbye to and reminiscing about my Canon 40d. After a long and hard debate with myself, I had made the decision to make the switch to Nikon. Everyone that I am working with shoots Nikon, and I had a friend and fellow photographer who wanted to buy a 40d, so I knew it was time to let it go.

You may be saying to yourself, "It is just a camera, what's the big deal?!" Let me explain.

When I bought my 40d I was going through a rough patch in my life. I wasn't satisfied with myself creatively or artistically, and I felt like I was repeatedly running full speed into a brick wall. I was so unwilling to confront the resistance in my life that I was paralyzed, and I was slowly starting to convince myself that I could do nothing about it.

So I scrapped together some cash and gift cards that I had been given for my birthday and went somewhere that could brighten even my darkest day... Best Buy. I went in determined to buy a Nikon d80, but the sales associate convinced me to go with the Canon 40d instead. I went straight home and read the manual cover to cover while the battery was getting it's first full charge. I had work the next morning, and all I could think about all day was getting home to go out and shoot. When I finally did get home, I went out and shot anything and everything I came across until the sun went down.

I can't really explain what happened next. I guess you could say something just clicked. I had always loved the art of photography, but I was reinvigorated with my passion to shoot. The resistance was still there, but I could no longer make any excuse about confronting it. If I was unsatisfied with myself as an artist, I had no choice but to go out and shoot and learn.

As silly as it sounds, that camera gave me the ability to weather the storm and come out stronger for it. It gave me a clear direction and a sense of confidence in pursuing my calling.

Alright, alright, so maybe I'm just over-sentimental and cheezy, but it really was hard to say goodbye.

So Farewell, my dear friend. You have been wonderful to me, and I know you will be in good hands now!

Liza: Ten Eyck Tuesday

A few days ago I joined three other photographers for Carla Ten Eyck's workshop: Ten Eyck Tuesday. We couldn't have asked for a better model! Here are my favorite shots from the day: