The Other End of the Leash

Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, has made a lifelong commitment to improving the relationship between people and animals.

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New Camera Lens, Oh Boy.

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Well Merry Christmas to Jim and me! I just bought a new lens for my SLR camera body (Canon Rebel T4i). It is a Tamron 18-400 mm, and replaces my very average Promaster lenses that came with the  Canon package when I bought it years ago. The Tamron was on sale at the Camera Company in Madison, WI, and we got a good deal ($90 for my Promasters, free $150 polarizing filter, sale price on lens itself). I’ve taken some nice photos with the Promaster lenses, but wanted better resolution and faster focus. Of course, what I’d really like is a lens that costs thousands of dollars, but that’s just not going to happen. The one we bought is a good value for the money, and until I win the lottery, I’m happy with it. Got great service and advice at the store too–I love buying local and being rewarded for it.

Wheee, fun today with the camera! Predictably, today is a great challenge for photography, it being dull and gloomy outside.  It’s just terrible light for most pictures, especially those taken at the fast shutter speed needed when taking photos of moving animals.

But here’s what I got this morning when Willie and Maggie were playing tug, in terrible light:

Below is Lady Godiva giving Maggie the evil eye as she’s being held in the corner. Notice that the focus is on the center of the sheep in the center of the photo (the ‘auto focus’ point, which I can change any time but didn’t for this pic), not on Maggie.

And here are two attempts to find something photo-worthy on a dark, cloudy, grey and brown November day:

  Pears — the perfect winter fruit:

Stones in a new rock wall in our yard. Love ’em.

I can’t wait for more opportunities to take pictures. What are you buying yourself for Christmas? For gifts to others, I am only buying books, giving food I’ve cooked myself (lots!) and/or donations to worthy causes for Christmas. You?

One last thing for this week: Thank you all so much for the Thanks Giving responses. I’ve savored them all weekend, and will continue to read them again and again this week. I can’t begin to comment about each one, but know that each one crept its way into my heart (and I hope yours too). Just more to be thankful for. . .

Comments

  1. I use a Cannon T3 Rebel and use an EOS 18-135 with an F stop of 3.4 … I would love to get a 270mm zoom with a 2.8 F stop but I am currently too poor so I feel your pain.

  2. For Christmas: festive collars for the dogs! Even for Notley, who hates being looked at (and she’s the cutest in the bunch, so gets the most attention).

  3. I am giving thanks for the first dog I ever had who plays fetch. I have had retrievers who didn’t.. But this cute little rescued Rosie, who I’ve had for more than a year, is suddenly interested in having me throw her little stuffed animal. She goes for it, retrieves it and drops it at my feet.
    Our other dog just looks at us wondering what in the world is fun about that~

  4. Congratulations on the new lens! That’s a great Christmas present. The photos are lovely, and the stones in the wall are gorgeous!
    My Christmas present for myself (and my horses Annie and Brendan) is a new horse, a 15 year old Quarter horse/Haflinger cross named Stella. A western horse, who needed a new home. Seeing as I’m approaching 60, I figured if I was ever going to get back into (VERY casual!) riding, a calm western horse was the way to go. Now if only I can figure out the western saddle and bridle… that strap goes WHERE?! The gear seems more complicated than english gear! Hopefully Stella will be patient…
    My Christmas presents for others are art supplies, books, and calendars from a wonderful local wildlife rehabilitation centre. Oh, and plenty of chocolate!
    We’re having a quiet Christmas this year, at our place, because my 2 old dogs Echo and Sam are quite frail now. So my brother and sister and their families are coming out to have a peaceful day in the beautiful snowy countryside. My brother’s family will have a brand new puppy as of this Saturday, so that is causing lots of excitement! Maybe puppy (no name yet…I’m voting for Honey, because she is the colour of creamed honey) will have to come too…maybe just tooooo young to leave at home…I hope!
    I have to add, what I’m thankful for, is that Echo and Sam are still with us. My old sweeties.

  5. I’m giving my daughter and her family, including me, tickets to “Cirque de Noel”! We’re looking forward to seeing the Cirque de Soleil acrobats flying over the North Carolina Symphony as they play Christmas music! My son and his family (who live in California) will also receive concert (or event) tickets, but they have yet to choose the performance. I love the NC Symphony, and am truly excited to be sharing the love of live performance with both families!

  6. That’s a great Christmas present – the kind that keeps on giving (a learning curve for you, and lots of photos to share with us!).

    I had to chuckle, because we, too, gave ourselves early Christmas/solstice presents: exorbitantly priced tickets to “The Lion King” here in Boise (we NEVER go to pricey performances, but are so glad we did!), and then we continued our splurge with a live performance of “The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night” which was also fabulous. It’s good, once in awhile, to shake ourselves out of our old fogy ruts (though I must admit we attended matinees, as evening performances go past our old fogy bedtimes…).

    Our Christmas/solstice gifts to others will be donations in their names to charities they care about, and trips to the bookstore with the youngsters. We’re hoping to give Obi a “puppy” (realistically, a 2 to 5 year old companion) for Christmas – or sometime in the next few months. Just waiting for the right one (for him) to fall into our hearts. We appreciate the several rescues who are helping us look for that right one.

  7. For Christmas, an early present of TPLO surgery (scheduled for 12/1) for Shanti, my 11 yo Border Collie x ACD mix. She is an orthopedic disaster area but otherwise completely healthy and loves life.

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