Sustainable Gardening Blog

You don’t want to know the torture I went through to get started digitally back in 2000, and I don’t want to remember it all that vividly myself.  So suffice it to say it was HELL, I tell you, so I know how frustrating it can be to make that great leap.  SO much to learn, most of it totally alien.   I’ve even been stressed-out like crazy about switching to a better camera and better software, so much so that it’s taken me months to actually start using my new camera and buy a new editing program.  But Ta-Da: here are my first real photos with my new Canon PowerShot SD550, recommended by the excellent photographer Judith at Knitagarden.

And for anyone starting out, here’s what I recommend for putting together the right camera, programs and connecting hardware and getting it all started:  Buy from a Real Camera Store, one with a staff member who knows all about digital photography, then call or stop by with questions.  Yes, I know it means paying a little more than you’d pay on line, but it’s totally worth it.  You don’t want to be one of the millions with new digital cameras sitting unused in their closets, do you?  And we all like supporting independent camera retailers, anyway, don’t we?  I thought so. 

I had the good fortune to buy my new Canon from Penn Camera on E Street in N.W. Washington, which enjoys the sales services of the truly terrific Melanie Otto a day or two a week. Most of the time she’s doing her own photography and teaching digital photography, both in groups and privately.  God, I wish she’d been around in 2000 when I first jumped into the deep end witn no adult supervision.  Even the Ritz Camera where I bought my old Olympus knew nothing; it was probably too new for them, too.  In every way, I went digial too early.  More evidence? The camera had only 2.1 megapixels - gasp - and cost $750 - go ahead and gasp again.  How far they’ve come in a mere 6 years is awesome.

[Photos: First is a follow-up to a recent post where I asked what the heck a garden fork is and thanks to Alice in Canberra, I realized it's this very helpful tool planted in my tulip garden.  Next are the China Pink lily-shaped tulips that returned from last year - I'm liking them more than ever and may even buy more next fall.  They're against a background of Euphorbia x Martinii in bloom.  And finally, a lovely spring scene from my neighbors' garden.]