Virtual Brush Box

Local blogger makes national magazine: I’m On The Cover of Redbook!!! Fashion blogger Jeniese Hosey of The je ne sais quoi was one of 6 winners of the Real Woman, Real Style Awards contest sponsored by Dove. (On right in top two photos.)

Redbook cover granite

Redbook red dress

Redbook blue dress

Confession
I am tone deaf to fashion trends. I hate to shop for clothes. I am the last person to judge the merits of a fashion blog. OTOH, Ms. Hosey spoke well at the Bloganista Mini-Con [10 Questions], does a lovely job styling the backgrounds of her photos, and is on the cover of Redbook. She must be doing something right.

Procedural Note
Planned a trip off the farm specifically to use my shiny new Nikon [Camera] in a place with nicer light and better background. Checked batteries. Loaded chip. Took test shot. Remembered magazine. Forgot camera. Pffft. Therefore, these were taken with my best camera, i.e. the one I had with me.

Previous Referral Saturdays
Snark-o-licious
Adieu

Foto Friday: Zoom

Cat Frolics

Blue & Rhyme

Milton’s Rules for Serene Living

Do not kick the alpha mare.
Either by accident or on purpose.
She will be displeased.
She will be generous in sharing her displeasure.

An unhappy alpha mare does not result in a happy Milton.

Camera, The Rest of the Story

I fully acknowledge that I bought WAY too much camera. One does not need an FEI-trained horse when one is learning to sit the trot.

My crack IT staff had researched the question thoroughly and settled on the Nikon D5300 or D5500. While I have sold the occasion photo with an article, my skill level remains that of an interested amateur. I know colleagues who liked their D5100s, so the 5000 series made sense.

However.

If I have any hope of ever shooting off auto, I find buttons more amenable that menu-driven selections. Buttons = 7000s. I saved (Ha!) a good bit (Double ha!) with the earlier model. The D7200 has a bigger buffer and wifi. The buffer of 12 will suit me fine and I can’t figure out why I would need wifi.

As soon as I picked the camera up, it said, “Hello. Take me home.” I love the heft. The D5500 has a plastic shell rather than a steel one. Light is lovely, until one adds a long lens. I felt as if the whole works was about to drop forward out of my hand. The D5300 has a shallower handgrip that people apparently find annoying.

Plus, I loathed the D5500/D5300 swivel screen on sight. It may be the most practical of features. It may expand my picture-taking range. It may be the toughest feature of the camera. I don’t care. To me it was one more thing to break off or go wrong. To be clear, I have no supporting data. This is simply my gut response to the mechanism.

I never entertained the idea of mirrorless. I’m too old school, or curmudgeon, if you prefer. Let the early-adopters sort out the features of the new technologies.

Props to Eva Claborn of Showcase Camera. She calmly answered my questions and didn’t laugh when I walked away to hyperventilate. She did not upsell me. The D7100 is entirely on me, given my anti-menu fetish.

Unlike an FEI horse, the camera will not devolve over time. It will wait patiently until I learn what white balance is and why I might need to adjust it.

The view through the viewfinder is beautiful. It’s been years since I looked through a real camera.