For so many years I've used film, and love it. I love my Ricoh camera, and the anticipation of getting photos back from developing. I love the looking and analysing and thinking I should have done this or that, or... sometimes - that this photo is near to perfect, or at least a great shot! (The photo above is on film, one of my all-time favourite photographs that I've ever taken. My prayer flags caught up in a tree outside). But the reality of children means that film is expensive and its much harder to get the great shot in only a few - or even one - take. Plus, I don't get out to my photo developer often enough - so would never see the photos printed.

Thus - to join the 'gang' - I have a digital camera. We bought it last November, after lots of research and thinking. While I would have loved a Digital SLR, the budget didn't stretch that far, but I think what we got was a pretty good compromise. Since then, I haven't used my manual camera very much, but I also have a stack of photos of most situations. Good + bad!

So, its pretty excellent having the camera - the convenience of being able to afford to take random + numerous photos, as well as letting other people use the camera.

I guess the real downside is... well, I think actually there are quite a few -
::I miss the feel of my camera, the sound of taking a photo - the looking through the viewfinder and focusing and checking the light-meter. My camera is very similar to my Dad's one, which I so love using. Mine if lighter and a bit more modern. (Dad's camera is probably more than 30yrs old). But my Dad's Pentax is what I learnt to take photos on.
::Digital is very fussy in low-light situations. And I really love shooting in minimal light, on film. Getting that soft graininess. Digital just doesn't focus properly at all in some low-light conditions. So, I know that I'm missing out on some great shots because of it. I hate using the flash in most circumstances. It makes people look washed out, or too shiny, makes things not look real.
::Digital is making me lazy. I'm not really taking the same photos that I used to with my Ricoh, as I know that the results aren't the same. And also (as we don't have a printer set up at home), I know that I'm not going to see the results. Which brings me to -
::Never having the photo in my hand. Good or bad, having the photo in your hand from the developer is a great feeling. You can share, show, send (via the POST - rather than email... really, wow..). We just seem to have all the photos on disc, where most of my family never get to be reminded of the time together.

BUT - I'm learning my camera more and more, and like using it. Maybe I should read the manual in more detail, then I'd know a bit more about it! I take take movies and experiment and let the kids take photos. And, of course - all kids now just want to look at the photo straight as soon as you've taken it. These are a few photos I've just taken tonight, which I really like - using the sepia setting on the camera. It seems to work better in low light, and hides a lot more flaws.

That first photo of Sam is just wonderful. He was trying to stop me taking the picture - I can see his smile in his eyes.

Its been a pretty busy weekend. We're all exhausted. After a fun day of shopping in the city, we went to Winter Solstice Festival at Northey St on Saturday. Then, today we spent standing in lines for face-painting + food + rides at the World Refugee Day Community Festival. Both the festivals were free events and quite fun, just tiring and long...

Of course, the day of shopping wasn't free - never is, that's why we don't do it very often. A few little splurges for the babes + essentials for me (I've been wearing the same two maternity bras from when breastfeeding Ari). Seed was having a sale, and their stuff is so pretty.(They have a pretty boring website. I was expecting beautifully styled photos of all products). Like things I would love to be able to make, oh, if only I could actually sew properly. We settled on one little jumper for Mischa. Ari got socks, a froggy raincoat + a lovely set of Babushka dolls from Maiocchi. (I'll take photos of the shop next time I'm there. Their second store is just so lovely, pretty, well-thought out). Ari loves the little nesting dolls, with the teeny-tiny baby inside. I'm sure he's probably already lost pieces...

(Sorry, having issues with layout - formatting again! Maybe this is not the best place to have my blog if its going the be so irritating for the layout to work... urghhh. Any tips, anyone?) Also, sorry such a long post - I do tend to ramble.