Getting started. I think.

So, I finally got going. After years of following others photographing, today I took the first step and ordered my own camera. A beautiful Canon EOS 1200D will join my family hopefully later this week. I'm so proud!

My good friend Heidi has helped me get started. Today she also gave me a tutorial in the basics, helping me transform two ideas into pictures. It was great fun. And utterly scary. It was the point where I started to wonder what the h*ll I'm getting myself into, is it too late to cancel the camera already.

A couple of days ago when I mentioned this one idea of mine, Cheshire Puck, Heidi told me that she thought a high key picture would be the right solution for that one. I nodded, secretly wondering what japanese artform that was, I had never heard of haikii. I managed to keep a straight face though when Heidi googled "high key"... That much I know. Knew. Know. Understand my fear?

(But just think of the endless opportunities to learn! I wouldn't trade that...)

Heidi let me borrow her own camera so she could help me get started. She also brought me to a studio she shares with some other photographers. I have been there before, but today it all had a different meaning. Today I really tried to understand the different lights that are there. No, of course I did not succeed, I'm only human. And blonde. Ask me again next decade, maybe by then I have learned a few.

Background. Wouldn't think it had so much impact on a picture, no-one is looking at that anyway. It has a lot to do with the lights. I really can't say I fully understand it, but I guess I will learn. Walls for the light to reflect out of onto the subject. It's not just the main light and other lights, it's the reflections as well. Yup, would have fooled me. Easily.

ISO, aperture, exposure and other words doesn't mean much to me either. Yet. Heidi of course went through them anyway, she is a very determined tutor. I almost feel sorry for her, she's going to have to repeat all of that maaaaany times yet to come. 'Almost' since she was the one to build up this interest in me, most of it has developed from watching her. Her bad.

I have always liked to watch when Heidi photoshops. I mostly like it because I get the company of Heidi's cat then. No, but seriously, it is wonderful to watch someone who so clearly know what they're doing. You know that saying: "I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours."? (I think Jerome K. Jerome is the one to be credited for that, although I have seen others allegedly saying it.) Well, that's how I feel when I sit and watch and that's how I felt today too. And of course the obligatory butterflies in my belly when I realized that I'm going to have to do that myself soon. But not to worry, I have a bullet-proof plan: I know where Heidi lives. Heh...

So, the first of the pictures: Cheshire Puck. I'm about as mad.

"Cheshire Puck"