Shiny!

Tax Return Season is upon us (well, me, at any rate), and I've cast my eyes on the various ways I'm going to spend mine, which is due in a couple weeks.

First priority is catching up on my bills. Easy enough!

Second priority: new camera. I'm getting a Canon EOS Rebel XS (I traded the extra two megapixels for being able to get a couple of accessories), a telephoto lens (I'm eyeing Craigslist for this item rather than buying new), a tripod, and a flash umbrella kit.

Third priority: mini-vacation up in the Tri-Cities area of Washington. I miss my Trav.

I should still have money left over for emergencies... I'm not going to get the telephoto lens if I can't find one used at a reasonable price. It's not as necessary for what I want to do (although I do have a major boner for macro photography... hello reverse-mount ring!), and ... well, honestly, if I can't get it used, I can use some of that money to drop into, I don't know, improving the lawn in my back yard. (Feel free to read that as "actually getting the lawn done in the back yard", since I don't actually HAVE a lawn yet. Just a giant mud puddle.)

Ah, photography. If it wasn't for that fabulous shoot I did with my sister -- which, by all rights, should have been a NIGHTMARE with no results -- I might have quietly let this hobby die with my poor FinePix. Instead, I've been hit by the multiple opportunities of a big enough return to afford the camera I've lusted after, a total lack of gainful employment that allows me to run around doing fun artistic things instead of monkeying about in an office, and a good supply of people willing to let me photograph them. Even better... photograph them for money.

Aye, that's the best part. If I'm not careful, I'll be at least semi-pro again in no time.

I'm thinking I'll get back in touch with a pro friend of mine when the camera arrives, and see if she's willing to swap tips or something. She's taking a break from work, so it's not like I'll be stealing jobs (besides, what she does and what I'm wanting to do are different enough to avoid overlap, unless we wanted to team up).

It may sound stupid, but I also want to do charity photography. You know, like those people who go in and do photography for terminal patients and stuff. I'd also like to do photo shoots for newborns of teen parents who might not otherwise be able to afford portrait photography. I mean, some of my greatest treasures are my photos of my kids. I'd like to help where I can, you know?