A New Camera and Learning to Use It

When I was getting ready to come to the USA, Jan and I talked about what camera I would bring. We have several. Jan has always been a photographer and so we normally have several cameras in the house. As I am not a great photographer I need a simple way to take pictures that make it quite hard for me to cut off people’s heads. I have done this many times.

We talked about me buying a digital camera that was my camera. We looked on line and compared the ‘point and shoot’ cameras. Jan gave me a recommendation as to which he thought would be the one for me.

When I got off the train in Springfield Illinois I asked my sisters and their husbands to take me to the nearest Best Buy Store. I needed to buy a laptop computer, a phone and a camera. Armed with the print outs of computer and camera that Jan recommended, we went into the store.

I could not get the recommended camera as they were out of stock, but I got one almost the same but less expensive. I thought that that would be OK as I am not the main photographer in the family. The camera I bought is a ‘Canon PowerShot A1000 IS’. I have been learning how to use it. I have read the book, but it has not been a lot of help to me as I don’t think I learn as well by reading something as having someone show me how to use something.

The other day Jan and I took a bus ride to the top of the Niagara Escarpment here in Hamilton to try out our new cameras on views from the escarpment looking back at downtown Hamilton, Lake Ontario and Toronto in the distance. Here is the finished product of my first panorama picture with my new camera. I think it is not bad for a beginner:

My First Panoramic Image - Hamilton, Ontario

We had a nice walk through the Sam Lawrence Park on the escarpment. The day was quite clear for Hamilton and the park is very pretty. I took this picture to show the great job the park employees have done in landscaping:

Sam Lawrence Park - Hamilton, Ontario

On Friday evening we had the belated party for Hans’ 40th birthday. It was a BBQ at the house of the pastor of their church. The two families are good friends. They and other friends meet once a month to play board or card games. This is Hans’ greatest happiness after his family. The games went into the night with me getting home after midnight. Jan had gone home earlier as he is not a game player. Hans had a cake of ice cream bars as he is not a big one for birthday cakes. Tamara brought it to him as we all sang “Happy Birthday”:

Hans and his Ice Cream Cake

This is our last week in Canada and we had hoped for much warmer weather but so far it hasn’t come. Tomorrow is supposed to be warm enough that if possible we will see some waterfalls.