I am SO FREAKING HAPPY!

Remember way back when I said all I wanted for Christmas was a fancy DSLR Camera?

I got it!!

Well, not the exact camera that I thought I wanted, but a great one nonetheless.  A less expensive, better for beginners one.

I got the Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens. It also happened to be in a bundle special at Sam’s Club so I got an additional Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Telephoto Zoom Lens. It also came with a groovy gadget bag, and an SD memory card.  It was a Christmas Special and I got it all for $650.00. (I would link to it at Sam’s but it looks like it’s not available anymore.  Sorry for you!)

Woot!

Honestly, I have no freaking idea what all the lens numbers and such even mean.  I’ve been trying to read over at a digital photography site and I’m more confused now than I was before.  I’ve read more about ISO, aperture, and white balance in the last 2 days than I had my entire life before that.  My head hurts.

But I’m really excited to learn.  I want to start participating in some challenges like the ones at I Heart Faces and the ones at Digital Photography School.  I know there are others out there and I would love to know if you participate in any.

In fact, I’m so excited about this new hobby that I’ve created a separate photo blog just for my pictures.  I plan on using it to chronicle my (hopeful) improvements over the next year or so in learning about my camera.  I’ll post my fun pictures and contest entries over there.  I might even try to share some tips that I learn along the way.  I might even try to do a 365 day project.  I have a few days to decide on that though.  Not sure if I am ready for such a commitment.

Anyhow, I hope you visit my photo blog.  I still might tweak the theme.  Not sure if I like the dark colors.  Right now I have a bunch of pictures just from the past couple days.  Nothing special, but I can already see a difference in the quality of photos between my old point and shoot and my new DSLR.

YAY!  I’m so excited!!

Oh, PS – if you are interested in following along, I put a link to the photos up in my navigation bar.