picture dump + lots of babble
Ok, time for another roundup of pictures I've been posting on Flickr! I figured when I only post one pic at a time over there, it wasn't worth it to make a whole LJ post out of it, so I let them build up a bit. :B
Aww, my sweeties!
Poor Vaughn hardly ever gets pictures anymore because every time I pick him up I want to cry in frustration at how floppy he is. But his stringing is tight! He does have issues with his legs fitting into his torso correctly, since I swapped his default legs for long legs way back when I first brought Colin home and the long legs are a lot thinner at the tops than his old legs were. But I think it might be that he also just needs new string, so I'm going to have to make a day out of completely restringing him, and perhaps adding some pliver to his leg joints, at the very least.
Swoon!
Here's some Fall, looking exceptionally handsome. ;) I hadn't used my macro lens in a while (the AF motor is broken so I have to try and focus it manually which is hard bc A-I'm blind, and B-the broken motor means turning the focus ring is a very clunky affair!) but really wanted to try and get a closeup of his gorgeous face, and how convenient! I have some cute string lights that would make excellent bokeh blobs in the background for just such an occasion. XD
Cutie patootie! ♥
Ok, now this photo was a test of two things! One, I, uhh, got a new camera! That's not a dslr! O: More about that later. Anwyays, this new camera has wifi to transfer your pictures directly from the camera to your mobile device, and I wanted to try it out! So not only was this picture a test of the new camera's abilities, it was also to see how uploading pics from the camera to my phone, and from there straight to Flickr worked out. I haven't been using my computer much for reasons I'll mention after the pictures, so I edited the picture in the Flickr app on my phone, did a few adjustments and put a filter on it, and posted it like that. I must say, I like the result! I'd still like to fiddle with the RAW file of the pictures on my computer when I can to really test the camera's limits, but for now, camera -> phone -> flickr is something I can do and not worry about too much. :)
Courtney got a badass new jacket! :D
I liked the jacket he was borrowing from Fall with the fur collar, but I think this will go with his personality better! Plus, it has leopard print lining. ;) This picture was also uploaded in the same way as the one of Precious. :3
Nomiki: You look like an extra from "Thriller."
Courtney: And you're from a Britney Spears video?
Har har! ;B Look at Nomiki, he's making friends! XD
Ah, sweetie-face Leonidas! X3
I, uhh, pretty obviously used the same filter on this pic as with the Courtney-jacket one, so I think I'll have to try and avoid doing that. XD; There aren't a ton of filters/effects to choose from in the Flickr app, so really I just need to go easy on them. In my defense, I'm really still just trying everything out! O:
Ok, OBVIOUSLY not a picture, but OMG IT'S MY GIRLS!! THEY'RE SO CUTE!!! X3
Hahaha, too bad Bee looks like she's approximately 10 years old. ^^; But I had way too much fun making this thing! I might re-do it with different outfits and stuff, we'll see. I spent a while playing with other doll makers on that site, but most of them I didn't much care for the choices or quality of the bases, and the ones I *did* like, most of them wouldn't save my picture at the end! I had a great one of Lulu in an evening dress that wouldn't save, and another of Rosario & Sugar shopping that didn't even *have* a save option. Sadface! I might have to try a print screen or something. :'(
Ok, that's it for the pictures! You can tune the rest out if you like. ;B
So about my new camera, I've been feeling pretty frustrated with my dslr lately! Not really because of it's limits or functionality, well, as it should be, but because it's broken. Not fully broken, but sort of broken, and it just makes taking pictures more of an ordeal than something I want to do. You see, I dropped it about two years ago when I was going to a meetup, and it was raining, and trying to get into the house quickly I dropped the bag it was in and the back screen cracked. It's totally unusable, and I have to do all my adjustments through the viewfinder. That's ok, because I always took my pics on manual, and as long as I look through the VF I can see what my ISO, shutter speed, & aperture are, and can change them with buttons and dials. Buuuut, that's about it. Everything else, I just have to hope a picture came out, and will find out when I upload everything off the camera into my computer. Pictures too dark? Too bright? I won't know just by glancing at the screen, so it's possible all the pics I happened to take didn't come out well. This isn't too much of a problem in a controlled environment like my dollie room, but anywhere else and I'm kind of lost. The camera's stuck to spot-metering, since that's not something I can change without access to the menu, and isn't really the most helpful if I'm taking pics outside of my apartment. And I've already mentioned that my macro lens - my favorite lens - is busted. My zoom lens is a nice one, but it's really just not that appropriate for doll pics all the time, alas!
So this new camera, it's one of those small, mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras! I actually did a bit of research on them, went and did some reading up on dpreview.com and decided to get one I could use my own lenses on if I get a converter. I got the Sony Alpha a6000, with the kit zoom lens, a 16-50mm, f/3.5-5.6, and also with a 50mm, f/1.8. I've been using the 50mm lens for testing out doll pics, though I did take the Courtney/Nomiki shot with the zoom.
So far I like it! I'm still figuring out it's features, since it's been a while since I actively used any camera menu functions, and learning the way the lenses works is weird, but it's got great quality, and it's small and lightweight! The size is what really drew me to the mirrorless cameras, because I know what I'm like, and I'll always plan to take tons of pictures when I go somewhere, or to a dollie meet or event, and then don't because it's heavy and bulky and I don't feel like fiddling with it or trying to get the metering right and all that. And with Dollism coming up, and me planning to do some sightseeing with my friends in Canada, I wanted to have something that would pretty much guarantee that I'd actually take pictures! The Auto mode on the camera is actually really nice! There are still some times when I'll want to go manual, but that first picture of Precious? It focused on his face for me instead of trying to go to the closest thing, his left hand, which was what I wanted it to do! Actually I did take that picture in Aperture priority mode, since I wanted it at f/1.8, but still, I don't even usually give up *that* much control when I'm taking pics with the dslr!
Right now, I think I won't even take my dslr to Dollism. I'm looking forward to playing around more with the new camera! :D
Now, something else I mentioned briefly, is that I haven't been using my computer a lot lately. You see, I was suspicious of it having some kind of nasty spyware, because my PP debit card number was stolen TWICE in A MONTH!!!! I haven't been using it in any weird places, and unless at the Miami locations I've gone to with it, they happen to single me out not only once, but again when I replaced the card, it had to be something on my computer! Plus, my antivirus program was having issues updating, and the updates kept failing! I know some malware can stop your programs from updating, it's that bad, so I paid someone to professionally install it again, since I JUST COULD NOT and got it running fully again, and basically I've been doing nothing but running scans lately, to try and root out whatever might be in here.
I still think there's something my scans are missing, so I'm holding off on using the computer for my online bill payment information like I usually did, which is where I think my number might've been collected, since after I had to cancel the card the first time, I had to go and re-enter my new number into all my bill pay sites! Anyways, I'm too poor to steal from, so stay away, jerks! XP
Luckily PayPal is good about getting my money back to me when it's been stolen, but it's just stress and a hassle and not something I need, especially when I'm doing all I can to save up money for this trip that's only NEXT MONTH OH MY GOD. T_T
In sad news, I sold poor Laertes. :'( He actually sold very quickly, both his body and head, which makes it a little less hard to deal with. I do miss his pretty face, but if I want to do more than afford my hotel room for this trip I needed the money, and also I've been having issues with him for a loooooong time now. I did contemplate just having him repainted, but that's kind of the opposite of saving money. Maybe some day I'll get another Cristal, who knows. :( Honestly, I've been thinking hard about a lot of my dolls that I hardly take pictures of. It seems like many of them, even if I go to try and take pictures, something frustrates me about them and I end up not doing it. I don't want to just keep selling off my dolls though, and their poor resale values on a lot of them really keep me from seriously considering it, but sometimes I think about totally overhauling a lot of my collection. Good thing I'm lazy about sales, or who knows what might've happened by now! It also doesn't help that I'm regularly stressed about money. >_< (The camera, btw, was bought with my old no-balance Sony account, which isn't the best idea I know, but 12 months no finance charges and a re-kindling of my desire to be in the photography hobby are pretty good reasons to use that much credit, in my opinion.)
Ok, I think I've babbled FAR too much, and really don't think anyone cares, but I did want to just put an update out there. :'B
Bye bye!
Aww, my sweeties!
Poor Vaughn hardly ever gets pictures anymore because every time I pick him up I want to cry in frustration at how floppy he is. But his stringing is tight! He does have issues with his legs fitting into his torso correctly, since I swapped his default legs for long legs way back when I first brought Colin home and the long legs are a lot thinner at the tops than his old legs were. But I think it might be that he also just needs new string, so I'm going to have to make a day out of completely restringing him, and perhaps adding some pliver to his leg joints, at the very least.
Swoon!
Here's some Fall, looking exceptionally handsome. ;) I hadn't used my macro lens in a while (the AF motor is broken so I have to try and focus it manually which is hard bc A-I'm blind, and B-the broken motor means turning the focus ring is a very clunky affair!) but really wanted to try and get a closeup of his gorgeous face, and how convenient! I have some cute string lights that would make excellent bokeh blobs in the background for just such an occasion. XD
Cutie patootie! ♥
Ok, now this photo was a test of two things! One, I, uhh, got a new camera! That's not a dslr! O: More about that later. Anwyays, this new camera has wifi to transfer your pictures directly from the camera to your mobile device, and I wanted to try it out! So not only was this picture a test of the new camera's abilities, it was also to see how uploading pics from the camera to my phone, and from there straight to Flickr worked out. I haven't been using my computer much for reasons I'll mention after the pictures, so I edited the picture in the Flickr app on my phone, did a few adjustments and put a filter on it, and posted it like that. I must say, I like the result! I'd still like to fiddle with the RAW file of the pictures on my computer when I can to really test the camera's limits, but for now, camera -> phone -> flickr is something I can do and not worry about too much. :)
Courtney got a badass new jacket! :D
I liked the jacket he was borrowing from Fall with the fur collar, but I think this will go with his personality better! Plus, it has leopard print lining. ;) This picture was also uploaded in the same way as the one of Precious. :3
Nomiki: You look like an extra from "Thriller."
Courtney: And you're from a Britney Spears video?
Har har! ;B Look at Nomiki, he's making friends! XD
Ah, sweetie-face Leonidas! X3
I, uhh, pretty obviously used the same filter on this pic as with the Courtney-jacket one, so I think I'll have to try and avoid doing that. XD; There aren't a ton of filters/effects to choose from in the Flickr app, so really I just need to go easy on them. In my defense, I'm really still just trying everything out! O:
Ok, OBVIOUSLY not a picture, but OMG IT'S MY GIRLS!! THEY'RE SO CUTE!!! X3
Hahaha, too bad Bee looks like she's approximately 10 years old. ^^; But I had way too much fun making this thing! I might re-do it with different outfits and stuff, we'll see. I spent a while playing with other doll makers on that site, but most of them I didn't much care for the choices or quality of the bases, and the ones I *did* like, most of them wouldn't save my picture at the end! I had a great one of Lulu in an evening dress that wouldn't save, and another of Rosario & Sugar shopping that didn't even *have* a save option. Sadface! I might have to try a print screen or something. :'(
Ok, that's it for the pictures! You can tune the rest out if you like. ;B
So about my new camera, I've been feeling pretty frustrated with my dslr lately! Not really because of it's limits or functionality, well, as it should be, but because it's broken. Not fully broken, but sort of broken, and it just makes taking pictures more of an ordeal than something I want to do. You see, I dropped it about two years ago when I was going to a meetup, and it was raining, and trying to get into the house quickly I dropped the bag it was in and the back screen cracked. It's totally unusable, and I have to do all my adjustments through the viewfinder. That's ok, because I always took my pics on manual, and as long as I look through the VF I can see what my ISO, shutter speed, & aperture are, and can change them with buttons and dials. Buuuut, that's about it. Everything else, I just have to hope a picture came out, and will find out when I upload everything off the camera into my computer. Pictures too dark? Too bright? I won't know just by glancing at the screen, so it's possible all the pics I happened to take didn't come out well. This isn't too much of a problem in a controlled environment like my dollie room, but anywhere else and I'm kind of lost. The camera's stuck to spot-metering, since that's not something I can change without access to the menu, and isn't really the most helpful if I'm taking pics outside of my apartment. And I've already mentioned that my macro lens - my favorite lens - is busted. My zoom lens is a nice one, but it's really just not that appropriate for doll pics all the time, alas!
So this new camera, it's one of those small, mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras! I actually did a bit of research on them, went and did some reading up on dpreview.com and decided to get one I could use my own lenses on if I get a converter. I got the Sony Alpha a6000, with the kit zoom lens, a 16-50mm, f/3.5-5.6, and also with a 50mm, f/1.8. I've been using the 50mm lens for testing out doll pics, though I did take the Courtney/Nomiki shot with the zoom.
So far I like it! I'm still figuring out it's features, since it's been a while since I actively used any camera menu functions, and learning the way the lenses works is weird, but it's got great quality, and it's small and lightweight! The size is what really drew me to the mirrorless cameras, because I know what I'm like, and I'll always plan to take tons of pictures when I go somewhere, or to a dollie meet or event, and then don't because it's heavy and bulky and I don't feel like fiddling with it or trying to get the metering right and all that. And with Dollism coming up, and me planning to do some sightseeing with my friends in Canada, I wanted to have something that would pretty much guarantee that I'd actually take pictures! The Auto mode on the camera is actually really nice! There are still some times when I'll want to go manual, but that first picture of Precious? It focused on his face for me instead of trying to go to the closest thing, his left hand, which was what I wanted it to do! Actually I did take that picture in Aperture priority mode, since I wanted it at f/1.8, but still, I don't even usually give up *that* much control when I'm taking pics with the dslr!
Right now, I think I won't even take my dslr to Dollism. I'm looking forward to playing around more with the new camera! :D
Now, something else I mentioned briefly, is that I haven't been using my computer a lot lately. You see, I was suspicious of it having some kind of nasty spyware, because my PP debit card number was stolen TWICE in A MONTH!!!! I haven't been using it in any weird places, and unless at the Miami locations I've gone to with it, they happen to single me out not only once, but again when I replaced the card, it had to be something on my computer! Plus, my antivirus program was having issues updating, and the updates kept failing! I know some malware can stop your programs from updating, it's that bad, so I paid someone to professionally install it again, since I JUST COULD NOT and got it running fully again, and basically I've been doing nothing but running scans lately, to try and root out whatever might be in here.
I still think there's something my scans are missing, so I'm holding off on using the computer for my online bill payment information like I usually did, which is where I think my number might've been collected, since after I had to cancel the card the first time, I had to go and re-enter my new number into all my bill pay sites! Anyways, I'm too poor to steal from, so stay away, jerks! XP
Luckily PayPal is good about getting my money back to me when it's been stolen, but it's just stress and a hassle and not something I need, especially when I'm doing all I can to save up money for this trip that's only NEXT MONTH OH MY GOD. T_T
In sad news, I sold poor Laertes. :'( He actually sold very quickly, both his body and head, which makes it a little less hard to deal with. I do miss his pretty face, but if I want to do more than afford my hotel room for this trip I needed the money, and also I've been having issues with him for a loooooong time now. I did contemplate just having him repainted, but that's kind of the opposite of saving money. Maybe some day I'll get another Cristal, who knows. :( Honestly, I've been thinking hard about a lot of my dolls that I hardly take pictures of. It seems like many of them, even if I go to try and take pictures, something frustrates me about them and I end up not doing it. I don't want to just keep selling off my dolls though, and their poor resale values on a lot of them really keep me from seriously considering it, but sometimes I think about totally overhauling a lot of my collection. Good thing I'm lazy about sales, or who knows what might've happened by now! It also doesn't help that I'm regularly stressed about money. >_< (The camera, btw, was bought with my old no-balance Sony account, which isn't the best idea I know, but 12 months no finance charges and a re-kindling of my desire to be in the photography hobby are pretty good reasons to use that much credit, in my opinion.)
Ok, I think I've babbled FAR too much, and really don't think anyone cares, but I did want to just put an update out there. :'B
Bye bye!