9 April 2014

A day here at home - pictorial version

Hanno bought me an early birthday present - a new camera. :- ) I spent some time yesterday wandering around taking photos and seeing what this new contraption can and can't do. I'm no photographer and I don't like staged photos so I'm sure sometimes some of you must think: Good grief. What on earth is she doing now! This camera is not a point and click, which my last camera was, this camera requires thinking, reading of the manual and a bit of practise. Hopefully it will improve my photos. 

So today I thought I'd show you a glimpse of what happened here yesterday. It nothing exciting, just Hanno, me, the chooks and the cat in a few scenes from our home. I hope you enjoy them.

Above, drying on the back of a chair, is a little crocheted pad I use for my tea pot. I can't remember now who gave it to me, it was a gift from one of the ladies, but it's one of the most useful things in my kitchen. And it's just so pretty! I use it under my metal tea pot and it keeps the bottom warm and sometimes I use it under hot saucepans, so they don't mark the benchtop.


A distinctive Barnevelder egg - dark brown with speckles.
Hello Bluebell!
It looks like Martha is dancing here.
 Kathleen with Tricia, who is too busy to look at the camera.
You can see where I clipped Miss Tammy's wing. 

Fiona and Annie gossiping at the water cooler.


This is pear vinegar made a few weeks ago.


The view when I walk out of my work room towards the kitchen. The cupboard straight ahead is my stockpile cupboard.
Yesterday's lunch - homemade macaroni and cheese with cucumber salad. We have a tsunami of cucumbers in the backyard about to hit us. There will be lots of pickling going on soon.

A little bowl of beads and bits and pieces Tricia used when she was crocheting a jug cover.


And mid-afternoon, a couple of photos from Sunny of Jamie playing with his cousin.

I have been meaning to tell you about this app Sunny put me onto. It's a Korean message and phone program and it's free to download and free to use. It's like Skype for phones, although I think there is a computer version of it too. You can talk on the phone and message all day long if you want to and there are no charges. It's been really great to use while Sunny is in Korea. The English version of it is downloadable here: http://www.kakao.com/talk/en.

 Hanno planting a year's world of garlic yesterday morning.

Working on depth of field photos. :- )

The camera is a Canon EOS 1100D, an entry level digital SLR camera. I am used to working with SLR cameras because I used them when I worked for a living, but this is a different kettle of fish entirely. I like it though. It's another challenge to learn all about it and hopefully, it will improve the photos here. And don't worry, I won't start staging things, the photos will remain simple displays of our home life.  Does anyone else have a camera like this? What camera do you use?

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41 comments

  1. Hello Rhonda.. Catching up with your posts today, Your soup looks and sounds delicious and your pics are lovely. I would say your camera works great. I use a Nikon. Looking forward to your pickling season.. Take care..

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  2. I enjoyed the photographic tour of your day. Love your blue plate! I have a Canon camera too, but a point and shoot, a Powershot I think it is. It has a macro function that I really like and is easy to use. Enjoy your day Rhonda.

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  3. good morning Rhonda, Im up early and as it is raining ...yah!!! i have put on a pot of soup using our christmas ham bone and a pot of chicken noodle soup:) what do you use your pear vinegar for ? Julie x

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  4. Some beautiful pics and the chooks always make me smile. I'm so envious of the size of your stockpile cupboard.

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  5. Lovely photos , Rhonda. I have an SLR Olympus and I love being able to do it all manually. My point and click camera is great but it doesn't always understand what kind of photo I am taking.
    We are planting garlic this week too!

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  6. These are great photos, and I so much like the reality of them.

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  7. That mac and cheese looks scrumptious!

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  8. That's a good camera, Rhonda, I can already see the dirfference in your photos. They are brighter and sharper. Looks like you're getting the hang of it :-) I do have an old slr, it's the Canon EOS 450D. I bought it back when I was still working outside the home and I love it. One of my best lenses is the relatively cheap 50mm, I used it all the time for 'bokeh' shots. Sadly, I have not had the time for photography recently.

    Enjoy your new camera, Hanno really knows what you will enjoy and put to good use. And happy birthday, Rhonda.

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  9. I love your photos of your life Rhonda :) I just adore that crochet tea cosy!! Just darling. Which reminds me, I had down to learn crocheting for this year, I better start some time soon! I'm patiently waiting your paperback, how exciting that they had a reprint!! Just love the pictures of the 'girls'.
    I use my android phone for my photos, it does a great job and I've thought about getting a proper camera but I like how easy it is just to use your phone instead of lugging about a camera, I'd end up forgetting to take it with me.
    Warm regards, Jan

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  10. Rhonda, I have a Canon IXUS 8015 which takes some nice photos of flowers using the Macro setting but doesn't do a very good job with red colours for some reason. It is much the same as is used by the young girl from Bunny Mummy but my photos are certainly not as beautiful as hers. I believe that the SLR cameras are so much better than the Point and Shoot ones so perhaps I will have to save up.

    I looks like Hanno is getting out and about so I guess he is feeling better. Love the photos of your girls especially of them chatting at the water cooler :-)

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  11. The composition and lighting in the photo of the lemons is beautiful.

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  12. The pictures are great. Love the cat and chickens! Thank you for sharing.

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  13. What a lovely present Hanno! Love the pix Rhonda, nice to share with you all.

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  14. Love your photos Rhonda! We have been dealing with an abundance of cucumbers too - my husband is Polish and they have cucumbers sliced thinly with cream - its delicious! Give it a go!

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  15. You'll have fun with your new toy and DSLR will give you a sharper image for sure. I love the first photo of the cat on the table. Regards Kathy A, Brisbane, Australi

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  16. Love the photos, those frizzles are so cute. You are going to have a lot of fun with the new camera x

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  17. I'd like to know how to make the pear vinegar and to know how to use it - I think it would make an unusual Christmas gift. Also, the hot pad looks so cute. I love your photos.

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    1. You use pear vinegar in the same way you'd use any other good vinegar - salad dressings etc. Here is the post: http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com.au/2014/03/how-to-make-raw-unpasteurised-vinegar.html Good luck.

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  18. Hi Rhonda. I also have that camera. It was recommended by a wedding photographer friend to be a really good entry DSLR camera. I'm still learning to use it and revert back to my point and shoot frequently! I also purchased a book that was recommended 'Canon EOS REBEL T3/1100D' by David Busch...a huge thick book that looks even scarier than the camera!

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  19. Hi Rhonda - I really enjoyed this post. It's nice to get to know each other by little glimpses into our daily life. I love your cat, Hettie. She is lovely and reminds me so much of my little Lily who is now 18 years old. I love your gardens and all that you harvest. Your home looks so welcoming. And look at that Martha...you go girl! :) Deb

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  20. I have a Canon EOS Rebel XS, which is an older version of Canon's entry level SLR. My advice is to start with the full automatic mode and progress from there. I mostly use the "program" mode which is almost like automatic with a bit more control over things like flash, ISO speed and aperture/shutter ratio. I also bought some macro filters for it that were a cheap and easy way to get the macro effect without spending a fortune for a macro lens.

    Have fun with your camera... I love mine.

    p.s. I totally LOVE the photo with the cat - of course I'm an easy sell for any picture with a cat in it!

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  21. Beautiful! Enjoy your new camera! I have this very simple point and shoot camera that I was using for my blog posts but now I simply use my phone camera. It takes decent enough photos. I decided I don't want the taking photos for the blog take over the experiences I have as a first year homesteader so if I can snap a photo with phone I am happy. Plus it is easier for instagram that way..

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  22. Hanno is doing his usual marvelous job in your vege patch - it looks tremendous. (I suppose our recent rain has helped a bit also) He also did a marvelous job with your birthday present, the photos are great.
    Blinky

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  23. Hello Rhonda, just have to ask; why the upside-down flower pots on a pole? I have seen it i n veggie gardens on the net before but have never been able to find out why. Like your unstaged photos by the way, more than too many staged and photoshopped pictures online today. Pam

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    1. Two reasons, Pam. I like the look of them and the help prevent injury when we bend over the stakes.

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    2. I don't use stakes so l never thought of that, good idea. Pam

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    3. Pam - one quick note on the question of photoshopping photos. While I agree with you that "too much" looks dreadful and is immediately noticeable, DSLR cameras are designed that the photos will go through a degree of processing afterwards - in the same way that a film requires processing, and processing well, to bring out the best of what the photographer has captured, the same is true of Digital SLR shots. :-)

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    4. Great pics Rhonda - and nice work getting to grip with the depth of field thing - possibly my favourite thing to play with! My current camera is "big brother" to yours - the Canon 7D - and I absolutely LOVE it. I'll also second what someone else said in a comment - the 50mm f1.8 lens is well worth getting - it retails in the UK for around £70 I believe, so it won't break the bank, either!

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  24. I have the exact same camera, which my husband bought me for Christmas :). Like you I spent some time getting used to it after a point and shoot. I am starting to get the measure of it now but not quite ready for manual mode! Have fun!

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  25. Everytime I see a picture of your frizzles I can't help but smiling.

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  26. Awwh!! Your pictures are amazing! I LOVE hens! I`m happy for you :-)

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  27. You have a beautiful home and a DSLR can truly capture that beauty as you've just shown us! My hubby just recently bought me a Canon 60D entry camera. I'm taking my time to work it out. Like you, I used SLR when i worked too. A UV filter is good protection and a tripod is handy.

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  28. Great pics Rhonda. I take pics with either my Nikon5000 or my I-Phone. As someone was told me the best camera is the one your holding ;0)

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  29. Love your chickens! Apparently chickens, in the city, in regular neighborhoods have become quite the thing here -- I have two friends in my former town have chickens. I think they would be fun.

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  30. Love looking at your photos Rhonda. I can't really tell the difference between the photos you took with the new camera and the ones you've taken previously - they all look pretty good to me! I guess I take more notice of the subject matter than I do of the quality/sharpness etc. of the photo itself.
    I have two cameras, an SLR that my hubby gave me about 10 years ago, and it takes great pics but I have to have them developed and printed in the old way, and digital photography has made me lazy now, so I don't use that camera much any more.
    My digital camera is a Pentax, but I'm not big on technical details so I can't tell you any more than that. It can probably do a lot more than I do with it, but I leave it on automatic and it works well enough.
    What is 'entry level' that you and others mention?
    Cute photo of Puss, and the chooks always make delightful subjects :-)

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  31. I'm sitting here laughing at myself!! All this camera talk and all I can think about is that delicious looking macaroni and cheese!!!!! Please share your recipe. It looks so creamy and delicious. Oh, and I love that all your chickens have sweet names. Love your blog.

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  32. I love that your photos are 'real life' and not staged :)

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  33. Hi Rhonda,

    I have a quick question about the jug covers. I am wanting to make some myself for starting ginger beer.

    Do you recommend any tutorials? Can you tell me what the fabric that Tricia is crocheting around or what sort of materials would be suitable?

    I remember seeing some when I went to Berima in an antique store but have never seen them again. No idea where my grandmothers have gone either (probably my aunt).

    Thanks
    ~Carly

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    1. That's a very old one on the right, Tricia was copying the crochet. She used a soft netting and the crochet is cotton.

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  34. I quite enjoyed this little photographic view of your day. Its the little things that make the difference!

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