PowerHouseCreatives Contest - So Happy I Took The Leap and Bought...

@zord189 came up with this idea for this weeks #PowerHouseCreatives contest, details here

tell folks about one thing that you've bought that you think is worth it? Or the best thing you have bought?

Instantly my new Canon PowerShot SX60 HS camera came to mind. It was a long time coming but oh! what a difference it has made in my photography and dare I say parts of my life!

When I first moved into the forested community in northern Saskatchewan I was quite taken with the beauty surrounding me and wanted to capture that beauty somehow. My first instinct was to paint it but alas my painting skills were not that good plus my patience wasn't there either so I thought I'd capture it through photography! I had a simple little camera back before memory cards came out and was limited to how many photos I could take without downloading them to another device. I was visiting my sister on the coast and her partner had a nice simple Canon he was taking pictures with so I decided to treat myself and get a Canon Point and Shoot. It was the PowerShot A495.

I particularly was happy to have it when I began photographing the many wild blooms that were coming up around our forest home. Here is a selection of a few.

Tiger Lily

Brown-eyed Susans

Fireweed

Hyssop

JJ and Marsh Marigolds

My original idea was to make a book with these blooms from the boreal forest but then I got posting some of my pictures on Steem with write ups of some of the medicinal qualities and uses of these plants (that is another interest of mine - herbalism and wildcrafting) sharing them in the @NaturalMedicine community. When I became a member of the #PowerHouseCreatives I began looking at some of the marvelous photography shared there and thought I'd like a better camera.

When I was having some trouble with my old camera my husband encouraged me to do the research and get myself a decent camera for he saw how much I was enjoying taking photos and blogging. I was always a bit reluctant to spend money on myself but he told me

with the fiat money you never know what the value of it would be so it was better to invest it in something you would enjoy than have it sitting in savings!

I really didn't know much about cameras so I started asking some of the folks on Steem, who's photography I admired, what they would recommend. Up stepped @papilloncharity with the recommendation of the Canon PowerShot SX60 HS. It was still a point and shoot but with lots of features and the 60X Zoom plus a good online manual. He thought I would be happy with it and I sure was!

I couldn't believe the difference in quality of the images I took and I could get wonderful closeups of the moon and birds (one more interest of mine - bird watching). I was hooked! Photography was becoming my new passion and I continue to be inspired by the many wonderful photographers here on Steem!

Here's a selection of some of my moon closeups and some of the birds visiting my yard.

Close Up of Full Moon

Close Up of Moon in Full 60x Zoom

Ringed Full Moon Shines Behind Poplar And Spruce Silhouettes

Close Up of Pine Grosbeak in Snowy Branches

Close Up of Great Horned Owl Sitting on Frosted Branches

Close Up Downy Woodpecker on Poplar Tree

With this new found passion and love of capturing the beauty of nature I found I had one more reason to get outside (even when it was 30 below Celcius. The picture of the ringed moon was taken when it was 30 below) and I would spend more time in awe and wonder at the glorious scenes that were presented to me. It gave me reason to get out and witness the sunsets and sun rises, and I started looking more at the macro worlds. With Steem I had a place to share my photos and loved the engagement!

Here is a sample of some of my sunset, sunrise photos and macro photos.

Sunset and Purple Rain

Silhouettes of Spruce Trees Beneath Expansive Cloud Covering Colored by the Setting Sun

Sun Rising Among the Poplar Trees With It's Lovely Pink Rays Shining on the Snowbanks

Hoar Frost on Blade of Grass Makes a Feathery Design

Frosted Pine Cones

Poplar Bud covered With Long Needles of Hoar Frost

As I am coming closer to retirement my photography is becoming more important to me and I've got some photography courses to take as I continue to challenge myself to try new and different things with my camera. I am forever grateful for the new technologies that allow amateurs like me to capture some of the beauty around them plus you wonderful Steemians who encourage me to continue sharing my photos!

All flower photos were taken with my Canon Powershot A495 the rest of the photos were taken with my Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

Thanks for stopping by!

Proud member of @naturalmedicine, @homesteaderscoop, @tribesteemup, @ecotrain, @freedomtribe, @earthtribe & @steemitbloggers


Discover previous ecoTrain magazines at @ecoTrain plus news on the Eco-Village at www.ecovillages.io



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