Tales from the mall

Hey guys, thanks so much for your camera 'review' feedback. That's the second time I've scribbled about gadgets and one thing is for sure, ya'll love talking about gadgets! So from tomorrow, this blog will be called Gadgetry: The digital scrapbook of a digital noob. What do ya think? I reckon it's got a pretty sweet ring to it. (I kid.) So I was a bit of a mall rat this weekend. I hit up the Pav, Westwood and Gateway. Or as I like to call it, the Super Circuit. I wish I had been a part of some sort of undercover retail detective show 'cuz I saw all sorts of weird things. For example, one store was flogging a Zara dress with a huge hole in it for 400 and summin bucks - I was like, 'What the what!!?' We don't have the Zara chain in South Africa so that was rather faulty. Also, I saw the EXACT same dress in two shops with two wildly different price points. Weird right? Anyway, I'll refrain from a shop-slagging frenzy and rather, show you what I bought. That would be, this dress and cardi from Jay Jays. I literally bought 'em straight off the mannequin. When I wore this yesterday, a shop assistant said to me (and this never happens!) 'Stylish outfit, love how you paired the cardi with the dress.' I was like, 'Mmm, thanks very much,' all the while thinking, I put no effort into this combo whatsoever! Then another lady stopped me and asked where I got the dress to which I replied, 'Jay Jays' and she was like, 'And where did you get the cardi?' I was like, 'Erm, Jay Jays!' So I suppose that's the power of good mannequin merchandising for ya. I scooped two other goodies but I'll show 'em to ya later this week. I also coloured and cut my hair - first time I dyed it to cover the whiter lighter variety - tragic but necessary! What did you get up to? Score any buys? Colour any greys?

I just reread this post and was horrified to see my prolific use of the phrase 'I was like.' Teachers were always telling me off for saying that in school. How the hell I became a copywriter, I'll never know. (Well, I suppose studying for three years had something to do with it but you know what I mean!) Anyways: Dress & cardi: Jay Jays Bag: Dorothy Perkins (Don't you just love the crazy fake quilting!?) Belt: Mr Price Shoes: Foschini Sunnies: Vintage Video: So retro now! That song was huge when Craig and I were in Londres. Do you also have certain 'getting ready' songs?

A wildly incoherent stab at a camera review

Grab a Red Bull and your specs for this one - I went off on a tangent (and committed 10 zillion copywriting crimes. This blog can never be used for work purposes!)

I only had three New Years resolutions for 2010: Buy a camera and take more photos, learn to make traditional South African thin and crispy pancakes, and learn to sew. My mom is probably thinking, 'Oh bless, look at Lauren trying to get her domestication on.' Ok. My mom doesn't speak like that at all but whatevz. (I've been reading so many Uni-going Brit bloggers and now I can't stop saying 'obvz', 'lols' and 'whatevz.' Desperately clinging onto my twenties.) (I hear a Twitter hasthtag for #desperatelyclingingontomytwenties. Too long?) I digress! What were we talking about? Pancakes? Bare with me, I'll chuck in something about cameras at some point.

So, I made a zillion batches of pancakes in January in anticipation of a sweet pancakey year ahead. I was gonna give those grannies at Durban's fetes a good run for their money. But dang it, those grannies know something I don't. After the 1000th batch, ok fifth batch, I was reminded that I can barely crack an egg, let alone flip a steaming disc of dough in the air. 

After that didn't work out, I tried sewing. I got as far as two meters of material, some elastic and a zip. These items rolled around in my car and now they roll around in my mom's car and one day, I, nay she, will make me something. Thanks mom!

I did, however, buy a camera. A DSLR if you will. No idea what that stands for. Digital something or other! Camera connoisseurs, feel free to fill us in with a comment. I was gonna go for the Canon 450D. Saving that much loot didn't work out for me. After four months, I wandered into a camera shop and in true Lauren style, asked 'What's your cheapest DSLR and tripod.' I am class personified. The chap behind the counter handed me the Canon 1000D. I eyeballed it sceptically. None of my fave bloggers were using this guy. Don't you just respect how I know zero photographers - only bloggers! Anyways, I snapped a few pics and I was impressed by how responsive the camera was. I believe they call this 'processing time.' (Not me, the camera!) I also loved how big and bright the LCD screen was. But, for a change, I managed to refrain from a credit-card swiping frenzy and decided to do some actual research. Well, the Canon 1000D got splendid reviews all round from pros saying it was a super entry level DSLR with the 'best kit lens that Canon had ever produced.' (That seems unlikely writing that but someone said that! Don't quote me on any of this, lols!) The next day I went back and bought that bad boy and we've been BFF's ever since. (Again with the Uni-blogged slang.)

This past weekend, I bought the Canon 50mm 1.8 lens. I know nothing of the technical specs - all I know is that this lens is affordable and awesome. It also handles low light terrifically and gives great Bokeh. That weird word means 'depth of field.' That means when some bits are in focus and other bits are blurry. Hotdang, I'm a wordsmith. Not really. What I am, is a Bokeh nut , so this lens is right up my alley. It's also great for portraits. Only thing is, this is a fixed lens so if you want to zoom in and out, you have to erm, step forward or back.  Geez, this must be the most amateur camera review of all time. I cringe knowing that some of you pro-photogs may be reading this - Jenty, I'm looking at you!

Anyway, have I actually managed to scribble a single nugget of gadgetry wisdom? Probably not. What I am trying to say, very incoherently (that sounds like a sentence Hugh Grant might begin), is that, the Canon 1000D and the Canon 50mm 1.8 lens makes for a potent yet affordable DSLR set up for anyone but especially for beginners. In all, I think I got the camera, the lens, the bag, camera card and tripod for under R6500. That is not at all the same as 6000 pounds, British buds! I am not Rockerfellar, our exchange rate is simply shot to pieces.

The most hilarious thing is - arty design types will sometimes walk past me and mutter 'Cool camera, is that the 500D?' To which I reply, 'Why yes, yes it is.' No, I say it's the 1000D and it's all a bit awkward but I have the last laugh!

Anyway, (gotta stop starting paragraphs with 'anyway') I think I can safely tick off 'take more photos' on the resolution list. Can you believe it took me 27 years to buy my own camera? Well, I did it and I love it and I think it may even be a life-long passion! Probably just a touch healthier than eating one zillion pancakes.

I do apologise if this was 'death by slavishly long blog post' for you. I should probably edit out the pankcake bits now but Bedfordshire calls.

Before I go, I want to say thanks for your delish comments on the previous post. You lot are so encouraging and I really want you to know how much your kind comments mean to me - each one is like opening one of those cutie-pie things from Woolies. They're that good!

PS: I haven't even begun to touch on the whole Nikon vs Canon debate! It's about as ridic as the HTC vs Blackberry vs iPhone wars that break out on Twitter every day. I'm sure each brand rocks - I just went with Canon cuz it's what I knew. I would however, love to know what camera you use and why. I promise not to slag it off with a 'Canon roolz, Nikon drools!'

Some Saturday Engagement Snaps

As per your requests, here are some of Saturday's snaps. This cute pair prefer not to have their names plastered all over the internet (which I totally respect) but you can meet their sweet faces. We had planned to head into the country and shoot from hilltops with dramatic sunsets and harps playing (I was going to hire a 'harpist') (not really) but as I said, it was bucketing down so we dashed into a park outside my mate's house and did a fun 'trial shoot.' These guys were giggling and cuddling throughout the whole thing - it was friggen adorable. I could get used to snapping loved-up couples! Will keep you posted of our next shoot. x

Outfit Postery

Guys, got a bit of a lol for you. When I was saving these pics, I found a folder on my laptop called Strip Outfit. I was like, 'What the heck is this?' I'd gone and saved this stripe outfit as strip outfit. All I can say, is thank heavens I didn't title the post 'Strip Outfit' although I'm sure my blog stats would have gone off their rocker for all the wrong reasons! I snapped this lot below with my new Canon 50 mm 1.8 lens (no idea if you write it out like that.) This lens lets in so much light! I'd have to use the flash with the stock lens on my Canon 1000D. Not knocking that baby though, I love it. Oh and just so ya know, I'm not in the habit of wearing sunnies indoors at night ala plonker but felt this needed, a smidge of 'edge.' Anyways, I'm rambling. This is what I wore last night. Spots and stripes - rebel!

Blazer: Edgars Skirt: India Jane Top: Jay Jays Bag: Aldo Sunnies: Vintage Video: Amazetowns

Surprises in the post

Hey hey, how was everyone's weekend? Mine was a ballet of emotions. It wasn't really, I just heard Will Ferrel say that in 'The Other Guys' which was pretty hilar. On Saturday, I bought a new lens for my camera and I am loving it! I'll probably hit ya with a review later this week. After I bagged the lens I bought twenty-five helium balloons which made for a perilous drive home sans rear window viewage! This was in aid of the first engagement shoot I've snapped. A sweet blog reader got in touch and asked if I'd shoot her and her fiance and I thought, heck, why not give it a bash, eh? Of course that would be the day for the heavens to open with horizontal rain and tornado style winds! We  pushed on with the shoot anyways and I had such a blast! (All this talk of 'blasts' and 'shoots' sounds a bit weird. We're talking pictures, not guns here for those skimming.) In other news, I received this delightful treat in the post last week. The folks from In Good Company sent me a 'Party in a Box' as a thanks for blogging about them. I'll have to throw a party and blog about that too now!