Stopping.. now. I think.

By curiousillusion ( January 12, 2010 at 8:00 pm) · Filed under personal, photography, , , ,

Sigh.  Online shopping is just too easy.  Really easy.  And I keep falling into that easy trap and buying stuff I don’t need.  I blame project 365.

Seriously though, I was doing really well spending-wise at the beginning of the year.  I knew that if I did a good job of managing my money, by the end of the month I’ve had some left over to put towards my new computer (and I’m dying to get the MacBook).  Heck, at the end of December I got a Christmas bonus (I’ve never actually gotten a Christmas bonus before) and I put it all into savings immediately.  I was off to a good start.

But then.  Well it’s like I mentioned a few months ago… as soon as I got the new dSLR, I wasn’t just satisfied with it.  I mean, I love it, I adore it, Lola is my new best friend… but photography is an expensive hobby.  I fell in love with a lens and, when a friend found me a good deal on a refurbished one… I ordered it (should be here tomorrow).  I figured it’d be good in general, but definitely good for my 365.

Doesn’t stop there though, even though I wanted it to.  After that, I wanted to get some props for my project.  So I ordered one online.  Then a different one.  Then another but in a different size.  It was for a reason, after all, I kept telling myself. And then today I had to step back and go, “WHAT am I doing?”  All this for a photography project?

I think I’m feeling the pressure of the project 365 already.  I just got done making and receiving a blurb book with my pictures from last year (sidebar: I may be blogging my review on that this week, if anyone is interested?) and it made me realize that 365 is a lot of pictures.  Quite a lot. Plus a lot of the fun picture ideas I have… I used last year.  Dangit.   Hence the need for props – they’ll keep me motivated, help me come up with new pictures… plus they’re fun!

Don’t worry, I’m stopping.  For now.  I mean, I DO want some macro filters (c’mon, you know I love shooting in macro and filters are cheaper than getting the macro lens, which I REALLY want but can’t afford) but I’m going to try to make myself wait. I have plenty of time to save up and buy things, I don’t need to rush around and get it all now.

I have to keep telling myself that every dollar I spend takes me that much further away from getting my MacBook.  It’s just hard!  Did you see how cute my Wall-E pic was today?!

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  • Oh I am terrible with online shopping. I just spent like $80 on books @ Amazon. There one click ordering thing is just dangerous.

    And I totally feel you on the camera equipment thing. I too want a macro lens!
  • Well.. Then I know your rule in love relationship:
    He earns, you spent :)
  • Macro filters? nice. But try getting a reverse-mount ring for your lenses (prime work best...especially the coveted 50mm, but I have had success with most of my lenses). A generic will set you back $30 at most....but well worth it. I'm focusing as close as an inch and a half with my 50mm reverse mounted. Loads of fun, and cheaper than a good close-up filter...
  • liz
    I am trying to stick to a budget too. It's so hard! I'm a shopping addict! Online shopping is my biggest downfall....
  • ari_b
    I love my macro lens with a passion! I've never heard of Macor filters before . . . I'm going to have to check that out. The main reason that I haven't attempted the 365 project is that I don't think I could come up with enough stuff to take pictures of . . . so kudos for thinking ahead and getting props (even if the shopping does get a little out of hand - we all do it. . .)
  • Oh I am so jealous of your macro lens! I KNOW I will love it when I get it... but I also know that I'll only do macros when I do get it, so that's why I'm forcing myself to wait.

    I totally think you could come up with things to take pictures of. Especially with your macro lens! Or... you can take a picture of the same thing in different ways.

    Granted, I say that now... my tune may change after a little more of this project!
  • lol you sound like me, I think I buy something online every 2/3 days or something :/ You could re-use the Wall-E doing different things?
  • ItsUnbeweavable
    Oh online shopping will be the death of me. It sounds like you're buying things worth it though-your photography is awesome.

    Don't worry my love! I'm not going anywhere :) HELLO?! I just found your fab blog. xoxo
  • I think I'm trying to use food as a lot of the props for my 365. That way I don't feel like I'm actually wasting money so much.
  • You have another award over at my place, cause you're awesome. ^_^
  • writetoreach
    Buying stuff online is so tempting. I'd like to order about a million different series on DVD right now. I wish stuff was free!
  • Captain_Nat
    Hope the saving goes well! :) Love the WALL-E pic too!
  • Ok..Oh-Em-Gee...I cannot get over your Wall-E! I ADORE WALL-E and that is just too cute! *sigh*
  • It is really tough... There is so much I would like to get too. I got my camera for Christmas last year (actually Boxing Day), and this year I got the laptop I really wanted. But, I still want a macro lense, and Photoshop, and a bag for the laptop, and a film scanner, and... and... and...

    The list never ends. It gets so expensive! I really sympathize!
  • Oh, I understand. Do I ever understand?! Art is a really expensive line of work. Incredibly satisfying, eternally challenging and uber expensive.

    Ahem. I love Wall-E, and I adore that photo. He so looks like he's rolling to class. :P Was it him or Eve you wanted a poster of, lady friend?
  • Ha ha glad you understand! And Wall-E.. always Wall-E! Eve is okay, but Wall-E has my heart. I could gush about him forever. :D
  • That Wall-E looks awesome! I really like the pic.

    What lens did you get?

    I'm saving too, not for a new computer, but for a new camera and whenever I see a cool lens on Amazon (or any other site) I'm like "cool, I'm getting this one" or "man, I'm getting this speedlight" and whatnot... but then I remember I wanna get a new camera and just browse away, but not without putting the items I like on my wishlist first.

    You're doing great, and I know you'll keep up the great work even without props. Don't feel pressured, just have fun.
  • I did the same thing (put stuff on my Wishlist for future possible purchase), but that kind of burned me a little this year.

    I sometimes put things on the Wishlist that I might not plan to get, but want to remember for some reason. One thing I'd added to my Wishlist a while ago (since it was mentioned in a Scott Kelby book) was the Epson P-3000 40GB Multimedia Storage Drive and Viewer. It's basically a portable hard drive with built in card reader so you can dump your images to the drive (which has a built in viewer) in the field.

    Totally unnecessary for me, and totally expensive (it's about $350 or so).

    My dad got it for me for Christmas this year. And since he didn't give me the packing slip from Amazon...I can't return it.
  • For the lens... you'll have to wait and see tomorrow. :)

    Yeah I need to be more like you!
  • We are trying to not spend ANY extra money this year and put it all toward our student loans. It's kind of. . .hard.
  • Quave
    Good idea. :)
    I still think you should've got the close-up filters first and experiment with something a bit different from what you've got now.
    You need to have your credit card put in the freezer so that it takes you as long as it takes it to thaw out of the ice block to order something. (I guess with online ordering it doesn't really apply).
    Anyway... good luck with it. :)
    Now, don't go to the other extreme and never get anything because you're telling yourself you have no money. You're allowed to buy stuff, but with measure.
    There. :)
  • FYI, they tell you that the whole "freeze your credit card" thing works, but I can assure you, it doesn't.

    I figured out very quickly that in an "emergency" if I just took the block of ice and ran it under hot water in the sink...I got my credit card back in about five minutes :)
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