Anyways, going off my dilemma in my last post, I've kept my current job. I had a phone interview for a job I applied for about a week before my new posting at a different school, and I was torn between going for the interview and getting the job, and dumping my new school and team which I actually really liked. But then two days ago my employer called me and basically asked me what it would take for me to stay at the school. The school's had too many IT changes recently, and he wanted the school to have some stability. I told him straight out that the money was the only draw to this new job. And because he wanted to keep me at the school, and because now I was essentially the head tech at the school, he's given me a pay bump. A pretty significant one too, with a total pay package that is comparable to what I was being offered at this new job. It's a few grand lower, but taking into account public transport, a new environment, and the fact that this was only for an interview - meaning there was no guarantee that I would actually land the job - this pay bump is pretty sweet. So it'll keep me ticking over for a while, and as I said, I really do like where I'm working right now; great tech who works with me, great Head of Department, and overall a great school with great staff and students (for the most part). So yeah, that 'issue' is solved.
And thanks to everyone who offered help and advice in the comments of my last post. You all kept me grounded, so cheers for that.
Now, onto some more good news. I got a new camera*.
Yeah. I sprung for a Nikon D7000. This is going to sound a bit douche-ish, but I feel that I've outgrown my D3000. It is after all the entry-level SLR, so it doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles. Now I'm not one of those prats who thinks that buying more expensive gear means I'll magically start taking better photos. Any egg who thinks and believes that needs a swift dragon-punch to the liver. I just know that my old D3000 wasn't packing enough heat in the settings department, it was pretty limited and restrictive overall. The D7000 is basically the flagship of Nikon's 'prosumer' market; that is, it sits at the top of Nikon's consumer DX format SLR's and right below Nikon's 'professional' FX format cameras. It's pretty much the camera to upgrade to once you've got stuck into SLR's and you're ready to get serious. It's a hefty bit of kit, and its packing some serious features and power. Its ISO performance is damn incredible (especially when compared to my D3000... I literally never bothered raising ISO because too much noise would be in my picture - the D7000 can bump up to about 3200 ISO whilst saying 'What of it?'. It's truly boss).
Also, I felt that through buying a much higher grade of camera, that I was and am making a statement. That I'm no longer just some newbie/wannabe with a fancy SLR: I actually want to come across as serious about photography and as someone who knows their way around an SLR. I felt that I was ready to take that next step. And I did take that step. I'm glad that I made it too, because I'm proving to myself that I want to get more serious with my photography. Here's hoping I keep up this level of enthusiasm and passion for a long, long period of time.
Buying this (expensive) piece of gear has also made me actively get into taking more pictures more often. It's helped me return to photography and getting out there to new locations to take photos. I really do enjoy photography, and I want to do it more often. Getting this camera and making this statement has helped me truly realise that, and really 'return' to photography. I've been away a while, and I like the feeling of getting back into it. It's good to be back.
Just this past weekend, I went out with two friends to take pictures of some scenic locations around Brisbane. The weather was pretty crappy, so we had to make do with constant cloud cover and flat lighting. But we were out most of the day and got the chance to catch the sunset over Brisbane city from a mountain lookout. It was a really good session, and even though I took over 200 photos and liked only a few dozen of them, it let me get a real feel for this camera and what it's capable of.
Here's some of the better pics I took from last weekend:
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| First attempt at a proper HDR image... |
Not as many good ones as I'd hoped, but I still took some that I really liked. Here's hoping I can pull off better ones more often.
Anyway, sorry for the kind of long absence. Hope I wasn't out of the loop for too long. I'll try not to take so long next time...
* "squeeeeeeee"
The Return
Hilltop Hoods
State of the Art, 2009
I love that last photo. I'm still working with a Canon D1000, which is semi-professional, but I'm nowhere near knowing all the ins and outs of that camera.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, good for you that you got a raise :)
Thanks, the last photo is probably my favourite from that set.
DeleteI've seen some of your pics on your blog, you've got a lot of skill. Those two pictures of flamingos especially caught my eye - very nicely taken, kudos.
That's a really nice camera that takes really nice pics, though I know nothing about cameras.
ReplyDeleteAnd I was looking forward to you blogging again.
Haha cheers, I wanted to blog for a while, but I felt that anything I wrote wouldn't be worth anyone's time. Also, it's been a fair while since I posted any of my photos, so me sitting down and composing this post allowed me to kill two birds with one stone.
DeleteAre you still alive? (Sorry, a few weeks late. XD)
ReplyDeleteLove the photos, also.
Better late than never... :P
DeleteAnd cheers.
You can have the best camera but you need to have the "eye".
ReplyDeleteDamn, I'm envious you got both. ;)
Nailed it in one. Having 'better' gear doesn't guarantee a good photo, which is one of the first things I tell friends who say to me that they want to buy an SLR. I also tell them that it's not easy or quick to pick up and learn, and that they have to be willing and able to invest a lot of time in riding out the learning curve.
DeleteIt's worth it in the end though, I think.
And cheers for saying I have an eye for it ;).
Hi! You're back!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that the job worked out.
I love the photos.
It's good to be back, and I'm glad the job worked out too, I really didn't want to leave the school I'm at now.
DeleteDUDE! YOU'RE ALIVE! YAY!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad the job thing worked itself out. Now that is one less thing to worry about, huh?
Your pictures are fantastic. I wish that I had an eye for photography, but I really don't. I guess that is what happens when you are as blind as a bat. Cool camera, man. I wish I had the cash to buy a camera, but I kind of want to go to university so a camera is going to have to wait.
Glad you're alive!
Yo, yeah it is one less thing to worry about. It's a fairly big weight taken off my shoulders.
DeleteThanks for the lovin'. It was an expensive piece of gear, and if I was out living by myself I don't think I would have been able to afford it, but since I live at home, it was doable. Still a lot of cash though...
:D Fellow camera geek!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt when my yearbook department purchased a Canon 70D. We can bump the ISO up to 6500 and take pictures at sports games at night time... I love it. So. Much. Your photos are amazing!
Congrats on getting the raise!
Cheers yo.
DeleteAnd nice new camera, it's ridiculous how much better the more expensive ones perform under darker lighting isn't it? Now raising ISO is actually a useable corner of the light triangle for me/us... it's great.
This is my first time here. I'd like to say nice choice with the job situation.
ReplyDeleteWell hello there, thanks for the swing by.
DeleteCheers, I'm liking the job situation now as well. It's going good so far.
Ash Ash Ash. I'm glad the job situation worked out! I'm glad you're blogging again - I haven't posted on my blog in a very long while, but I hope to once this load of homework clears up.
ReplyDeleteYou're awesome. Bye.