A Camera Nerd is Born - Brandon's First Post

I put this blog online about 16 months ago, so it's probably about time I made my first post. I never thought I'd be one of those photo-nerd parents who were always clicking away at the shutter button. But then two things happened: (1) I met Sofie, and (2) I got a new camera. Alas, I have joined the ranks of the amateur-but-hopeful shutterbugs.

We can now put some semi-professional-grade photos online, courtesy of the Canon EOS Rebel. There are still many buttons, settings and features I have to figure out. But I'm at least able to point and shoot with it.

My long-term goal is to get into nature / wildlife photography. There's plenty of inspiration for this in the Napa Valley area. But you have to start somewhere, so I'm starting with the "wildlife" that frequents our own backyard.

Here are a couple of practice shots from the backyard today. You can click to enlarge them.

New Friends and The Napa Fair

Sofie has made lots of little friends over at the park near our house.  There is one family in particular we get together with a few times a week and this week the Daddy brought his camera and took some great photos of the kiddos playing:

Sofie with Juliet and her sister Danielle

Today we went to the Napa Town & Country Fair.  It was so much fun to watch Sofie encounter the living, breathing animals she loves to imitate.  We saw chickens, ducks, bunnies, pigs, goats, sheep, cows and horses.  Sofie also got to experience the" quality" fair kiddies rides (we chose them carefully!) and had lots of fun.  And she insisted on wearing her tutu, or "dancy skirt" as she calls it: