TR May 2010-An Aussie's Journey - California Here we Come

[lovesdumbo]

I have a Nikon D90. I used to be on the photo staff of my college year book (um some 25+ years ago).

I had an SLR before I had children then I went to a digital point & shoot. I finally got a dSLR in October 2008. Before that I had a "high end" point & shoot. I can get some awesome photos with the dSLR that I simply couldn't get with my point & shoot but it is a lot more work. I got a higher percentage of "nice" (not awesome) photos with the point & shoot. I don't regret going to the SLR at all but it is a more challenging.

I was at WDW with my DD in January for her 7th birthday. I had been really sick before we went and still wasn't 100% on the trip. I had a lot of photo mishaps on that trip because I wasn't able to give it as much attention as it required.

[kcandbella]

I have a Canon Rebel XT. I have had it for three years, and still don't know how to use it. I use it on automatic, and it takes way better pics than my point and shoot, but I could do so much more with it if I had the time to learn properly. That being said, I'm not sure I'm going to bring it to the parks. It is so much more of a hassle to lug around than a point and shoot that I can carry on my wrist on a strap or tuck into a pocket. I don't want to be wearing it around my neck the whole time (when I bend over to talk to Bella or pick her up it always knocks her in the head!). Plus, I will not be upset if my point and shoot gets lost or damaged. I really want the higher quality pics, but I just think it would be too much work, especially since I plan on buying photopass pics. Just my $.02!

[lovesdumbo]

Originally Posted by kcandbella

I have a Canon Rebel XT. I have had it for three years, and still don't know how to use it. I use it on automatic, and it takes way better pics than my point and shoot, but I could do so much more with it if I had the time to learn properly. That being said, I'm not sure I'm going to bring it to the parks. It is so much more of a hassle to lug around than a point and shoot that I can carry on my wrist on a strap or tuck into a pocket. I don't want to be wearing it around my neck the whole time (when I bend over to talk to Bella or pick her up it always knocks her in the head!). Plus, I will not be upset if my point and shoot gets lost or damaged. I really want the higher quality pics, but I just think it would be too much work, especially since I plan on buying photopass pics. Just my $.02!

Don't count on high quality photos from photopass. They use the same Nikon D90 I do. My photos are about 7mb each. The photopass photos are under 1mb. I found the quality of in park photopass pictures just weren't that great on my last trip. I did get some wonderful photos in the resorts at night-I know they are at AKL & Poly. I was glad I bought the CD because it was for DD's birthday trip and I love the borders. Be sure to ask the photopass photographers to take photos with your camera too. I bet your point & shoot photos will be at least as good as theirs.

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by SoonerGirl

I've got a DSLR that I've had for about a year now, and I'm by no means an expert photographer. I love, love, love my camera! I have a Cannon Rebel xsi and it (not me ) takes great photos.
I had a lot of indoor and nighttime photos that included in my December TR if you want to take a look at the results.

They look great to me!

Originally Posted by lovesdumbo

I have a Nikon D90.
I can get some awesome photos with the dSLR that I simply couldn't get with my point & shoot but it is a lot more work..... I got a higher percentage of "nice" (not awesome) photos with the point & shoot.

The Nikon D90 is definitely on the evaluation list...

Originally Posted by kcandbella

I have a Canon Rebel XT. ....It is so much more of a hassle to lug around than a point and shoot that I can carry on my wrist on a strap or tuck into a pocket.....I really want the higher quality pics, but I just think it would be too much work, especially since I plan on buying photopass pics. Just my $.02!

I plan on letting DH carry the camera and I'm also keeping an eye on the photopass pics thing. But we're aware that the Disney photographers are hit and miss...at least they were in Disneyland and sometimes, our shots were better from out p&s.


So, we've almost talked ourselves into the new Canon 550D (aka Rebel T2i) or the Nikon D90. We briefly looked at both in a local camera shop at the weekend and we think the Canon fits our hands better....but the Nikon D90 deal is very compelling...I also lurked and posted in the Photographic section of the DisBoard and if nothing else - the responses have convinced me to get a dSLR. Decisions! Decisions!

[PrincessInOz]

40 days to May!!
40 days to May!!

I kinda figure that I'd like to build up some stamina for the trip and have decided that it is time to get fit, eat healthy and hopefully lose a little weight along the way. So, I'm going to be blogging my activities and food diary - and maintain focus on getting fit.

I've been incredibly bad at indulging in larger portion sizes and the sweet stuff lately and it shows - everywhere!

Today, I watched the portion sizes of the food I ate.

• For breakfast, I had 1 slice of toast with some jam on it. I normally would have 2 slices.
• I also had a skim milk latte. I didn't add the sugar, which I normally would have.
• For lunch, I had 2 sushi handrolls. Kinda on par with normal.
• I bought seedless crimson grapes for a mid afternoon snack, rather than getting chocolate.
• For dinner, I had 1 baked potato with grated cheese and cole slaw. I normally would have had 2 baked potatoes.
• I went to the park and cycled 3 kilometers after dinner (about 2 miles). I aim to cycle a minimum of 2 kilometers or hit the gym for 40 minutes at least 5 times a week.
• I've drunk about 6 - 8 glasses of water today; nothing fizzy or sweet (YAY).

I'm following the Weight Watchers points plan and will be weighing in with them at least 4 times between now and going on holiday. I weighed in yesterday - and no, I'm not telling! Let's just baseline the weight at zero. With luck, I'll be in the negative range next week.
I will share that I need to lose about 8 kilos to get to my goal weight. My target will be to lose 3-6 kilos in the next 40 days. Anything more will be pure cream (but I won't be eating any of this).

I've been cycling at least 2 kilometers a day for the last 6 days. My calf muscles are sore - but that's about it.

Anyone else wanna join me in losing weight and getting fit?

[SoonerGirl]

Sounds like a good plan! I've actually been doing pretty well on exercise. I meet a friend of mine at the park 5 days a week and we walk at least 4 miles at a brisk pace. I've lost 15 pounds just doing that, haven't changed my eating habits much at all. That being said, I have decided to kick it up a notch here these next 6 weeks before the trip and see what I can do!

Good luck!!

[PrincessInOz]

39 days to May!

It's my mum's birthday today and we had dinner with the family. So my eating habits were not so good today. I managed to stay on point till dinner:

• Breakfast: 1/2 a blueberry bagel; no butter or anything else. 1 skim milk latte.
• Lunch: 1 serve of tomato and basil soup with 2 slices of bread.
• Snack: seedless grapes.
• Dinner: medium serve of rice with chicken, roast pork and stir fry vegetables. Dessert included 1 slice of ice cream cake, some chocolate and jelly.
• Liquids: about 6 glasses of water, nothing fizzy or sweet. YAY!!

As we were at my mum's for dinner, I didn't get to go for a bike ride. But I walked for about 30 minutes today at lunchtime.

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by SoonerGirl

Sounds like a good plan! I've actually been doing pretty well on exercise. I meet a friend of mine at the park 5 days a week and we walk at least 4 miles at a brisk pace. I've lost 15 pounds just doing that, haven't changed my eating habits much at all. That being said, I have decided to kick it up a notch here these next 6 weeks before the trip and see what I can do!

Good luck!!

CONGRATULATIONS!! It must feel fantastic to have lost 15 pounds (about 5 - 6 kilos). I can only hope to do the same!!

[kcandbella]

We are getting so close!

I've been watching it, too. I've lost about five pounds the last two weeks. I started the couch potato to 5k program in Feb and have been running 3 miles about 3 times a week, but I didn't notice any weight changes until I changed my eating about two weeks ago. It was time to do something, I really need all my shorts to fit me in less than six weeks!!!

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by kcandbella

We are getting so close!

I've been watching it, too. I've lost about five pounds the last two weeks. I started the couch potato to 5k program in Feb and have been running 3 miles about 3 times a week, but I didn't notice any weight changes until I changed my eating about two weeks ago. It was time to do something, I really need all my shorts to fit me in less than six weeks!!!

WooHoo!! Fantastic! Congratulations on the weightloss. I can't run - have tried everything to learn how to run but I end up looking like a floppy disk when I run.

Trip is getting closer....

[PrincessInOz]

38 days to May!

Thankfully there are no celebrations today to distract me from my goal. Today I achieved the following towards meeting my goal weight:

• Breakfast: 3/4 of an English Muffin with jam. My son ate the remaining 1/4. Also had a skinny Latte, no sugar.
• Lunch: Went out to lunch with some GF. We shared a yummy warm salad of spinach, beetroot, sweet potato, snow peas, almonds and a raspberry and blue cheese dressing. I also had 1/4 of a Spanish Omelette with chorizo, red pepper and olives. Had a sparkling mineral water with lunch.
• Snack: N/A
• Dinner: small serve of gnocchi and tomato (marinara) sauce.
• Liquids: about 6 glasses of water, nothing sweet.
• Went to the park and cycled 4 - 5 km today (11 laps round the 360 m velodrome, 1/2 km to the park and back).

As I'm typing this, DH is doing some exercise around the house. Some years back, we shared a personal trainer and he showed us how to use the furniture for doing exercises similar to the gym. I'm going to join him and work on some upper body toning...the cycling will take care of my bottom half of the body. And yes, I'm going to be adding sit-ups and tummy tucks to the routine (been avoiding this for long enough).

[PrincessInOz]

36 days to May!

So the eating and exercising plans are going well. It's the weekend and I have a weigh-in on Monday....so nervous about stepping on that scale. Oh well, I can only keep up the cycling and walking; and watch what I eat. Wish me luck for the weigh-in; which will probably be my next update.

It's 5 weeks til I'm on a plane

[cdotla]

Oh groan! All my fellow May trippers are exercising and getting healthy and I haven't done a thing yet! That's it...I am starting tomorrow! Not much I can do in 1 month but I will give it a shot!

[SoonerGirl]

Good luck on Monday!!

[franandaj]

Joining in! I caught up with you on the So Cal board or wherever it was you asked about what to do in Long Beach. Looking forward to hearing all about your countdown and your trip! I could use to lose a few kilos, but it isn't going to happen!

In looking at your timing on your trip it looks like you're coming into Long Beach on May 14th. Just to let you know you'll be in Long Beach for Gay Pride weekend. That's not a bad thing, but besides the Long Beach Grand Prix, that is the highest grossing revenue weekend for the city, which means that the city is packed! You're lucky you've got your hotel room reserved, and if you're going to Catalina on the Saturday there'll be no problem. It's just a very busy weekend and parking is difficult in the downtown area.

I thought I would share a few photos of the top of Signal Hill that I mentioned in the other forum. These are from my Point and Shoot, and to join the DSLR discussion, we also have a Canon Rebel XT, but anyways, the pictures don't to it justice. When I was up there today I noticed quite a few people having picnics, there were four tables, two in the shade and two in the sun.



In this picture, you can see Catalina off in the distance.



Another interesting thing to do while you are here is a Zeppelin that is flying out of the Long Beach airport. You can find more information at www.airshipventures.com or call 650-969-8100 x111.

Here is a shot:



And here is a shot from Signal Hill looking towards Downtown LA



Looking forward to hearing more of your updates.