New Gear.
Aug/102
The Durbins recently made a big purchase. Big purchases are the result of much thought and deliberation. This certainly was the case for our recent acquisition. We have been considering buying a new camera. Trevor’s Fuji is an older digital model, more bulky, but a real workhorse. While it took great photos and is in great condition, we were desirous of an upgrade. Kristi has been using a Canon Rebel XT for the past 4-5 years. This camera has traveled around the world and taken great shots. It’s seen some wear and tear but still performs beautifully. This camera is also responsible for sealing the deal that we are going to be members of the Canon family for the foreseeable future. Getting a second Canon ended up as the logical choice – it would allow us to share lenses between the two cameras, and allow us to sell off the older Fuji model.
Trevor’s research had focused in on the Canon Rebel T2i, also known as the Canon EOS 550D. This camera is an upgrade from the Rebel XT in several ways, including:
- Jump from 9 megapixels to 18 megapixels
- Wider range of ISO options, which enable better low-light shots. The Rebel XT only went to ISO 1200; the T2i goes to ISO 6400.
- T2i offers an HD video option. This video option has also been improved since the T1i came out, eliminating the noise from the camera’s movements from being heard on the recording.
With the existing 18-55mm zoom lens on the Rebel XT, we opted to get our first Canon prime lens – a fixed focal length lens – of 50mm. Prime lenses also give you a wider range of aperture options, and therefore, a wider range of depth of field.
We also added an external Speedlite flash to our gear and a diffuser for the pop-up flash.
Check out some shots we recently took with our new Canon Rebel T2i and accompanying prime lens.
The Mountains are Smokin’.
Aug/103
Our trek to the Smokies was our second this year. It was a bit unexpected. Chad & Karen decided about a month ago to take a vacation there and invited us to join them for a few days. It seems we’re in the habit of vacationing with them once a year, so a trip with them was nearly due. (We went to Annapolis and Washington DC together in September 2008, visited family in Alabama together in September 2009, and went to Atlanta for a U2 concert in October 2009.)
With a big vacation just around the corner for us that will involve more visiting, driving, and city hanging, we decided having a lower key vacation about getting away and just relaxing would be a good pre-cursor.
There were splendid views…
Time with the Bowmans…
Walking around town one afternoon…
Reading and hanging…
Resting…(while still enjoying the amazing view…)
Star-gazing…
Hiking in the National Park… (and spotting a deer!)
What’s your ideal vacation look like? City-goer, mountain-hiker, beach sun-bather, stay-cationer?
July 2010 recap.
Aug/102
Summer is flying by. We had a busy July! Here’s a belated recap.
Watched:
+Inception (Trevor saw it twice)
+Unforgiven (#98 on AFI Top 100)
+Smart People
+Rear Window (#42 on AFI Top 100)
+Sense and Sensibility
+Assassination of a High School President
+Despicable Me (Trevor and his co-workers went on a field trip… to the movies… lucky.)
+World Cup Final
Read:
+1 & 2 Chronicles, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians
+The End of Christendom by Malcolm Muggeridge (Kristi)
+Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N.T. Wright (Kristi)
Done:
+Completed the Bluegrass 10K and raised $3,000+ for Compassion’s Child Surivival Program!
+Attended all 3 shows at Summerfest. (We also became TOMS buddies, thanks to the purchase of Kristi’s first pair, worn for the first time at Summerfest.) 
+Celebrated the wedding of two friends, Justin & Shannon!
+Went to 2 Lexington Legends baseball games.
+Pretended we ran an International Bed & Breakfast by hosting and hanging with several Belarusian visitors and friends. 
+Celebrated the 3 year anniversary of meeting each other: July 25th, 2007 at the Zandale Fazoli’s. (The running joke is that T should have proposed by taking K back to Fazoli’s and putting the ring in a lemon-ice, ha!)
+Spent a long weekend in the Smoky Mountains with Chad & Karen. Took our ENO hammock on its inaugural hanging. 
Gorged with Beauty.
Jul/100
We kept the camera close by and found ourselves snapping away when we spent a weekend at the gorgeous Gorge! The Red River Gorge, that is. Enjoy more shots from our camping trip a few weeks back.
Love how moody this shot is…
The rolling hills of Kentucky…
10K Training
Kristi's Training Mileage:
Trevor's Training Mileage:
Good Reads
Kristi's read shelf:
Trevor's read shelf: