There’s good news and bad news from the land of Project 365 this week. The good news is: next week is the big finale!! Only six days to go!! The bad new is: next week is the big finale!!
Okay, not really. While I’m a little anxious about both what will happen on day 366 — I still haven’t decided — and what I’ll do for day 365, I’m still pretty excited about being finished. The bad news is actually that I think I may have killed my camera. The poor old D40 has been acting up lately, and I fear that I may have photographed it to death. I’m getting this weird hypersaturation in the last week or so, and the exposure seems off.
I got curious as to the life expectancy of a D40, and found out that you should get in the neighbourhood of 50,000 shutter clicks, but that in standard “your millage may vary” form, many report D40s that went on to live happy lives in the land far beyond 100K clicks. Then again, those D40s may not have been subject to the rigours inclement weather, being hauled around absolutely *everywhere* (and, ahem, perhaps dropped once or twice), used to placate a curious 18-month-old and the various other indignities to which I have subjected my beloved camera.
So I got curious about the whole counting shutter clicks thing. I’d realized back in October that I’d taken 10,000 pictures when my internal counter rolled over and started using image numbers I’d been using in March, but I didn’t know how to figure out the exact milage on my camera. Turns out you can find out through your EXIF data, which is displayed on Flickr, under “More properties” in the “Additional Information” menu on the bottom of the right-hand menu of any given picture. At least, that’s what it is for me. All that to say, that just before I started Project 365, I had 5,372 shutter clicks on the D40, and as of yesterday I had 21,251 clicks. That means in a year I’ve snapped off almost SIXTEEN THOUSAND images. Yeesh! No wonder I feel like I’ve got a permanent one-eyed squint going on!
So anyway, here’s this week’s pictures. This was from last Friday, a special “Breakfast for Dinner” treat for the boys. I don’t know why I like TtV pictures from my kitchen, but I do!
This week’s subliminal theme is apparently kittens. You might remember we had to put down our 17 year old cat in 2008; you might more recently remember that we had mouse issues this past autumn. The topic of reacquiring a cat seems to be a subliminal theme in our lives lately, especially ironic because I — the non-cat person — am more into the idea than Beloved, the avowed cat lover. In fact, I came *this close* to getting him a cat for Christmas, but sweet though it would have been to have a bright-eyed kitten in a box under the tree, I couldn’t in my heart give the gift of more than 15 years of litterbox scooping. Because that? Is so not my job.
Anyway, all that to say, we already had kittens on the brain when we visited our friends Jojo and Jaimie and were utterly charmed by the Christmas kitten they gave their daughter.
Oh, the cuteness! (I went with the above pic as the photo of the day, but in hindsight, I think this next one is better.)
And then, a couple days later, we were on a family trip to PetSmart to get some dog food for Katie, and Lucas tried hard to liberate this cat waiting for an adoptive family. Universe, are you trying to tell me something?
Speaking of Lucas, doesn’t he look like he was enjoying his excursion out into the cold?
This was almost a throwaway, but I kind of like it. In the 365 Community on Flickr, there was an optional theme on primary colours, and when I saw how the light was hitting the pushpins on my cubicle wall, I immediately thought of that. Don’t they look a little bit like gems? Besides: ooo, shiny!
And, more gratuitous colour: Beloved playing Rockband Lego on the Wii.
This one isn’t really out of focus, the focus is just somewhere where you might not expect it – on the basket in the foreground. See the murkiness in the colour, though? That’s part of what makes me think my camera is ailing.
That’s it for this week. Six days — SIX DAYS!!!! — to go!
You are so close to being done. I have only 25 more days and I am also undecided about what next. The 7/52 is tempting. Do you have something special planned for the last photo?
Your photos are just stunning. Congratulations on making it to the end!
wow, i can’t believe that it’s been a year. it just doesn’t seem that long ago that i thought “whoa! this chick’s crazy!” 😉 Congrats. It’s been awesome being able to watch your already incredible talent develop into something inspiring. For what it’s worth, I’m going to miss the weekly montages.
hmmm…almost there:))
i still haven’t stopped taking pics, a year and a half after my 365, 6 months after alex’s 365…i mean, i didn;t take a picture yesterday and that was worthy of a facebook status update.
it is just part of you now:)
i hope you DO NOT stop taking pictures:))
That kitten is so cute! Luckily we know too many people with allergies so even though my impractical side would love a kitten, my desire to have my highly allergic nearest and dearest come and visit always wins out.
And when I’m feeling particularly deprived (like when people post cute pictures online …ahem…) then I go and read horror stories about “poo gallop” and cats that “spray”. Then I’m cured.
congratulations on reaching the end!
Now I’m no expert on cameras, but I’d be more inclined to think some weird setting got changed than that it’s reaching the end of its life. I could try taking a guess if you point me to a picture with the problem?
I say go for the cat – in fact, get two so they can keep each other company. 🙂 Your boys are old enough for litter box duty – Sarah has been doing it for more than a year and Sammy has started, too (the latter with supervision). Just emphasize the hand washing after.
I like the fruit basket shot. I can’t wait until the weather turns and I can head outside to play with focus, light, and bokeh – I find flowers, leaves and insects really bring out my artsy-fartsy side. 😉
I didn’t know that about figuring out your shutter clicks on Flickr. I figured mine is around 11,500 and some change, which is a lot. But 14,000? That’s a LOT!