We're back!

[villenadecorte]

Hi PR Family!

We are back in California after living in Portland for the last six years!

Here's a summary of our time in Portland:

Bought a hipster bike

Helped my hubby battle cancer

Worked for some cool design firms

Had another baby (we're up to 4 boys now -- for those who have known me on the boards for the last 9 years)

Taught a lot of dance

Blogged about lots of mundane things

Laughed my ass off at the not so exaggerated show Portlandia

Felt trapped in the grey bubble, missed home, proximity to family

Took a lot of iPhone pics and posted them to Facebook and Instagram

Decided to move home this summer, and now we are living on the central coast of California

During my time in Portland, as wonderful as it was to live there, I was very uninspired and did not visit the PR family very often and that makes me quite sad. Excited at first, I took many pictures in Portland. I'd later sit back, and look through them, thinking, all my pics looked exactly the same and were sort of cliched (a lot of green trees, bridges, food pics, coffee pics, hipsters, streetcars, old churches, etc.)

So, I abandoned my cameras, and instead of thinking of crafting photographs that tell compelling stories, I turned to just taking snaps on my phone or point and shoot.

In fact, since I have been home and thinking about photography and such, I've come to the realization that as much as I love Facebook, the reliability of my iPhone, Instagram and Twitter... those tools, while fun and handy for communicating things quickly, do not really hold a candle to the value, community and knowledge I've derived since 2003 on the Photography Review forum. I'm hoping that with our move back to California I will continue to feel inspired to take pictures and participate in the community here, reconnect and continue to learn from you all.

That said, I am in the market for a new camera, and thankful I have PR.com to lean on for reviews to find one.

So in the mean time, here are a couple of cliched iPhone pics, from our new home on the California Coast

These pics would be:
1- Lifeguard Tower at Sunset at Pismo State Beach
2- Hubby and the newest boy (who is 2) running around Pismo State Beach
3- Hike through the Bluffs trail over the rainy afternoon this past weekend

[Photo-John]

It's *great* to have you back! You were always a positive and stimulating influence on the forums. Plus, you're an organizer and you make things happen. I'm glad your move back to California is making you want to take pictures again

[villenadecorte]

Hey thanks, John! And a big thanks to you and others from PR that have kept in touch these last few years via FB and on occasional pop-ins here on the boards. I love this group of people It's amazing to see how many people I met on the boards so long ago doing what they love with photography now.

Now... I gotta find a decent set up!

[Photo-John]

Now... I gotta find a decent set up!

Start a new thread on the Digital Cameras or DSLR forum and tell us your budget and what you want to be able to do with your new camera. Personally, I love to help spend other peoples' money on new camera gear

[Liz]

Welcome back to the PR community! It's great to see you again....been too long!

BTW, that's a great way to write a brief but concise report on what you've been doing in your absence! I enjoyed reading it - it was very easy to get through....and interesting..

I'll look forward to seeing what camera you come up with.

About a year ago I switched to the M4/3 system due to the fact that I couldn't carry the dslr and those nice Canon "L" lenses around anymore. I like the smaller cameras and have gotten images comparable to what I got from some of my favorite dslr lenses. I now own the Olympus EM5.

Liz

[villenadecorte]

Hi Liz!

Happy to see you again! YES- I am quite interested in M4/3... I do not want or necessarily need the heft of a large Cannon or Nikon DSLR and I have favored Olympus for a while. I was just reading up on your EM5 last night. Glad to know someone whose images I love can recommend one.

-b

[Liz]

Hi Liz!

Happy to see you again! YES- I am quite interested in M4/3... I do not want or necessarily need the heft of a large Cannon or Nikon DSLR and I have favored Olympus for a while. I was just reading up on your EM5 last night. Glad to know someone whose images I love can recommend one.-b

Thanks for the kind words!

Just for your info - the E-P3 is also a fine M4/3 camera (I used this prior to purchasing the EM5). Obviously the EM5 is a nice upgrade with more options - and the IBIS is the best Olympus has produced - although the IBIS on the E-P3 and other PEN cameras work just fine. They are less expensive than the EM5. The EM5 has more of a learning curve - I'm still trying to process it all!

Of course Panasonic makes some fine M4/3 cameras - I just happen to like Olympus since the Oly PEN camera was my first purchase within the M4/3 system. One more reason I like Oly more is the IBIS which means you can use it with any lens - those with or without IS.

Good luck. Keep us updated.....and ask any questions you might have.

Liz

[Old Timer]

Great to hear from you again! A lot of the old gang still here but a lot of new faces as well. Hope to a lot of your work in the future here on PR.