The joys of a macro lens

Ok - the photo below was taken on my patio, so it doesn't qualify as a travel or an adventure, but I wanted to put it here because I am sure I will be uploading these kind of pictures a lot, now that I have a macro lens. I just love it. You can capture the most minute detail, such as a waterdrop on a leaf, or an aphid on a flower with a macro lens. If you like to take pictures of flowers or just of nature in general, a macro lens is a must. Now, I am still learning how to use this lens. I have to get readjusted to thinking about f-stops and shutter speeds and ISO's now that I have a digital SLR. The old Kodak point and shoot camera is great, but for close-ups, it plain sucks, and the shutter lag is a complete drag. The digital SLR gives me a lot more freedom in choosing what I want the shots to look like. There are so many options! I loved my dad's old Pentax SLR, but I am totally digging the digital SLR's because you can practice and practice and never waste film. And you can see your results immediately instead of waiting for film to get processed.

I am going on vacation next week, and am planning on going to Bryce Canyon National Park, and maybe hitting up Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as those places are all within just a few hours of each other. Can't wait to take some more pictures!!! lol.