You'll always be my baby.

This is my baby, and its' babies.

I got my Canon EOS 450D body with the 18-55mm kit lens, for Christmas last two years ago. The how we met and how we fell in love at first sight was quite a drama. Frankly, we met through the wondrous internet. But like most online dates and internet relationships, we were just romantically fooling around. Times where I'd scan through forums and digital photography magazines, to read about details, specifications and etc.

It was on Christmas eve, where I still had my boyfriend along. My reliable point and shoot camera. My dearest Olympus. Wherever I went, Olympus tagged along. It was stolen on Christmas eve, in church, where we had a party going on. I left it in my bag in the Youth Centre, my gray Kipling sling bag with Olympus and some other stuffs in it. When I returned, my bag was wide open, unzipped and everything was gone. Some money, membership cards and Olympus. Christmas started off pretty ugly, last two years.

I got meganagged at for losing Olympus because some of mother's cargo photographs were in it. And I was left crying in my room for the entire night on Christmas eve.

But Christmas wasn't so bad after all. One thing led to another. My internet fling and I got into serious business and we've been in love eversince.

Love indeed comes with a price tag, in this case. I've made a commitment to invest in my collection, in an annual basis. Hence, the Canon Speedlite 430EX II flash, Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens and Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 lens, accordingly. I'm no rich kid, but I actually saved up really hard for these grenades. It's actually a sum of piggy bank money and angpau money. Well, except for the 50mm lens. That was last year's Christmas gift.

But I admit, I haven't been as nice to my Canon compared to the ex, Olympus. The obvious, the bulk and hassle when it comes to dSLRs. While ordinary point and shoot cameras are nicely compact, lightweight and convenient. I can't be lugging such a humongous camera bag when I don't even carry a handbag, for a start. And I would never dump my Canon into a handbag without any sort of protective casing; padded softcase or something at least.

Also, P&S cameras are so simple and easy to configure these days. Where everything's figured out automatically by the camera itself - just a button or two away with the many different shooting modes, built in. Unlike the dSLR, there's the ISO, aperture, shutter speed and whatnots to figure out. But then it gives you complete control over your picture; from painting to coloring to framing it. Getting it right takes heaps of practice, and before that, initiative of course! By far, I've only joined forums and learn from sifus in PhotoMalaysia, read Digital Camera Magazine M'sia and that's about it. It's just not enough if I want to improve, and I know it. I guess I haven't been going out, shooting, as often as I should.

And yes, this one also must admit. I've been lazy. Very lazy in fact, I only shoot when I have to. Like during events or holidays. I miss those days where I'd be happily snapping every moment I wish to seize and then transferring them to my computer immediately, then spoil myself with Photoshop. Such love I once had.

I can do this all day.

And now, according to everyone. It'll be a miracle for me to upload photographs to Facebook even after a year the photographs were taken. I do transfer them okay. It's in my iPhotos. I just malas to upload them because it'll take ages. But hey! I'm improving.

Proof: AJcubeSsquare photos were uploaded on the night itself! Why Not? IV photos were uploaded about a fortnight after the event.

Well, just saying. I love my babies a lot and even that's an understatement because I wouldn't trade them for any other cameras. Not even for an EOS 1Ds Mark III. Aiyoh, EOS 450D also cannot handle want to ambik pro camera buat ape?

And yes, the current dSLR frenzy is getting pretty wild. Not referring to anybody, but owning a dSLR does make you look cooler and richer but I bet you can achieve the same for a much lower price. Humbly speaking, for I know how these beautiful babies can suck the money out of your very being. Well if you're lucky, your parents' money. But I'm glad to be in the not-so-lucky category, just so that I wouldn't take my babies for granted.

I'm indeed very blessed to own a dSLR and that I take photography seriously (But not serious enough, I admit).

Okay okay. Here's it. I, Ng Jas Min, vow to be faithful and loyal as how you boys were to me. I promise to make a significant change to my photography routines. To take you boys out more often, to make new babies (I mean, getting more accessories) and make sure you boys are in shining, shimmering, tip-top condition too!

Love, your proud owner.

I find the bokeh a little too distracting, don't you think?