My own little point-and-shoot digital camera that Matt got me when he went to Japan just wasn’t cutting the mustard anymore. It wasn’t photographing the mustard well, either.

I wanted more. I see gorgeous pictures taken from my MINI club. Where they can take panoramic views of twenty MINIs all lined up, I could only get three in one shot.

Flickr was my ultimate downfall into the photography spiral. Surfing beautiful portraits, artsy-shots of old buildings, beautiful pictures of pets, it was just too much!

I was ready for a proper DSLR camera. You know, the kind that comes with a three-inch user manual and multiple lenses!

Besides, now that we have a little’un on the way, I wanted to make sure I left myself enough time to learn it, and get good and proficient to take the best pictures! When the baby is born is not the best time to make such an investment. I don’t want to spend my time fumbling.

After careful consideration (and the fact that many friends own it and can vouch for it), I settled on the Canon Digital Rebel EOS XTI.

I’ve had it for two days, and so far I’m thoroughly impressed! It’s entirely possible to turn on the camera, set it to auto, and start taking pictures. It’s also possible to customize further and further, and have the camera live up to its’ true potential.

I think I made a great choice, and can’t wait to learn how to use it better!

Here’s the first few pictures I took, playing around with some of the different settings (such as depth and background changes).

Naturally they were of Reboot. Here she is on our bed (typical) with a bone AND her baby, Mooby. Yes, even though it’s a sheep, it’s named after the ‘False Prophet’ from Dogma!

The URI Alumni web chat I hosted on Internet Safety was a “smashing” success! There were great questions all around.

The people that were running it loved me, as I could type fairly fast and got a lot of questions in because of that.
Click here for the official transcript, which answers these questions:

Should you ever give your credit card number online, i.e. to purchase goods or services ?

Any tips for Spyware protection?

I’ve been doing a lot of speaking engagements at local Rotaries, and other agencies. This week I’ll be hosting an alumni web chat from URI.

Internet Safety: Do you know how to be safe(r) online?

Internet Safety Specialist Jessica Stratton ‘99 leads our April 2007 Web Chat

Please join us on Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at 1 p.m. EST for a Web chat with Jessica (Spinosa) Stratton ‘99, who will respond to your questions about Internet use and safety.

Although using the Internet is a regular part of our everyday lives, there’s an aura of mystery surrounding it that makes many of us uneasy. What do we need to know to protect our children online, prevent credit card and identify theft, and keep our computers virus-free? Is it really possible to be safe online? Answer these questions and others in this timely chat and find out what you can do to make your computer environment safer for you and your family.

Jessica Stratton graduated with a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island in 1999. With a particular focus on Internet use and online safety, she works on technology projects with a variety of populations –from teaching third graders how to use the Internet to helping companies work smarter. A member of the URI Speakers’ Bureau and a contributor to several print and Web magazines, textbooks, and online syndicated columns, Jess owns and operates Solace, a computer training facility in Westerly, R.I.

Note: Submit your questions now, or “live” when the chat begins on April 10th. Our host will respond to as many questions as possible in our 30 minute chat. Enter the chat here to submit a question or to view a copy of the transcript at the conclusion of the chat.

More information…