Of close-ups and cameras

(Photo NOT courtesy of Thierry Jouanneteau)

Thank heavens my husband is a shopper, or I would never even have evolved into the digital camera age. He is always keeping his eye out for the latest practical photography equipment, and manages to get good deals on it to boot.

He bought me my Canon PowerShot S45, which I like for its simplicity of use and the fact that it's easy to carry without being tiny -- I never feel like I'm really taking pictures with those extra-small cameras. I've used it for most of my photos on La France Profonde and have been quite satisfied.

On the other end of the spectrum, Thierry has a huge Pentax whose model number I won't mention because I'm afraid to take it out of its case to check.

He takes a lot of great shots with it, some of which I have featured on FP -- perhaps not enough to his liking, but I suppose he could start his own blog, right?

The problems with the Pentax are 1.) I don't know how to use it and 2.) afore-mentioned husband is never around when it is time to take food shots.

Yet, my Canon just didn't cut it for food close-ups.

Well, to make a long story not quite so long, Thierry recently got a great deal on a SONY Cyber-shot 1080 that I am capable of using AND takes great close-ups.

So now I can take credit for shots like the asparagus above, and this Greek-style feta chicken...

... all with a reasonably lightweight, easy-to-use camera.

I took it with me on my recent day trip to Albi with Loulou of Chez Loulou. I'm not sure it was vastly superior to my Canon for normal town photos, but it definitely did better with food, as witnesses this dessert pic from our meal at Restaurant Stéphane Laurens:

(Nems à la banane et au gingembre, ananas, chocolat chaud et glace au nougat)

And I'm definitely pleased with how it rendered this gorgeous cheese from Albi's covered market:

So to sum it up, my Canon is still going to be living in my purse, but the Sony will be lurking around the kitchen and accompanying me on food-related outings.

Here's to a new world of better food photos!

Bon dimanche!