Monday Q&A | Cameras, lenses, lunches, and staying thin
Every Monday, I answer a few of the questions that my readers send me. If you have a question you'd like me to answer in a future Q&A post, just leave me a comment here or email me (thefrugalgirl [at] gmail [dot] com) and put Q&A in the subject line. I look forward to hearing from you!
One of my favorite parts of your posts are your photos -- what type of camera (and lens, if applicable) do you use? I know it's more than the camera -- like the photographer, but I'm still curious. I love your photos!
-Connie
I'm so glad you like my photos...I love taking them and sharing them. 🙂 Your question is very common, and when I finally get an FAQ page up, this question will be at the top of the list! I apologize to those of you who've read this answer a million times before. I am going to get that FAQ page up, I am. One of these days.
I shoot with an entry-level Canon EOS Rebel camera body, and I mainly shoot with two lenses, a 50mm/1.4 lens and a 24-70 L series lens. The majority of the photos on this blog are shot with the 50mm, though, simply because it's so light and convenient, and because it's so simple to use in low light.
I have done a number of posts about improving your photography no matter what camera you have, so you might want to browse through those. I do love my camera equipment to pieces (I could never go back to a point and shoot!), but like you said, equipment isn't everything. So, if you don't want to invest a whole lot of money into bodies and lenses, improving your photography skills is a good way to go.
Question: What kinda camera do you use? I am saving for one and cannot decide between a Nikon or Canon. I would love your input.
-Monica
As I mentioned in the previous answer, I shoot with Canon equipment. I don't have anything against Nikon at all, though...in fact, I've never shot with a Nikon before, so I don't even know if I like their stuff or not. However, I've got a small pile of money invested in Canon lenses at this point, so I think I'm firmly in the land of Canon now.
I know that's profoundly unhelpful...I'm sorry! I know that when I read photography magazines and articles, there doesn't seem to be a clear answer about which is better. Some people adore Canon and some people would never consider shooting anything but a Nikon. From what I can gather, you'd probably be happy with either choice.
I do love, love, love my Canon DSLR, though, that much I can tell you.
I am a new reader to your web site, and just wanted to know if you had any frugal tips or ideas for cold lunch ideas that I could pack for my husband. He does not have access to a microwave during his day, and we are trying to save money by him not eating out every single day.
-Kaya
It does make it harder to pack a lunch when there's no access to a microwave or toaster oven, that's for sure! I hate it when my husband's place of work doesn't have a toaster oven.
I'm sure my other readers will have some ideas to add to mine, but here are a few to start you off.
- peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- chicken or tuna salad sandwiches
- wraps (you can fill tortillas with lots of different things...chicken, lettuce, tomato, bacon, cheese, etc)
- pasta salad (we eat things like chicken pasta salad for dinner in the summer, and I send leftovers in my husband's lunch)
- soup in an insulated thermos
I have a silly question. How in the world does your whole family stay so fit? If I did the baking you did, I think I'd weigh 300 pounds. Are you super active? Do you attribute it to how healthy you eat (other than the carbs?)? Small portions?
-Lynda
I don't think that's a silly question at all. 😉
I think the overall slim-ness of our family is attributable to several things.
- Genetics. We're all fairly tall and have kind of light builds. My husband I just don't have the genes to turn out a family of linebackers...we're built more like runners. I would guess that our metabolisms run a little on the fast side of things, though I don't have any medical evidence to support that.
- Portion Sizes. I don't know that we deserve a lot of credit for this, but none of us has an enormous appetite. So, it's not as though we plow through incredible amounts of food and still stay slim...we just eat smallish portion sizes.
- Diet. Yes, we eat home-baked goods and our diet isn't perfectly clean, but we don't consume a lot of processed foods. I cook mostly from scratch, we don't eat restaurant or fast food often at all, we eat fruits and veggies, and we drink mostly water. This causes us to consume far fewer calories than we would if we drank sugary beverages, ate fast food and prepared foods, and didn't eat fruits and vegetables.
- Activity. Since we don't spend a lot of time watching TV or participating in other sedentary activities, we tend to be fairly active. Except for when I'm blogging, I don't spend much of my day sitting down. And of course, my kids, being kids, are usually running around the house or running around outside.
In sum, I think the skinny-ness of our family is due to a combination of things outside of our control (the genetics) and lifestyle choices (the portion sizes, diet, and activity level).
Now, as far as the home-baked goods go, there are two things I'd like to point out.
- When you have homemade breads around all the time, it's not that tempting to gorge yourself on them. If you only get homemade bread once in a blue moon, you want to eat piece after piece after piece. However, if you know there will be more bread tomorrow and the next day and the next day, it's much easier to control yourself!
- Despite the way it seems, I don't do a lot of sweet baking. I know I post recipes for muffins and coffeecakes and cinnamon bread, but those sorts of breads make up only a small percentage of what I bake, much to my children's chagrin. The most oft-consumed baked good here at Chez Frugal Girl is the lowly whole wheat sandwich bread, not the cinnamon twists (those are an occasional treat).
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Thanks for all your questions, everyone. And thanks for being patient with the tardiness of my blog post this morning. I'll try to be more prompt tomorrow. 😉
I agree that having homemade breads around makes a difference in how you view them. In my mind it is real bread. Period.
I have (mainly) made our own bread for several years now. I like to bake and love knowing exactly what is in my sandwich bread, as opposed to the ever-growing ingredient lists on typical bought bread. I make it, cool it, and usually don't slice until the next morning for breakfast. It still tastes fresh and delicious. I generally have no more than two slices a day. This is not to say I am as slim as Kristen, unfortunately, but it isn't bread which keeps a few extra pounds on me.
That's exactly the camera/lens combination I use. Proof that the trick is not so much in the equipment as in the hand that holds it can be seen at my blog, where the photography is much less exciting. I'm looking forward to devouring your photo tip articles tonight after the kids go to bed.
I wanted to mention that the 50 mm lens, in addition to being lightweight, convenient and taking awesome photos - especially great for blogs, where a close-up shot often works well - is one of the cheapest lenses out there. You can often pick up a used one for as little as $50. It's a great buy for a frugal photographer.
That is true...the 50/2.8 is quite inexpensive. Being the aperture addict that I am, I have the more expensive 50/1.4, but still, that lens is WAY cheaper than my 24-70. And honestly, if I had to only choose one lens to own, it would be the 50. I LOVE that lens.
I agree with the idea that having those things around often keeps them less tempting! I've noticed this in my household with everything really. If we keep ice cream on hand then I am less tempted to eat a bunch than when we only get it occasionally. Same goes for bread products.
Regarding cold lunch ideas - my son takes a lunch this year and some favorites are cold leftover pizza (convenient if you have pizza night once a week!) and cold leftover macaroni & cheese. I was skeptical when he said he would take them, but it always gets eaten!
This is for Kaya, who asked about frugal cold lunch ideas. Leftovers that can be eaten cold is the most frugal, but harder in the fall and winter when we all tend to eat hot foods instead of salads and such that are best eaten cold or at room temperature. I recently started a new job where I don't have access to a microwave, so I've been eating a lot of sandwiches. The best advice I have about saving money on that is to make your own bread. Make several loaves at a time and freeze some (if you have the space). Sandwich bread tastes great from the freezer as long as it's stored well. If you don't bake, the check bread prices and when your brand is on sale, buy multiple loaves and then freeze them. As far as sides, my best advice is to avoid buying things that come in individual servings. They are more expensive and have a lot of excess packaging. Buy large bags of chips, crackers, whatever your husband likes and then package them up yourself. I like fresh fruit and veggies in my lunch, so I often buy huge bunches of grapes or jumbo packs of baby carrots to pack for lunch. Homemade applesauce in individual serving containers makes for something different as well. As long as you stay away from pre-packaged and single-serving items, you are going to be saving lots of money versus eating out.
Regarding cold lunches, my husband has the same problem--no microwave, no refrigerator, and a 20-minute lunch break to boot (he's a teacher). Sometimes I'll send him off with sandwiches (usually peanut butter and jelly, since we don't buy lunchmeat), but lately I've been giving him one serving of fruit, one serving of chopped vegetables, and a "main course" of something like cheese and crackers, a bran muffin, pitas and hummus, peanut butter and crackers, nuts, etc. It keeps him full and is always really healthy.
As for staying thin, I second the "having homemade breads and goodies around all the time makes them less of a temptation, not more" thing. We frequently have homemade bread around (and I make a dessert every week), and while we obviously really enjoy eating them, we don't feel the need to gorge ourselves on them because we know there will be more later. Of course, as Kristen noted, genetics and generally lifestyle choices influence weight, too.
I have to completely agree with Kristen on the slim family reasons. My husband (6' 5" 210lbs) and I and our 2 children (6 & 2) are thin. I am actually underweight and I completely attribute it to genetics, portion sizes and the type of food we eat along with physical activity. I home cook all of our meals (we maybe eat out 2 times per month) we drink skim milk or water at every meal; there is always a vegetable and most often fresh fruit offered. We catch and freeze our own fish (Walleye) when the lakes aren't frozen in the summer along with having a garden and eating well off that and what we preserve through canning to eat into the winter. Genetics plays a huge roll in your build and I know that is a huge reason why both my husband and I are thin. I also am the "frequent" eater type person, which is what is suggested in every "diet" plan you read. I eat 3 small meals a day and 3 snacks, which keep your metabolism doing all day long and prevents you from getting so hungry that you devour everything in site when you do see food. We always discuss nutrition with our daughter and why it is important to eat healthy at meals. But don't get me wrong we have unhealthy food in our diet also; it just doesn't consume our diet.
One of my favorite memory of my children so far was this past summer they were fighting over who got to eat the cherry tomatoes they could reach from outside the garden fence with their little fingers. My son was only 18 months, but boy did he put up a good fight.
Also, remember that when you are consuming home baked goods, they are usually a healthier alternative to the prepackaged snack foods and baked goods that you buy in the grocery store. I've found my entire family to be healthier and more active just by switching from processed and packaged foods to homemade, even though I'm not particularly careful about ensuring that everything I cook is low-fat, low-carb or low sugar.
More cold lunch ideas: cottage cheese & tomatoes (or fruit, if you like that), green salads with diced meat or boiled egg, bagels & cream cheese/lox
I love your photos and photo tips. They're so much more reader-friendly (and just plain friendly for that matter) than many other printed and internet resources out there. I was wondering if you could tell me a bit more about what settings you use with the 50mm lens, especially in low light. I just got a Canon EOS Rebel and a 50mm lens and I'm so confused!!! Also I've just been asked to shoot a friend's wedding this summer. I've got lots of practicing to do...
Ooh, my first wedding is coming up this summer too. I think it will be fun.
When I'm shooting with my 50 in low light, I usually have it on the P setting, and I try shooting at 400 ISO. If that doesn't give it enough light, I bump it up to 800, and then 1600 if necessary.
In more decent light, I leave the camera on the AV setting and shoot at 200 or 400 ISO.
Also, I always manually select the focus point of the camera when I'm using the 50. When you shoot with a really wide aperture, it's essential to make sure the camera is focusing where you want it to focus, because only a small part of the photo will be in focus.
Holler if that made no sense, and I'll explain further. 😉
Hi Kristen & Jen,
I have taken photos for a number of friends and family weddings in years past. My best advice is to get a list of the kind of photos the couple wants. That way, you don't end up like another friend whose photographer took lots of great "Friends & Family" photos, but not one formal shot with just the bride and groom.
Second, if there is a "Formal" photographer and you're doing the casual shots, try to speak or meet with the photographer ahead of time. Best that they be relaxed about your presence than to have them worried that you will interfere with their work. It happens.
Third, something I did that became kind of a signature was to make sure I got a big group shot of everyone the couple calls "Family". I took it at the reception when everyone was well-fed and relaxed. Several times it has happened that a loved one passed away not long after the wedding celebration. I have received so many thanks for taking that big group picture when everyone was happy and looking their best. One friend took their group shot and made it into a poster!
My "Family" shot then morphed into an "The People We Love" group photo. (Think of everyone gathered on the church steps right after the ceremony and you on a ladder with your camera.)
With a little planning and a good eye, you can give your friends and loved ones a gift they'll treasure forever. I still get a little thrill when I see "my" albums and "my" photos in their homes.
Thanks Kristen and Diane!!!
Kristen--That makes sense. The bride-to-be liked me for what I can do with my point and shoot, amazingly enough. Now that I have a 'real' camera I can't wait until I'm to the point where I can make it take the pictures I see in my head. I just have keep shooting until it becomes second nature. That means my family (and my cat!) may start to forget what my face looks like without a camera in front of it. 🙂
Diane--I'm pretty sure I'm the only photographer since it's going to be a very small wedding. The bride-to-be has already mentioned some waterfalls at the site where she and her groom would like couple shots taken. I plan on making a trip there ahead of time to suss out the area, as well as meeting to talk with her about other photos she'd like. I hadn't thought about a ladder, though--thanks for the tip!!!
Oh yes, a list is a good idea. I'll definitely do that before the weddng.
I totally understand what you mean about seeing "your" photos...I love poking around Facebook and seeing "my" pictures as other people's profile photos!
Kristen -
My husband has the same camera and lens you do - he takes amazing photos as well. It must be the camera..*wink*.
Anyway - I just wanted to thank you for all the wonderful posts & recipes. I have discovered that I really LOVE baking bread and am now able to help with a ministry within our church that I never would have done otherwise.
Our church family provides meals for families with new babies, or major illness, etc. Now that I bake bread so often - and so many of your awesome recipes are 2-loaf ones - I have the ability to contribute. I don't really 'cook', so a loaf of bread or a batch of rolls can go with another person's contributed dinner meal - which is a very nice addition and greatly appreciated. Who doesn't love fresh bread with dinner?
I have even been able to make the English Muffin Bread and send that along - not just for dinner, we can now help with a breakfast meal!
You (and your blog) have been a major blessing and I just wanted to say thank you!
@Kaya - what does your husband think of the idea of eating leftovers cold? There are a lot of leftovers in this world that, even cold, taste better than yet another sandwich. (Speaking as someone who's not thrilled about eating umpteen sandwiches.) And remember: cottage cheese isn't just for women.
@Lynda - there's theory that processed foods make us fatter. The more processed a food is the easier it is to digest, meaning it takes fewer calories to digest the food. Processing means cooking it, or chopping it small. The process is additive: if you both cook something *and* chop it, you get extra calorie savings. So eating lots of homecooked or less-processed foods, even if the same amount of calories, means we get fewer net calories and thus are slimmer. If you're interesting in learning more, I recommend a recent books called "Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human." The author, Richard Wrangham, is a scientist and it shows: the book is a pleasure to read, is real science (not watered down popsci), and has lots of references - a rare and refreshing combination.
I am also a new person that just started reading your great blog! I am really inspired to make my own yogurt using your own receipe and love the weekly pics. I am trying to find more time to cook for my husband and myself but get discouraged with his total dislike of onions! Many receipes start with using onions and he hates them. Any suggestions for getting around this?
Thank you,
Susie
I think it depends on how and why your husband hates onions. It could be that he doesn't like strong onion flavor, in which case you can cook the onions for longer or use the (more expensive) onion relatives leek or shallot. If he's a hopeless case then you can leave them out entirely. Your dish will taste differently but that, of course, is the whole idea.
If it were my spouse, I'd first test whether he really hated onions or just the idea of onions, by surreptitiously cooking something with onions in it. As long as my spouse wasn't allergic, that is.
Yep, what WilliamB said. Most recipes will be fine without the onions...they'll just be missing that onion flavor.
I agree with the bread. I think when I first started making it, we consumed more than we do now, although it is part of my routine to bake it all the time, I guess knowing its around, makes it less likely to eat so much in one sitting.
We do eat a lot of the sandwich bread, but just the mention of cinnamon twists... mmm, now I'm putting it on my list to make this week!
I make my husband's lunch the night before, since he leaves for work at 5:30! It's usually a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a crunchy something (crackers, homemade Chex mix, etc.), and sometimes a couple of Tablespoons of nuts. The trick to helping him not to be tempted to hit the fast food instead of the bag lunch is to give him variety. Different types of sandwich fillings, sometimes a wrap or a pita or a roll instead of sliced bread, sometimes I'll cut up a grapefruit for him instead of an apple or banana, sometimes we might have cookies in the house.... He recently told me that he likes it when I make his lunch (instead of him making it) because he enjoys the surprise of not knowing what's going to be in there.
You can also put in fresh cut veggies with or without dip, a breakfast baked good (coffee cake, banana bread, muffins), dried fruit (you can home-dry fruit for cheap! the marked-down bananas are wonderful when dried), green salads of all sorts and varieties (put the dressing and "crunchies" in tiny containers and stick them right into the salad bowl with the lettuce so things don't get soggy before lunch), yogurt (with an ice pack), hard-boiled eggs (with ice pack)..........start making a list of foods he likes that he can eat on the go, so on the days when you have no inspiration you can still make a yummy lunch!
I'm perfectly happy with my old Yashica gear (I should be, I just restored it last fall 😛 ) but one of these days I really would love to buy a Voigtlander Bessa R2A. Sadly, I just can't in good conscience drop that kind of money on a camera and a whole new lens system.
When you choose a camera system, you're married to it for life. It's very hard to divorce yourself from a camera maker.
Unless of course, you're rich; then you're free to be a polygamist.
Oh and for all those participating in the Nikon vs Canon wars, Leica would like a word with you. 😛
lol! I'm already happily hitched to Canon...Leica's going to have to find some single girl out there to sell their stuff to.
He's such a charmer though. Heck, he is trying to win my affections as well. The problem of course is that it's really hard to justify thousands of dollars on a single lens. They keep their value, though. No, I'm still fine with my Yashicas. I can even get a Carl Zeiss lens for it if I want to.
Yes, it's hard to find clothing bargins on a budget when you are plus-sized. I'm an 18. Kristen's lucky to be slender, naturally.
Our church did a a plus-size clothing swap. I was so excited until I saw the clothes. Uh...most of the members of the church who are plus size are also over the age of 60!! I think Chico's has beautiful clothes-they are just a little old for me (I'm 36) and too dressy to be SAHM-practical.
I'm back to scoring online bargins at Alight.com's clearance.