Thank You to my donors!

I just want to put up a current list of everyone who has already donated to my project!!

This opportunity is sure to be one the most amazing trips of my life. The Fulbright is such a fantastic program to send students and teachers all over the world to study what they love and I am SO grateful to be one of those people.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to the people who have donated!!!! Your contributions are making it possible for me to get all the equipment and supplies I need for 10 months of camping!! I truly cannot thank each one of you enough!

Current Donors:

Bernard McHugh
Ben Woods
Nik Pimental
Lexi Gaetano
Mark Hammond
Mary Lou Foley
Pat & Russ Bracewell
Carol Bracewell
Ron Rasmussen Sr.
Newtonville Camera
Scooter Software, Inc.

THANK YOUUUUUU!!!

NEW Cameraaa!!!!!!!!!

So, Monday I went to the camera store to buy a User Guide for the new Canon camera I was impatiently waiting for in the mail. I wondered when it might deliver, I never saw an email that it shipped, or a tracking number or anything. I was a little anxious, cause I didn't want to be at work and miss it when UPS came to deliver my sexy new camera, or, even worse, leave it sitting on my doorstep!

So I wandered around the store, dreaming about the new filters, memory cards, lenses and bags I was going to buy for my beautiful new camera...kinda like shopping for a pet... I finally left and headed home. When I pulled into the driveway, I saw it; a big square box with Canon labels on it SITTING ON MY DOORSTEP!!! I freaked out for a second, but quickly got over it, ran inside, screaming and tore open the package.

The GORGEOUS 5d Mark II is heavier than my last camera, which is not surprising at all, considering the last camera I bought was the Digital Rebel XSi, 3 years ago. Sadly, that great little camera is obsolete now, but will be a perfect back up. The lens that I got with my kit is surprisingly a great lens, not that Canon would pair such a fantastic body with a mediocre lens, but typically kit lenses aren't that great..that's cause they want you to buy a better one. The kit lens is a 24-105mm f/4, it will be great for landscapes and portraits!

Now, I think I have changed my mind about the Zoom lens I want to buy. I had picked out the 70-200 f2.8, but there will be so much overlap in range between the kit lens and that zoom, that I think I may go with the 100-400 f/4...? I'll have to bring my camera in and play with them both...oh boy!

Press Release!!!

I know this is a little too small to read, click the link below to see the full size image!
fbpress2009_1

This guy came strolling right through our picnic area! He walked right in front of me, he was probably 15ft away from me at one point,..it was bananas!
I have decided that Giraffes live in slow motion. These Giraffes ran right past us, but it looked like they were moving sooo slow, but they are actually traveling so fast! Their stride is probably like, 12ft. and their necks kinda bob back & forth slowly, definitely the most uniquely built animals in Africa!
Zebras have the best booties in Africa!

New Fund Raising Goals

Slight change of plans...

I have changed my fund raising goals to focus on one thing I really need; a new Zoom lens. There is no way I will be able to raise enough to cover all the expensive equipment I would like to have, so I am just going to juggle some things around, scratch a few items of my list and work it out!




The beauty of a lens that I would LOVE to have is the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens with a 1.4x converter. For those of you who have no idea what that means (and I still need to have it explained to me, so don't feel bad) This is an awesome, weather sealed, image stabilized zoom lens that is better than some other zoom lenses in low light conditions. Plus, with a converter, it extends the range of the zoom to almost 300mm.


This would make all the difference when shooting wildlife in Tanzania, especially in the unprotected areas. In Parks and Game Reserves, the wildlife has been desensitized to humans and vehicles. When I was in Botswana, we could just pull up next to an Elephant, like he was standing on the sidewalk and take close-ups of his eyeball! But outside the high traffic areas, the animals are still scared of vehicles and humans. (as they should be!)

I have done some serious number crunching, (which is quite a task for an artist! ;) and I think I have found a way to cover some of the larger items I know I will need. Here is a list of things I plan on getting before I go, if anyone has any suggestions, connections or feels like donating used equipment, pleeaaase let me know!!

4wd vehicle to be purchased in Tz:.........................check!
Heavy Duty Canvas Wall Tent, also getting in Tz:...........check!
Canon EOS 5D Mark II, ordered TODAY!!!!:...................check!

Things I still need to get:
10x Binoculars
Large Storm Case
Solar Powered Car Battery Charger
Car Adapter to charge camera, laptop etc..
Head Lamp
Solar Powered Lantern
Heavy Duty Flashlight (rechargeable or solar)
Global GPS
Field Guides for East Africa
Kiswahili Textbook
Fancy backpack that will fit ALL of my equipment
Serious hiking boots!

I leave SEPT. 28th! That's just 11 weeks away!! I am starting to get really excited/nervous and I still have SO much to do!!