For the past few years I had been shooting almost exclusively with vintage manual focus lenses, mostly in M42 mount, but a couple in Nikon F mount and one Olympus OM mount, adapted to Eos.

I was initially drawn to these lenses because of their availability, reputations, and incredibly low prices (the cheapest cost me $11, the most expensive cost me $80). Since they do not couple electronically with the camera it was through using them that I learned to shoot in manual mode.

While I have been very pleased with the results of my old lenses, constant manual focusing is fiddly and becoming more difficult as my eyes age and I wear glasses. So I am venturing back into modern day lenses and using auto focus and will see how it compares.

I mostly photograph my family and day to day life.

My biggest challenge is photo editing. I do little editing to most of my photos, though occasionally will try something new. I love some of the effects others do and would love to try to recreate them.

My current gear consists of a Canon 7D, gripped, a 5D gripped, Canon 550EX Speedlite, Canon 24-105mm f/4 L, Canon 85mm 1.8, Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG macro, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Canon 18-55mm IS, and Canon 55-250mm IS.

I am considering adding at some part a Canon 70-200mm f/4 L and a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 art lens.

My other love is thrifting - garage sales thrift stores and our local on line buy and sell site, kijiji. I rarely shop retail. I buy the bulk of my clothes and accessories, decor items, furniture and household items second hand.

In addition to being frugal by nature, I like the history of second hand things, especially true vintage items. And I like the idea of giving like to still usable items, rather than seeing them in landfills.

You can follow my thrifting finds on my pinterest board at www.pinterest.com/cathyt1612/i-love-garage-sales-thrift-s...