camera shy

We have had Theo's newborn, 3 month, and 6 month pictures done at Picture People at the mall.  We've spent no less than $400 on said pictures so far and it would be so, so super easy to spend a whole lot more.  We have tried to just get the minimum for ourselves and for the people we think would really appreciate the gesture the most.  Maybe I'm a tightwad, but that's how I was raised - to be thrifty.  It's not that the Picture People don't do a good job.  So far we have been pleased with the results.  But you get maybe 15 - 30 minutes in front of the camera, then you wait an hour for them to edit them or whatever they do.  They finally come out and try to get you to buy the most expensive package and show you about 25 or 30 images total. 

I hate the digital camera we have now.  Despite the good reviews, I HATE it.  I say that every time I use it and we have had nothing but problems with the camera itself as well as Samsung customer service.  I won't launch into the whole story but let's just say that we bought the camera while I was pregnant to take pictures of my growing belly and our newborn baby.  Well, when the baby was 3 weeks old the camera crapped out and Samsung told us we would have to wait up to 8 WEEKS for it to be repaired.  EIGHT WEEKS!?  Do you know how long that is in the life of a mother to a 3 week old baby?  It might as well be years. 

The point I'm getting to is that I have been debating for a couple of months about whether or not I should get a professional grade camera.  My argument against doing this is obviously the insane cost.  We have plenty of other essential things to spend money on and a purchase like this wouldn't be made flippantly.  Also, what if I'm too dumb to use it?  Maybe I would be in way over my head.  I don't really know anything about real photography or even how to effectively use PhotoShop.

My argument for getting it is that even before I had a baby, I had a love of photography and have been told (by a handful of people who love me very much) that I even have "an eye" for photography.  Maybe that's kind of like the people whose mothers tell them they can sing and end up on the Best of the Worst on American Idol.  I don't know.  Anyway, I think if I had a professional grade camera (that I knew how to use) I would be able to take pictures every bit as good as what we get at Picture People, if not better.  At least there would be some variation and not every picture would have a plain white or black backdrop.  And I wouldn't be paying $100+ every time we wanted to get some good pictures taken.  I sort of feel like the camera would pay for itself over the course of a couple years.  What better time to make an investment like this to preserve my baby's childhood?  After all the years go by, what's really left other than the memories? 

Like a little tennis ball, I go back and forth.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.  I just can't bring myself to bite the bullet and make the purchase. 

~C~