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Family Fun At The ROM: #NikonMOMents Part 5

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From the age of two and a half, my son would ask me at least twice a week if we could visit the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) to visit the bat cave and dinosaurs.  It amazed me how interested he was at such a young age, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to foster his love of learning.

So, I’d plan a few fun adventures with him each week, which usually included going to the ROM for his bat cave ‘fix’.  This planning was as much for him as it was for me; being a work-at-home Mom means that sometimes I lose track of time and, before I know it, we’ve stayed inside all day!

Needless to say, we have had a family membership ever since.

They still love them: my kids in the ROM bat cave 🙂

Going to the ROM is something the whole family enjoys and it never gets old. But, despite having had my Nikon D3300 for almost a year now, I’ve never taken it along on any of our visits there.  I think I was scared that I would lose my youngest while trying to capture the perfect shot! Luckily, my husband came with us when we visited the museum recently, so I was free to snap as many pictures as I wanted. Here’s a glimpse into our trip…

We had so much fun learning about the new dinosaur that was just discovered.

We awaited the reveal of a new dinosaur species

Now that my daughter is old enough to read, the kids love checking out the interactive displays to find out more about the exhibits.

After many attempts at capturing images (especially of items behind glass) with my smartphone, I’m glad I had my Nikon D3300 camera with me this time. My favourite setting to shoot with is the aperture priority setting (“A” on the dial); this allows me to determine the amount of light that should be let in, and the camera determines the optimal shutter speed based on that setting. I find that the shots are brighter, and I’ve got greater control of shadows / highlights and depth of field, than when using Auto mode.

Butterflies in the biodiversity wing are breathtaking
Animals (sloth & macaw), dinosaur skeletons and fossils
Carvings from the Egypt wing

Despite the fact that this mummy tomb (below) is encased in glass, the Nikon D3300 took a pretty crisp shot. The only downside is the reflection on the right side of image, which was unavoidable due to the direct lighting in the gallery.  In contrast, the images of fish (further below) were all taken through thick glass as well, but in an area with more ambient/diffused lighting. The results are vastly different.

Mummy tomb

My son loves the fish in the biodiversity wing of the ROM;
he visits his special “fishy friend” (the yellow one) every time we go!

Beautiful mosaics

A mosaic ceiling inside the ROM; the Nikon D3300 handled the dim lighting with ease,
capturing every little detail

Stunning stained glass windows

True Canadiana – a totem pole

When visiting the ROM, be sure to inquire about the Earth Rangers show. My kids have seen it a few times and can’t get enough!
One of the stars of the Earth Rangers show

The special events are fascinating as well… the kids loved the Forbidden City, Franklin Expedition (see picture below) and #DinoHunt exhibits, and we’re looking forward to seeing the Douglas Coupland exhibit soon.

A replica bell from the recently discovered wreck of the Franklin Expedition’s HMS Erebus

The ROM is truly one of my family’s favourite places to go. If you haven’t been there before, check their website for hours and visiting information.

I’m thrilled to have been able to capture – and share – some of my family’s favourite moments this past year, thanks to Nikon and Influence Central Canada! I love my Nikon D3300 and recommend it to all of the DSLR newbies like me, who want a compact-body camera that is capable and full-featured, but still easy to learn on (guide mode is awesome) and grow with (lenses are the next frontier!).

Images of loved ones and special times are priceless and I hope you take every opportunity you get to capture yours. 🙂

Disclosure: I am part of the Mom
Central Canada / Influence Central Canada Nikon MOMents team and I receive special perks as part of
my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own. 

Comments

  1. Lynda Cook says

    You have captured great shots, looks like a great place to go!! you took some pretty amazing pictures, they are so clear and perfect!!

  3. Maya Fitzpatrick says

    Wow. Those are some great shots. You really can't see the glass at all.
    It's so great that your kids enjoy going to the ROM. It's housed with so much information and history. Which reminds me… We are due for a trip there.

  4. krisha44 says

    what an awesome family outing ! fun and educational. I have never been there before but would love to take my girls when they get a bit older. love the photos 🙂

  5. Tiffany M says

    The ROM looks fabulous- I've always wanted to visit! Also, so jelly of getting to go to the Douglas Coupland exhibition- I love his work!

  8. Tammy Mitchell says

    I need to get back to the ROM so many amazing things to see and do. I too some days look down at the clock and realize we've done nothing but stay inside too. Yes somedays I feel guilty but at the same time I always look into his eyes are give him the love he needs. When outings are this fun I am sure your LO doesn't mind either.

  20. Debbie says

    Nice. We were there 3 years ago and wouldn't allow cameras. It's time to return with camera in hand.
    (Debbie W)