1000th Post

Thought I ought to mark my 1000th post with something a bit more substantial than my usual fleeting posts

Short version for if you don't like long, rambling, self-indulgent posts: After getting going with photography as a hobby six years ago, with PentaxUser kicking it all off for me, 2016 has been easily my most enjoyable photographic year. Been great! So thanks PentaxUser folk for all the info and fun I've picked up from you over the years.

Longer version: I had a really lean photographic year in 2015, partly as in my work life I took on an all-consuming job, partly just a bit of losing my photographic mojo. So about a year ago I decided I really needed to make sure I protected some time for photography, and also try some new things.

So, some things I did in 2016:

I decided to spend some of the cash I might have spent on shiny new kit on going on a photography workshop or two. And I really enjoyed them. No K1 for me this year then, but a couple of weekends spent with other, more experienced landscape photographers have introduced me to different ways of working and thinking, and I think have really upped my game . And they were great fun

I've discovered the joys of landscape images in portrait format. Why didn't I do more of this before ? Turns out I love this format . I've also tried to take more abstract landscape images, and have really started to appreciate this style.

I've also experimented with different cameras, having up this year really only used Pentax DSLRs. I got a Ricoh GR (yes, I didn't manage to stop all kit purchases :blush. Having a compact, go everywhere camera with such a great lens has been great. I keep it charged up, and carry it almost all the time. Again, great fun. I also borrowed a mirrorless camera and lenses (four letters, starts with an F) for an extended period just to play and see what mirrorless is all about and what a different brand is like. Enjoyed it, and found it has lots of advantages over Pentax... but also drawbacks. Really educational to spend time with another system, but really proved the 'grass is greener' thing.

Decided to use Flickr for my best images, trying to self censor a bit more, limit the postings and improve the quality control, focusing on my landscape photography. Flickr explore might be a shallow, largely ransom algorithm, but I've secretly enjoyed seeing the exposure some of my images have had. Harmless fun

I'm hoping next year will be just as interesting

So, an indulgent post, but a happy one for a 1000th. Best wishes to all here.. hope you had a good year of photography too

Congratulations on 1000 posts and on what sounds to have been a really good photographic year!

Likewise, well done. Here's to the next 1000!

Well done Tim. Great enthusiastic ramble to start the second 1000 posts with.

Congratulations on your 1000th post and also on expanding your photographic expertise.
Over the past couple of years some of us have posted about a dozen of our favourite pictures from the previous 12 months each New Year. Why don't you treat us all to your select pictures from 2016 in January?
David

Hi Tim
Welcome to the 1000th club

Interesting post.

On Flickr, I like your B&W of Manhattan and then Machrie Moor close to one another - great contrast/similarity.

Do enjoy your pictures. Here's to many more.

I don't know how I haven't seen your photos on Flickr before, but they are simply superb. I get a bit fed up with over-done, poppingly vibrant and razor sharp images - the handful of yours that I've looked at so far (I'll look at them more fully at leisure later) have a great natural look and your composition skills are excellent. I "follow" only a handful of photographer on Flickr, you are now one of them. Thanks for sharing

Beautiful pictures and congratulations on the 1000th post

Wow wonderful pictures on your Flickr account, i must join one day, 1000 posts - congrats!

Wow. Well done!

I will now post rubbish (as I always do) to get to 1000!

Seriously, thank you and a damned good effort!

Cheers

Mac

Many thanks everyone for the support and kind words , really appreciated!

And I'll take up Davidtrouts suggestion of an end of year post of my favourites.