Thanks everyone - it was a great day to kick off my photography in 2012. To answer the two specific questions:

The individual exposure is f3.5, 30s at ISO800, then pushed two stops in post processing so effectively ISO3200. I did it this way to stop RAW noise reduction (which IIRC automatically happens above ISO1600) and gain finer control over the whole process.

The trails are basically ~55 mins worth of the above, stacked and blended in post processing with the foreground a seperate exposure. Way more work than I'm used to but good to push the comfort zone and attempt something different.

Sigma 10-20 with B+W ND110 filter and Kood soft ND grad. Exposure around 1.5 mins at ISO80, f11 or so. Very little PP.

#2 and 3 are absolute belters. You make a great case for a long lens purchase

My car was assaulted by a rather large rock on the journey down, so stopped to assess the damage at Bangor... cracked windscreen will need replacing but the pier was a worthwhile detour.

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8783-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8810-2.jpg[/IMG]

Then onwards to Snowdonia - though much of my time was spent helping the Mrs get to grips with her shiny new Kr, I did get chance to nab some shots of my own.

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8854-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8842-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8922-2.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP8966-2.jpg[/IMG]

Then off for a feed whilst keeping my fingers crossed the forecast clear sky actually materialised... it did! A few trial exposures, then a bit of light painting before locking the shutter down and waiting a wee while...

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP9149.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/lbtrails_900.jpg[/IMG]

I've a few more things to process (panos etc) but they'll have to wait for now. Thanks for looking.

Lovely shots Simon. I was also in Snowdonia this weekend - first time I've been without getting a soaking - and agree the light was phenomenal.

Don't get hung up on that sentence - many 'pros' are driven by client demands rather than any artistic vision and thus earn decent money churning out stuff not always worth a second glance. The percentage of pros who have the luxury to simply take photos of the things they enjoy in the style of their choosing is fairly low.

For longevity it's important that you concentrate on enjoying photography first and foremost and in that respect the K5 is as barrier-free a tool as anything I've ever used.

As for style, my take on the matter is that it's important to first learn the technical fundamentals - without those it's difficult to realise any artistic vision you may have.

Then go out and shoot everything/anything, see what works for you and what doesn't. If you're lucky you'll find yourself drawn to certain facets of photography and from there you can begin to develop your own style. Many of us are still searching for our niche and are happily churning out the same old cliches until such inspiration strikes

Photography is only as 'arty farty' as you want to make it. As long as you're enjoying YOUR OWN photography, why worry about what others think or what the latest trend is?

Photography isn't about portraits, landscapes or anything in particular. We're all different and thus we all see the world differently. This should be celebrated, not fretted about.

Generally speaking Pentax always seems to have slightly conservative metering, though this is less prevalent with the K5 than in earlier K-series models I've used. A small adjustment to suit your taste is nothing to be worried about.

If you're still using just the kit lens then you may find that adjustment varies as you add other lenses to your collection. I have lenses of various brands and have learnt when attaching them to dial in -0.7 comp for one, +0.3 for another etc.

Taken in Nov 2008 with the K20 and Sigma 10-20, rediscovered on a hard drive just this week.




Also aminus3.com's 'Spotlight Image' for 14th Dec.

It's a photographic staple (and rightly so) but the unusual crop and sheer quality puts this up with the best peacock shots I've seen. Get it printed or put onto canvas pronto!

Great set - as a sucker for both monos and geometry the first London eye pic edges it for me, but there's not a duffer in sight.