Firstly, thanks for the commendation Jeff, which I in no way deserve. I'm glad you enjoy my pictures, I'm still very much learning how to take a decent one. I haven't been doing this very long but i do think I've moved on from beginner to the intermediate category, and I've drawn a lot of inspiration from this forum. There are many way better photographers than me here.

To the question, could I be a professional photographer? I doubt it, not in my current situation. Do you want to be? Hell yeah, to earn a living from something that I'm obsessed by, not half, but it's not a realistic option. In particular I would need a niche but I enjoy photographing everything that moves and everything that doesn't so it wouldn't suit my jack of all trades master of none approach. If I knew then what I know now I would have tried to make a career from it somehow, but that's a bit late.

It would be nice to even make a few bob to buy some shiny new limited lenses, but that's difficult. There are just so many outstanding images in cyberworld. In terms of image quality I think the distinction between amateur and professional is entirely irrelevant. There are many who are prepared to sell their images for very little. Look at the recent approach by American Express to Aliengrove - there is an expectation that even major companies can get something for nothing/very little. I've done pretty well in a few competitions of late but the prizes are still pocket money and each time the competition is the whole world, not easy. I'll just keep plodding on in the hope of getting a money shot one day, as everyone does.

As to choosing five photographers from this forum, in no particular order:

Jaromir Hron
Gary Hickin
Mark Littlejohn (portfolio sadly deleted!)
Adrian Krajewski (not here for long but left some quite brilliant glimpses)
Axel Luther (I'm not so keen on some of the HDR looks but I am always mightily impressed by the level of detail in the shots and technical precision)

There are many more who I admire for one reason or another and whose standard I aspire to.

That's a fair point. But I just think that for a serious photographer a Ksomething and compact lens is a better option for most of the time. I think easy and fun are the operative words, easy and fun for those with bulging pockets.

A very interesting discussion despite the odd contretemps (hey this is the strange world of ‘the forum‘, that’s what happens, have you seen some of the other ones out there!)

I must say I agree with pretty much all The Smeg has to say. I’ve tried to envisage how I’d use the Q or something similar and I just can’t. If I have a preplanned photo session of whatever description then I want to take the right kit to get the best quality I can, which means a proper bag on my shoulder. At other times I’ll take my camera with me whenever I can and for lightweight travelling a 35mm lens and a small bag for general shooting just isn’t cumbersome, it goes with me everywhere. However I do spend most of my time midway between the sartorial eloquence of tramp and scarecrow. If I were to travel daily on one of those metal worms that burrow around London then I would like something more handy to squirrel away handily in my Burberry. Likewise if I were somewhere in penguin clobber, a man handbag, K5 and pancake just wouldn’t be the done thing. However, in these circumstances I think the Q still wouldn’t be convenient enough, I would want a compact without a sticky out lens. And if I wanted the grab shot on the metal worm and suchlike then I think the Q just isn’t James Bondy enough, not Q enough.

But the Q wasn’t made for me. The more I look into what it is, what it’s rivals are and the aforementioned blogs and others the more I get it. This is kudos at one of those fashion shows (my vision of hell on Earth, but there plenty that inhabit that world). I can’t see anyone carrying a Q and a tripod, nor putting a nice chunky K mount lens on it. I do think the gobsmackingly priced optical viewfinder is ridiculous as are the ‘toy’ lenses which don’t seem to have a toy price tag. From the few images I’ve seen so far initial impressions are that image quality is generally pretty good but it doesn’t live up to it’s price tag, especially at ISO800+, but that‘s just a few images so the jury is still out. But perhaps much more importantly for the intended market it looks fantastic and the name is ubercool. That name counts for a lot. It’s definitely not for me, but I hope it’s a great success.

1. Oil & Water in Black & White




(Macro abstract of olive oil droplets on water in a glass dish with coloured paper below).



2. Chalk & Cheese






Both 8th September
K5 DFA100macro

Bathrooms, wow! Those of us in France Profonde admire the advanced lifestyle of the Winnepegonians. Do they even have those self-igniting, remotely operated candles?

And a K5!

There's a flickr group for the Q. I must say the name is fantastic. The photos so far look OK on the whole, although higher ISO doesn't look great.

Thanks Glyn for the competition and your kind words, it was a very good subject. Well done Northgrain for a fine winner and David too, I particularly like that shot; seems wider than 16mm.

Very nicely done, great setting. 6 for me.

Over what time period? There will always be a mad rush to buy a new tech product in Japan. It's what happens next momth that's interesting.

I had envisaged a triptych diptych, but due to the diptych limit a diptych triptych will not suit duality so a diptych diptych might be in order.