Bugger! That's blown my plans of rigging up something on the kitchen table - Galoot style - this week.

Congratulations to Lilly. It was an awesome picture, which I found myself studying over and over.

But now I need some guidance. And this isn't sour grapes, I assure you. I was going to ask this question when the competition was first set but I didn't want to create any confusion.

"Industrial Landscape" although "Landscape" need not be interpreted literally. If not to be interpreted literally, then what other interpretations are there that aren't met by simply saying "Industry"? What is the point of including a word in the subject if that word can be interpreted any way entrants like - or worse - in some way the judge hasn't revealed?

If not literal then metaphorical; and who then sets the boundaries? Is a metaphor that doesn't appeal to the judge therefore off-subject?

Am I hopelessly literal-minded?

As an amusing aside, my own picture would have been cropped more tightly as suggested by our judge in his summing up were it not for the word 'landscape'. I thought I'd better include some space to comply.

Ah well.

Geek info
Camera: PENTAX Optio S5i
Shutter speed: 1/200s
Aperture: f/2.6
Focal length: 5.8mm
ISO: 80

One major advantage of saving in RAW format is the latitude offered for post-production correction of levels.

When you shoot in perfect conditions, as in the case of your cars, this isn't a big deal but when you have sharp contrasts or extremes of light, the extra scope for fixing pictures on the computer is extremely valuable.

It didn't. Jessops is not part of DSG International plc.

Or join my CULT (Campaign for Unusually Long TLAs).

It's like an I.Q. test. The people who pass get to post photos.

Assuming this is pretty similar to the Pentax equivalent, it makes one all the more aware how much Pentax takes the piss on prices for accessories.

I know it is a widespread industry practice but I don't suffer from the other manufacturers so much.

You can view directories as a tree. Go to View -> Folder View -> Tree View.

I also use Picasa as an organiser and quick-fixer. What I like about it is it doesn't impose its own structure or force you to change your habits. It will happily coexist with my already highly organised folder structure. Also, it doesn't change your original images (unless you really want it to).

As a long time Linux user, I've amassed a good selection of photographic tools that work nicely for me. Malo1961, you don't say whether you're using Gnome or KDE, but if it's pure Ubunto, then it's probably Gnome. Gnome is OK to start with but KDE is way more productive and has the wonderful Kuickshow viewer which is indispensable.

Some things you may find useful, if you didn't already know about them:

• Picasa - from Google for organising and cataloguing your images. Current version reads *istD pef RAW files. Next version (imminent) will read K10D RAW files, too.

• DCRaw - Quick and effective batch RAW converter. *RAW

• UFRaw - Interactive RAW converter and basic digital lightroom. Excellent.*RAW

• Rawstudio - Another RAW converter with different style interface. Also very good.*RAW

• The Gimp - general photo editor with all the Photoshop stuff you actually need like layers and masks. UFRaw plug-in allows you to read RAW files directly.

• Krita - KDE image editor. Not quite as powerful as Gimp but nicer UI.

• ImageMagick - Your best friend in fast image processing. Get to know this and you will laugh at the time people waste in Photoshop or money spent on other tools

• Hugin - a truly amazing panorama stitcher. I've used this to make seamless panoramas from photos taken by other people that they'd never intended to stitch together. I'll try and post an example, sometime.

*RAW: Handles K10D PEF RAW files.