Late to the party but I'd agree with a few of the previous comments. Square crop, less dark tones. Good picture, just needs a wee bit more work. Placement of the bike and rider is good as there is no overlap with other elements, its just in the wrong spot in the frame which a crop would solve.

I went to our local club - one or two good folks and one or two painful folk. Unfortunately the painful folk are in the ascendancy and some very good folk have left. I got stick for going straight into the advanced class when I joined when the decision had nowt to do with me. Judging gets to me - I've seen some very poor judging by folk that seem to want to be judges just for the sake of calling themselves judges. They don't seem to be doing it for a love of photography. I would just go to the talks that interest you - unlike Durham our club is rather poor and can only afford talks by the likes of me but I am aware that some clubs have some very good speakers.

Bonny - I'd agree with Adrian - square might be nice.

It appears to have been some sunrise out there today - seen one or two already that were very colourful.

Its digital media - they would have needed to examine the phone properly in such a way as to not alter, add or interfere with the integrity of the data. In other words that means connecting it up to whatever kit they used, probably Cellebrite or similar. The device would be set to only recover the type of media in question and not go through your contacts, texts etc. ACPO guidelines are quite strict about it all. The gent you spoke to almost certainly didn't have any idea what day of the week it was as a lot of stations now have the capability to do it there and then if a bit of common sense was used. It wouldn't have been theft for them to have seized it - its covered in PACE and in any event there was no dishonesty or intention to permanently deprive.

I considered the question to be about an image we had taken/created. A photograph such as your parents, child being born is a totally different thing. I have none of my pictures hanging up or framed anywhere in my house. I do have a number of pictures of my folks, my kids, my missus and my dog all over the place. Most of them make me smile as they bring back fond memories. Almost all of them are quite average as regards composition, exposure etc.

Not an easy question. I haven't taken a single photo that I can look back on and not find something to find fault with. I'd like to think that the perfect photo is out there but for me its about getting out there and trying to capture little moments where a variety of factors combine to make for something special in relation to the mood and atmosphere. It would also have to be something that I'd seen and identified as beautiful, not a generic jetty, or a shot of Glencoe, the Ashness Bridge or some such alleged photographic icon. Its nice to see something in your minds eye and get even partial success capturing it close to how you envisaged it. Most of my better shots have been straightforward landscapes but I suppose the one thats come closest for me was this one

K-5 and DA40

I thought it was a wee bit enthusiastic to be honest. I'd been asked for a couple of interviews a bit back but refused as I didn't think I had anything much to say. Tim Parkin, who does On Landscape and has some sort of association with Joe Cornish, had been after one for a bit and asked again. I agreed and he came up, stopped over and I took him for a wet wander up Deepdale and we did an interview. The next day I got the call from AP. I have four images shortlisted in the UK Landscape Photographer of the Year thing (but I'm not doing any other comps after this one and the Garden one). Local up market hotel chain is in negotiations with me to do some tours/workshops through the winter. I'm sort of retired now and I've been working all summer on the Ullswater Steamers (I think I've been there every day this year with one thing or another). Things are going not too bad to be honest - the magazine did get it wrong about the camera, I did tell the guy I started with a K-X.

Very nice - I like the first one. Being local I always stay well away from Appleby during the fair...

I'd agree - I clicked on the wrong preset in LR4 and quite liked it but it doesn't really work as well as a straight mono. An interesting spot and one I'll be returning to at dawn fairly soon.

I keep on seeing folk saying bad things about it but I have absolutely no issues with it - might be a wee bit pricey but thats the only thing.