Carl, I agree, 4 is the one - the only one really I think .. the others just don't work because the massive jetty cuts off the whole right side - it seems frustrating, you just want to climb up over it and see something!

4 is a lovely composition - I maybe wish for a higher viewpoint, I'm not sure about those posts cutting above the horizon onto the sky ??

And what is going on with that sky? There's a massive dark patch just off centre in the top third - looks like uneven grad filter work?

Thank you Simon, very glad you like it. Yes, I too am impressed with the detail I can extract from the K7, I find it still an amazingly versatile camera. A lot of these things of course have to do with approaches to sharpening and other detailing proceses, and these have to be considered and choices made in order to get the most out of any particular sensor. In most of my landscapes I use the Topaz Detail PS plugin to apply clarity and micro-contrast to textured surfaces, and I use a layer in order to restrict the effect and remove it from smooth areas, such as skies.

Thanks too to David, Phil, Barrie & Joe for you input and ideas ... I've taken them on board, including Michael's thoughts on the sky, and applied them to a new version - this new version has a sky with increased brightness and contrast, and a raised black point (ie darker shadows) ... plus I've given it a 0.4deg nudge clockwise. There is some noise now on the blue parts of the sky, but with more time I can get rid of this.

Agreed, all beautiful! Colours and tonal balance are all top notch ... Even the cloud shadow levels are spot on My favourite is the last, because its darker in hue and and the extensive shadow zones all throughout invite exploration and add mystery.

The compositions are unusual really, with mainly centrally located foreground 'interest' ... I can't decide if it works better than a more classical style, (ie with the stuff off towards the edge more) our not. I think the main issue is perhaps the very tall post smack in the middle ... Not sure about this as it is right in front of the main line of sight into the scene?? Be interesting to get others take on it.

But a spectacular set Carl, great work!

Thanks Michael, I cranked the ISO up a little to keep a reasonable speed, but the shake reduction was doing a great job on the boat there, and I managed a fair few sharp ones as we passed this famous point.

No HDR here, but maybe you've been following David Storm and I do battle over sky contrast theories ... Well, I guess I'm putting mine into practise here keeping the range between shadows and highs fairly narrow. I like the result, but I accept there could be scope for lifting the sky more, and even perhaps some extra dark moodiness!

Great plan Will, but if you see from my opening spiel, I wasn't the captain of my ship, matey

I'm giving the week a kick-start now due to commitments tomorrow morning. Thanks again to Stan for the nomination to take up the challenge this week

Many of you will know all my recent photography has been shot down in sunny Dorset, the Isle of Purbeck to be more precise, and a lot of it has been long zoom views of long distances from the hilltops. For my 5 Five in a Row I'm going for a contrasting angle on things, down off the hills and literally at sea level.

When you stay in this stunning part of Britain it is impossible to avoid a vista that at some point contains a feature of the beautiful and unique marine environment known as the Jurassic Coast. From the mouth of Poole Harbour, along the sandy stretches of Shell Bay, the fossilised beaches of Studland and the rocky chalk headlands near Swanage, even this small section of the coast rewards with amazing variety, rich aquatic colour and dramatic shapes.

I have chosen some contrasting images, both in type of viewpoint and what they depict, to try and convey some of the enormous variety and rewarding photographic potential available in this small but amazingly diverse part of the southern coast.

Thanks all for the chance to show you a little of the Jurassic Coast! .....



No 1) Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage Bay, from the Sea

K7 & Pentax 75-150mm f4, shot at f6.7, ISO 400.

This image was taken from a moving double-decked sightseeing boat on a trip from Poole Harbour to Swanage.

It still works .... Just not as boldly and effectively as the original. And those holes in the jeans are far too big now!

Another good deal. I grabbed the previous flagship model from them 2 months ago for £179. The new one has WR and improved P-TTL for the latest cameras, plus a modeling light for both stills and video if needed.

One thing to bear in mind though is that the backwards compatibility with pre - TTL cameras has been removed, at least if you want auto-flash control, because the on-flash sensor has gone (the modeling light is there now). So with older cameras you will have to use manual, the option of 'auto-flash' is not there. It's not a big deal I don't think, unless you are particularly locked in to using that mode. Manual is ultimately more reliable IMO.

I love the hairdressers and the thoughtful man with the glasses, both excellent! The others don't ignite much interest I'll afraid. The hairdressers is great the way the ones behind are reacting to the photo taking. And technically its very good too, nice exposure and very even lighting, works well.

I thought with a manual focus lens that ONLY the centre focus indicator worked at all? And i suspect that the focus hexagon only works when focus is achieved at the centre also ...

Our OP mentioned focus and recomposing holding the button, but in fact this is only applicable to autofocus ... Half pressing the shutter with manual focus (with an old lens or an af lens set to manual) will only activate the focus indicators, which will light when something in the centre is in focus ... The lens cannot'lock' focus as such.

In my experience it can be problematic focussing on the centre then recomposing with manual focus lenses, as something off from centre is rarely on the same plane and angle, so you lose sharpness slightly ... Better to use the techniques already described here by the others. Any way that magnifies the required point of focus so it can be' eyeballed' it's going to be most accurate.