Peter wrote:

I am sure many of us get to stage where we can execute a sharp, well exposed picture, but then find it hard to go on from there, to develop our own "style" as it were. I guess that is why I was hopeless at art at school !

Well that certainly struck a chord with me, Peter. Apart from the fact I enjoy it, the other reason I have stuck with close-focus/macro photography is exactly because, in so far as I have tended to pursue it to date, that to record an image simply as part of cataloguing exercise requires, apart from field craft IMHO, little more than the right equipment and appropriate technical skills. The jump to being able to combine technical mastery with a creative eye, thereby producing an image that can be appreciated on a number of different levels, is one I find particularly daunting: primarily becuase, like you, I was told I was crap at art and aways would be when at secondary school and that thought became rapidly engrained on my developing psyche.

One approach I considered was to enter the competitions on the forum, so as to provide a stimulus for me to broaden my horizons. Unfortunately, my first, and so far only, experience was a little 'bruising', and I have yet to find the courage (?) to have another go.

That said, joining the forum and contributing through the gallery and sometimes the 'my photos' threads has been a rewarding and liberating experience for me as up until then I was too lacking in confidence to share my work with anyone other than from within my immediate family.

What matters, in the end, is that you are prepared to step outside of your comfort zone and not remain resting and nestling comfortably on your photographic laurels.

Best wishes and 'respect'

Jon

Had no dealings with them but with 100% positve feedback from 3814 customers I'd be prepared to wager the £6.00 delivery fee that by the middle of next week, if not sooner, you'll be living 'happily ever after' again

Jon

I've seen so many flat and lack-lustre images of this wonderful bridge that I was tempted not to open the post for fear of yet more disappointment

Glad I didn't let my prejudices get the better of me, as it really does do the subject justice, IMHO, and I really like the way the pomp and splendour of the bridge in the foreground has been set against the simple lines of the dwelling, built from similar stone, I should imagine, seen nestling between the trees in the background. Decision to go with B&W a wise choice, as, for me at least, the image just wouldn't have the same impact in colour.

I should never have doubted you, Andrew

Best wishes,

Jon

Mike-P wrote:

Why should that happen?

I have no problem if people don't want/need to upgrade, I am spending my money .. not theirs.

Mike, just to make it clear to you and any other forum members following this thread, I was joshing and meant nothing unkind in what I wrote. In an effort to avoid any confusion I need to point out that there are relatively few occasions when the rational part of my enfeebled brain has the casting vote: especially when decisions regarding the purchase of new 'kit' is concerned. Finally, I agree absolutely: what you or any other forum member chooses to spend their hard-earned cash on is not a matter for me or anyone else to pass comment on, unless it is done with good spirit and tongue pushed firmly 'in cheek'.

The bottom-line here, is that it is not just my photographic skills that need improvement

Any member offer intensive training in PR or know where I might get some:

Yours in deepest dudgeon,

Jon (aka prsjnb)

Beginner wrote:

Despite the very real risk of incurring the wrath of 'New Forest' man, I'm going to show solidarity with 'Beginner' on this one. Whilst there is considerable satisfaction to be obtained from owning the latest model, the rational side of what's left of my brain insists that the only defensible argument for buying, in this case the K5, other than one's existing camera being damaged beyond the economic cost of repair, is that it would allow one to explore a more specialised photographic genre or, by virtue of improvements in technology and/or functionality, achieve a higher success rate in an area of photography that has been of long-standing interest.

That concludes the case for the defence, M'lud

P.S. (For beginner's eyes only) always happy to oblige with my support when the request is prefaced by the offer of cash and/or quality photographic accessories in return. Please forward the sum agreed to my PayPal account using [email protected]

Don't usually photograph people except close family and even then not often. Decided that this is a 'phobia' I need to overcome and hence these shots of an unknown subject taken across the lake inbetween photographing a Great Crested Grebe feeding her young. I like the, heavily cropped results, but does any one else? Given the title, does one succeed more than the other? Which has the colour balance that works best and would a landscape, rather than portrait, crop have been a better choice?

[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5004134316_cc57cbe6a2_b.jpg" class="comment_image" />

Reverie 3 by prsjnb, on Flickr
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[img]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/5004134300_efdfbe386b_b.jpg" class="comment_image" />

Reverie 1 by prsjnb, on Flickr
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Fully prepared for any comments in my protective head-gear and kevlar body armour

Jon:wink

Now sold to SMC pending payment

Is it just me, or have others noticed that nary a week goes by when the man with the AAA Credit Rating hasn't purchased yet another lens:

I had a Kenko 1.5x and, whilst I didn't try it with 55-300mm, with those telephoto lenses that I did I found the resultant IQ to be less than I was prepared to live with and that the attendant problems with AF were a veritable PIA: so much so that I gave up and resorted to manual focus whenever it was in use.

As for the pronouncements on the subject of our inestimably wealthy, forum-resident "Lens Collector" (aka Mike-P), I can confirm that the Siggy 100-300mm f4 is indeed a 'corker', that it continues to functions perfectly well (AF - wise) with the 1.4x attached and that the resulting IQ, whilst probably not satisfactory for those who worship at the 'pixel peeper' altar, is more than adequate 90-95% of the time for the slightly less anally-retentive, amongst whom I confess I number.

Best wishes,

Jon

Novice member in absentia of the New Forest branch of the Latter Day Church of the incurably LBA afflicted

Last chance to secure what is now an even better bargain

Has the recession really hit that hard or are all Pentaxian's born with the TW/TW (tight-wad) genotype

The lens was already on offer for less than any other 50-200mm on the forum or ebay (in either Samsung or Pentax guise)and yet still no takers

Price now reduced to OIRO £50.00 inc p&p. Alternatively, PM me a traditional Haiku (17 syllables, 3 phrases, or lines, if you prefer, of 5, 7 and 5 syllables) setting out why I should gift it to you for the cost of p&p and if it evokes any extreme emotional response (happy or sad) I'll let you have it

Jon