I like them all - the last is perhaps not to my taste but i really do like the first two.

I bought a K10d because i had some older pentax lenses - i am thinking of upgrading/getting a second body and am currently saving for a K7 as it looks as if the metering system had been improved. i do shoot some sports and did think about a nikon but I think i need to improve my own skills in composition etc - I look and the pentax gallery on line and see all of the wonderful pictures that have been taken with all cameras from the range and realise i need to really improve my skills both in using the camera and in using my editing skills afterwards. I used to think that editing in the computer was kind of cheating but now i realise it is really the new darkroom and this is where a lot of the differance is/can be made to the quality of an image.

I have cs2 and have just bought a bamboo pen graphics tablet on the advice you gave on another topic - thanks for the tips, i will have a go tomorrow at learning some of the things you have suggested

I have lots of old lenses - i just need to get at good as this - a cracking set of pictures.

yes - thanks for the advice - i chopped her hesd on the second one on purpose for the close up on the eyes but i still have lots to learn with photoshop as i want to get rid of the eyelash shadows on her eyes. i did try to pop the colours but the red background looks too bright then so i need to create a layer to control that i think

I dont always comment as I am no expert but what the hell - I like it as it kind of gives the bird some character peeping out from the leaves

I like them all bar number 2 which looks a little staged but thats just a personal opinion - they are all technically very good

I just turned up - our club has a specific person who welcomes new members for that very purpose or you could try contacting them via e-mail first then they will be expecting you. I felt the same but its definatly worth joining one as you get to see what others are producing and learn quite a bit.

Ahh good point - another task to learn for photoshop

This one was taken much closer with my 16-45 lens - its not cropped. As the other picture appeard dark I let camera raw in cs2 apply its default setting which upped the exposure 1.4 stops and it certainly brightened it up a lot without any clipping of the highlights(maybe too bright?). I think the hair got in the way of the left eye but i will remember that next time. I have yet to learn how to smooth skin etc but i will keep studying. I must admit I enjoyed this session very much and am thinking I might like to do more portraits