I seem to remember really enjoying that

Yum!

Pictures of food fascinate me...the table settings and whatnot...my folks have their good china put away, and I'm thinking of trying to persuade my mother into letting me snag a table setting or two in order to attempt more food shots.

Very nice, Alan!

Clever me  I've just worked out how to do Min scrolling etc on the albums section

And how to rate the posts

What does a polarizing filter do?

Best ask Nick that one. But as far as I can gather it works like the old polaroid sun glasses cutting back hazy light and reflection. 

http://www.atpmembers.com/members/atp/adminpages/digital-imaging

It's covered in the last section of this page  ???????

Nice one Alan...a great filter to have.

A polarizer filter has thousands of tiny etches cut into it in a criss-cross fashion. What this does is kill any reflections from the light source. For example, if shooting through a car windscreen from the outside, you turn the filter slowly until all the reflections vanish and you can see clearly inside the car.

This also works for wood shine, the surface of a blue sea, leaves, grass and even the tiny particles of water in the sky which is how people get such deep, rich blue skies and colourful grass and trees etc.

Make sure you buy a good one though as poor filters will actually make your shots poor.

I hope I've gone one better. I ordered a Hoya Digital HD CPL polarizing filter. I returned the Ebay one as this one was only £31 more, £51 total, I've seen them at over £100 on some sites. It was the best I could afford. The reason I've gone for it is that I have taken some landscapes which have been hazy to say the least, I know the camera and lens were not fully to blame and the filter idea seemed to be a good solution to try.

So...the polariizing lens would cut down on the haze in my swamp pictures, and would probably come handy in a number of other applications! Thank you both! Another item to go on my kit list.

I had to go for the 2000 Mk on the hits counter

Good idea Alan, there are actually around 1600 social networking sites and is something I am currently looking into. I may well add something to the business section at some point because social sites can bring a lot of traffic and even business so worth pursuing.

However! Always keep your business life and social life separate online, have two accounts at each site if neccessary! I have never started one of my training courses with the line "My dog just farted" or "I just ate a really yummy burger"...

I could not handle two or a split networking presence. I like to think I'm the complete package thats being networked, I'm diverse, my dog don't fart, I hate burgers but I can take a mean photo, I can beat the crap out of bullies and plumb a bath & boiler in. What more can I offer ?

Lol...I won't argue with that!

The social networking phenomenon boggles my mind.  I mean, how on earth can everyone keep up with each one (AND blogging AND website maintenance), while running a business (not to mention actually working) and having a family life and keeping a household running??  I have no idea how that all works. 

That said I do have an Etsy.com business that I occasionally post updates for on Facebook.  At one time I did have a blog, but couldn't find time to post frequently enough, so I dropped it.  I think it might be too easy to spread yourself too thin.  My advice would be to focus on one or two, and make sure content is interesting and engaging. 

I think it's a new phenomenon, you gotta be in it to play it, play being the operative word. Review and targeting, butterfly effect, if it stimulates the mind it's good, if it bogs you down keeping up with it all, it's bad. Check me out on facebook, join my photographic group. If you do something has worked :)

I think it's a new phenomenon, you gotta be in it to play it, play being the operative word. Review and targeting, butterfly effect, if it stimulates the mind it's good, if it bogs you down keeping up with it all, it's bad. Check me out on facebook, join my photographic group. If you do something has worked :)

My son had to start a fan page because he has over 5,000 'friends'...Fan pages are recommended for people with a business, I have one, although I haven't been promoting it like crazy.  Marie Smith does a great explanation of it in her great youtube video "Facebook Fan Pages: How to Create and Promote Yours".

The way to get more people to your page is to continually update it with interesting tips, hints, etc. - and some people have their assistants handle their social networking for them...which I find rather impersonal...but if you're promoting products and/or services, maybe it doesn't make that much difference.

It helps with branding...gets your expertise out there in an informal way, and people get to know you better...

I understand the concept, just haven't devoted a lot of time to it. Facebook is about all I have time for, and I don't really have time for THAT, LOL

Good research, Good advise, I've now done that for free, I like free

3000 counter hits .... I must get out more!

Lol...it's the only way to really learn Alan...keep at it!

In Martial Arts you learn best by doing it wrong 1st

With photography the pain is more mental than physical...thankfully!

"Macro RSI" bloody painful

I can relate!  Custom white balance never seems to work for me.  Especially when using an 18% gray card. 

I just picked up a Mennon White balance lens cap from Ebay £4.99 ish. It has some interesting reviews 

hilarious...that's the way I've been feeling about it lately...trying to mess around with the manual settings to get the detail right...and GEEZ my images turn out God awful...

I sure am learning a lot, though!

A little knowledge is dangerous.......a little too much is disastrous

I'm learning by my mistakes, I'm learning how apt I am at making them

BUT I'm loving it, I just erase my mistakes....perfect!

I use X-Rite ColorChecker Passport and it works nice. Because I decided to shoot ONLY in RAW (before was Jepg+Raw) I make profile on PC and use it in PP. When I change camera calibration profile I can see colors change e.g. red gets really red etc.

Great stuff...have fun and think about the 2012 Olympics...stock ; )

I plan to do a few days in London soon for that very reason!

Don't mention stock  I'm off for a fun day

6.30 ready of the off. I'm not going to hump my full bag around today, so it's on camera 17 55 f2.8 plus new 70 200 f4 in a small man bag with spare battery. It all fits in the bag, not to look too obvious or attract the wrong attention.

I had a fantastic day out. Arrived at 08.00 and left at 19.30. I would recommend the walk along the South Bank to Tower Bridge to anyone. Back on the other side, Fleet St, St Pauls, Covent Garden, Soho, Trafalgar Sq, Whitehall,  Westminster.........Then a round trip boat trip from Westminster, London Eye past Greenwich, the Dome to the Thames Barrier, under all the bridges past the City. £12 train fare & one day rail card plus £9 boat trip unbelievable value.

We are looking to do exactly that with the kids in the hols...nice one Alan! Glad you had a nice time...

Thanks Nick for the fast critique. Just as prompty and ever so slightly impetuously they have all gone except the one of me  I should of edited them some more maybe? I will soon find out. I will have to wait and see now.

Gotta get stuck in sometime! Let us know how you get on and take any rejections, if any, as constructive and read their reasons why...good luck!

Wow they were quick !! 10 submitted 10 rejected. 7 reasons with constructive criticisms given 3 blank rejections. Oh well back to to basics, study study study the rules of stock.

Wow...what were the reasons? In reality, you may have had just 4 rejections because they need 7 out of 10 to pass. Did they say which were rejected? Could you give us some insight for each photo?

TWO Photo's !!!! Accepted by Fotolia.........Lilly & Baltic Sail...WOW WOW

Woohoo...it's the beginning! Well done!

Thanks to you.....a month ago I would not have known what a stock photo was.

I have 7 stock shots on Fotolia now.............I'm steaming Ha ha  Rusty barriers, an old carp, a water fountain, 2 boats, a bridge and a flower.

This is what I received from Istock ( I had to pass a test and send a copy of my passport to be able to upload 3 files)

"The iStock administrators have asked that you upload new samples based on the feedback provided below. You're welcome to return in 3 days, upload some new samples and we'll re-process your application."

Only 3 days wow! thats better than the 30 day embargo set by Shutter-Stock

I'm encouraged !

From here:

If you have CS4 and ACR Settings in your DNG files look at Photoshop menu File>Scripts>Image Processor. All you have to do in the Image Processors dialog is point the source to the folder with your DNG files, Set where you want to store the output file, set that you want to create PSD files and optionally in the bottom section you can include at post processing action your own the you want the Image Processor to include in its processing. All Image files in the source folder will be processed DNG, TIS, PSD, JPG etc. An output PSD file of each will be saved by the Image Processor.

I haven't, but there seems to be a lot of information on the net about them...

Thanks for the info. I was kinda looking for the quick simple......you know, easy peasy thing. I guess I'm going to have to research.........yuk :)

With the money I saved (or not) I have also invested in the world of Macro. I'm looking forward to receiving my 1st proper Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro lens.

Excellent stuff! You are going to love those lenses....look forward to seeing some results when you get them.

I was lost without a zoom lens today and I never got a chance to use my wide angle 

When do your new lenses arrive?

I should expect the macro Mon/Tue from Brighton. Wed/Thursday for the zoom

It seems it's quicker to get from Hong Kong via Anchorage, Memphis, Newark, Stanstead to Woking than the 54 miles from Brighton to Woking. Delivery of new Canon 70 200 f4 IS by Fedex before 12.00 noon Tuesday. Can't wait !

I've had the lens's for a week now. I'm delighted with the feel and the performance of the Canon 70 200 F4 IS. I do notice the difference in speed in low light coming from a Sigma f2.8. However the clarity and sharpness is noticeable, also the colour seems to be richer. No doubt I there will be times when I will need the extra light but as a walk about lens at half the price it handles exactly how I wanted it to on my 7D.

The Canon 100mm F2.8 Macro? I've not used it at all. It's not really a walk about lens however I'm looking for opportunities to put it to the test. More to the point I'm looking for inspiration and some skill knowledge to will allow me to practice with it.

You will love this lens once you get used to it. Remember the depth of field will be extremely shallow so here are some pointers.

Use a tripod, use manual focus, use a small aperture and a cable release. If you don't have a cable release, use the self timer. Also, if you are getting relatively slow shutter speeds, use the mirror lock up feature too, this will prevent camera shake (which is more noticeable with macro).

Try shooting electronic innards, or the veins in leaves, insects...anything really, there is a whole new world with macro! Have fun...

I am such a glutton for punishment. I picked up some Macro tubes to add to the Macro experience. Macro tubes on a Macro lens...............?

Wow...you will be able to see the hallmark on an aphid's Rolex!

Next on the shopping list are tweezers 

We were there at 08.00. Misty or what? Come 11.00 it was fantastic what a place!

That looks great at full screen Alan.

Everything was against a good shot, misty & murky at 8.00 am. I saw the reflection and thought from out of the darkness there comes light. I had to crop some walkers off the shot, which I felt would be easier than cloning.

sods law? I feel myself picking up some British slang here.

All slang has some international value as a code :)

tell me more!

I guess I was a little vague. I didn't want to do a big advertising promo for the book. Basically I followed some simple instructions: Image-Adjustments-Highlights/Shadows in Photoshop....tweak tweak and I'd altered an image in a way that was good for me. Photoshop seems to me to be astonishingly complex, yet sometimes simple when shown how. Although remembering all the most basic techniques is a challenge for me............however the book "The Adobe Photoshop CS4 Book" by Scott Kelby. going to be close to hand from now on. 

Not forgetting ATP's tips and comments which lead to further investigation :)

The pictures you have in your portrait album are the same type of high quality images I've seen in your other albums..!! Very nice.

You're too kind! Thank you for taking time out and having a look. I love people's faces especially when they are not posing as such. Any tips or suggestions you have would be appreciated for future reference.

Tesco give out other promotions of discount on photographic books. I have registered with them for a newsletter and promotions. I have found their creator very easy to use