Nice work Tom, I never thought of it before but since Marlene mentioned it that pearl does kinda look like a tooth!

Good shot of the paraglider(?) James, just wondering how high up he was?

A few years ago when I was shooting with film I used the Cokin system. The polariser practically lived on the camera, and I would say that a couple of ND grads are essential for correctly exposed skies. I know it's fairly easy now to replicate these in photoshop but, for me anyway, if I can get it right on the camera then I can spend more time taking pics and less time editing - at least in theory, lol

I've experimented with the filters using my compact, holding them in front of the lens, with mixed results. But in a few weeks time my DSLR will be here and hopefully I'll be able to try them properly.

• Andy

Hmmm, there seems to be a common theme developing here...

1. When in possesion of a camera we all do things we wouldn't normally dream of doing
2. The more bravery/stupidity required to get the shot we want - the less likely it is we'll get a good one

But we still keep doing it, lol :biggrin:

As for myself, nothing too risky yet. I seem to spend a fair amount of time at work climbing trees/ladders etc. It would be silly of me not to have a camera with me!! lol

• Andy

Congratulations mate!! :thumbupboth:

You are an inspiration to us all. Well done!!

• Andy

Tom, that shot (and it's a good one too!) )could have been taken almost anywhere in England, except the bit where I live. The landscape around my little patch of England is flat, extremely flat. In fact the nearest thing we get to hills are when the moles are busy in the fields.

Nicely done, I thought the B+W version was superb btw.
Actually now I come to think of it , if you want a suggestion (which you maybe don't but I'm going to anyway, lol), I think it would look pretty good in B+W but with the digger's body and arm left in colour.

• Andy

Here's something I got a shot of last week, I know it looks a bit wonky but I assure you it's perfectly sharp -it's just how it is. But can anyone guess what it is...?

• Andy

Well, although it isn't actually me in the pic, I do wear an orange safety helmet with a visor and muffs quite a lot at work so that's where that comes from. As for the astro bit my no.1 hobby and passion since childhood is astronomy, although I've always been into photography as well as painting and sketching.

• Andy

 As I work as a gardener seeing this many catterpillars chomping away on a plant I really have to fight the urge to try and squish them. Although I'm sure they will turn into something beautiful.

I prefer the 2nd one, I find the reflections in the water in the first pic too distracting.

• Andy

Bees have never really bothered me, in my experience they tend to be fairly docile and don't often sting. Wasps on the other hand I absolutely hate...

Last year I was cutting down the tall grass and weeds that were growing around the lake at work with a big petrol brush-cutter and wham I stood on a wasps nest. I didn't realise until I looked down and saw tham crawling all over my legs. Then they started to sting... I was lucky I was wearing a thick jacket I only actually got stung eight times although one got behind my visor and got me close to my eye. Ever since then I've been extremely careful to say the least. 

• Andy

Thanks for that, I've been experimenting with it and I think I understand it a little better now... I need a better camera!!!  :biggrin:

• Andy

This is something I'm also struggling to get my head around. For example...
I only have a 3mp camera, so if I want to print at say A4 size and I change DPI to 300. Will this alone give me a better print or should I resample the image too to give me more pixels?
Sorry if I appear a bit thick on this.