Oh yes, Michelle, I know what you mean. You're using the Dimage 7, right? I've had a fair amount of pictures that just looked fine on the LCD (and EVF), even when magnified. But then, on the computer screen you see that this slight blur. Lots of it has to do with the fact that the Dimage doesn't make you think twice about using that 200mm (250mm) zoom. A little handshake, just a tiny bit, and we're off. Lately, I've been using a lightweight aluminium tripod and a "not-so-lightweight" Manfrotto monopod; especially when i see (after spotmetering in-camera), that the shutterspeed will drop below the famous "1/1 -ratio". In other words, when the shutter speed drops below 1/200 sec, i won't be using the camera without the tri- or monopod with the zoom at 200mm. My minimum is around 1/40 at 35mm; below that, a monopod becomes really necessary. I used that principle during my last shoots and it works beautifully !

I'm working with the Minolta Dimage 5 and found that the AE /locking technique (basically using the cam as a light meter) really improved my pictures a lot. I only rarely go fully manual with my camera ... (only for those special shots)

Righty star... I'll get on it tonight. Will you be needing examples (screenshots from the various photoshop control panels) or do I just write it all out in one text? Which format do you prefer : just plain text (+ images) or an MS Word-document (+ images)?

Here in Belgium, they are trying to push this Halloween thing big time (for commercial reasons, obviously). It's not one of our traditions though and it always makes me laugh when people start piling heaps of pumpkins in their driveways... I have a few pumpkins in the garden, but they are for consumption only. (got this great recipe for pumpkin soup that's always a success with our guests)

Oh, that's what they're called. Had those too waaaaay back (without the light though). I love the DOF and the colours. Looks like one of those demonstration displays for lipsticks (I first thought that was the subject).

Thanks for your remarks... I guess I must be doing something good then. :-) I must admit that I spent a lot more time thinking about the shots (composition, manual operation of the camera, checking the results, ...) and it certainly paid off. I also see that the "RAW" quality setting is far superior to the JPEG-compression when the photo's come out of the camera (vivid colours, sharpness, detail, ...) So, I learned something, i think. bsteph, the "scaffolding" in the last pic is meant to be there; it's an old gas silo (or how do you call these things ?); I thougt it would be a nice contrasting feature (kind of "black lace"), but I saw another flaw : maybe the campanile is too centered in the composition. So, I'll play aroud a bit with this one. zardoz, I fully agree with all your remarks. I didn't want to touch the photos in PS before posting them here. I'll work on them some more and then I'll let you see the result. Misha, I like very much what you did to that photo. Very "artzy". I guess I'll have to install that old "Painter" program again and do some experimenting of my own. Very inspiring stuff !!!

OK, that has to be all for now. I still have lots of pics to archive. These photo's were taken with my Minolta Dimage. No postprocessing (yet) in Photoshop besides resizing. I'd like your honest opinion, so don't spare me any criticism you may have. After all, I'm always eager to learn (and to please).

I'll get to it as soon as possible.

That would be marvellous Rork; it would surely be a great asset to our forum. But I think that every URL will need a bit of comment (what's to find over there, what's the overall quality of the site, points of interest, categories such as digital or film or postprocessing, ...) What do you think, mods ? Are we going to harvest those links ???

I just love collages !!! IMO, a piece of art. (I can see this one printed and framed)