Oh boy, do I wish I saw this post earlier.  I live in California and my schedule would have worked perfect!!  I know Highway 1 VERY well, San Francisco, Carmel and Monterey are some of my favorite places.  I always said if I had a girl I would have named her Sierra so that should tell you how I feel about Yosemite. I would have loved to have hooked up and played for the day!!!!  Hope you had a great time anyways, there are endless things to see in this state. Well, sadly, except some rain, lol.

I love the idea here Carin!  I'm always interested in the photographer as well as their body of work.  I spent alot of time looking thru Boris' gallery and this was a well deserved award!

I love the idea here Carin!  I'm always interested in the photographer as well as their body of work.  I spent alot of time looking thru Brois' gallery and this was a well deserved award! 

I thought I would give some feedback on a test photo I submitted.  I had mentioned above that a coworker suggest that I state in my comment section that I encourage anyone to critique my photos as I am trying to improve my techniques.  Well, I did just that with my photo named "486".  I have to say that in my opinion I got very fair critiques with advice on techniques to maybe get better results.  It was obvious the intent was to help me identify and tweek the weak areas of the photo.  EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!!!  I cant wait to pull that image out and redo some photoshopping to see what results i get! 

Anyone else with the same feeling as I have had here.....please try the same!  Just dont forget, critiques are not to tell you your work sucks but to point out where there are weak spot or flaws that maybe you just missed, so dont get offended, they are there to give an honest opinion and advise on how you may have gotten a better result, again in their opinion.  You have to be willing to look at your work through their eyes and admit sometimes........"yeah, I see what they are saying.....maybe that would look better...."  If nothing else, try their suggestions, and if you like your way better, then thats for you!!

Christie

Thank you for sharing, amazing work! 

PS I just have to say it.......has anyone told you that you look like Bill Paxton TwoPynts?? (compliment, not criticism)

Wow, I would have never guessed snails!!  Quite interesting indeed!

Well, a co-worker just gave me great advice. 

In my comment area I'm going to start encouraging others to please give me feedback on what they see, as constructive criticism. 

If I missed the mark, bring it on......hit me between the eyes with where I didnt quite pull off the effect I was going for.  I'm never going to learn any other way!!  If I did well, hopefully they will comment on what is appealing and I did succeed at........  All I can hope for is comments that explain WHY I did or didnt hit the mark.

I absolutely agree in "eye of the beholder".  I saw a photo just the other day (and I will NEVER mention which) that really did not come out well due to the cropping, but had the potential to be so very interesting without the distraction of the part that needed to go.  It was a shame, and I deperately wanted to say something, but did not.  I rarely see anyone make suggestions that would improve the images (critiques) and I see some that could be wall hangers with the slightest changes. 

I'm not saying there work is "wrong", just that they might have missed a slight tweek that they end up seeing once pointed out and love the image all that much more.

I think you have a very good eye for composition.  Not just to blow smoke up your skirt and artificially make you feel good about yourself, I truly feel you have talent.  I took the idea around the block myself.........but my dog came out looking like a rabbit, lol. 

Outstanding!!  I really like this image as well.  I see why they chose it.  I love the purple glow of the lights just on the horizon to the left side.  The lights are bright but not glaring.  Well captured.

Wow, I was so surprised to see I am in LWITG!  I have been trying (stress trying) to improve my techniques and it really feels good that you might have noticed, thank you so very much.

Wow!! I have heard my husband in frustration, at his computer, viewing other's work here on Renderosity (Poser 3D work), griping about he has no inspiration.....saying garbage like "I would have never thought of that scene......I just cant come up with images like that......I might as well quit.....I'm just not as good as the others........"

Yet he has been published 6 times in worldwide 3D artwork books......

This video SCREAMED at me as an echo throughout my house!!! lol

As for myself, I still feel like such a fledgeling in photography.  I have not gotten the confidence in my work yet so I could totally relate.  I'm actually redecorating my bathroom and had picked a few images I'm going to frame and hang in there.  A friend looked over my shoulder and asked what website was I shopping on, the pics were beautiful and she would like to maybe buy some too.......  I told her they were my work......

Varanasi

I do plan to store onto an external HD in the future.  I am a complete amateur at photography (my husband go me my first digital camera last Easter) because I would drive him crazy wanting him to take me a specific shot and he just wasnt getting the shots I wanted, lol.  Now I have to get it myself!

Anyways, I have not accumulated the mass amounts of photos that a pro would, but if I were to put them on an external I would easily be able to work on my photos in bed at night as our laptop has photoshop too.  Now i just have to fight hubby over the laptop, lol.

Either way, on internal or external, I was able to go thru approx 1700 pics with my first step filter system in about an hour and a half, maybe less.  Ive ended up with about 100 to take a 2nd look at so you can see how this can be a time saver once you get your system down.  1700 down to 100 is far less daunting.

PS:  I do have a friend that does pro photography (weddings mostly).  She uses an external.  Names the folder by client name (last, first).  Then in subfolders organizes them.  She has had the same client use her more than once (grad pics, weddings, etc) so she will subfolder the events and dates them.