pow

Those are really good, Nick!

You know folks I think every week this thread just gets better and better. There are all wonderful. The three

chicks made me smile, nice capture and I love the B&W windmill

 

Since I got it last Wednesday I've been playing with my new Pentax D-FA 50mm Macro. The lens is a definitely

keeper for me. I'll post a series soon with my thoughts on the lens.

 

The critter below is less than 1/2 an inch long and was hanging on a wisteria bean pod just outside my front

door. It's about a 50% center crop 1/60 f/9.5 ISO 400 - D-FA 50mm macro on my K10d.

 

/Roger<div></div>

Oh my! I'm a few weeks late but here are a few more of the kittens - growing up...<div></div>

and spot

one more time

Wow, what a gallery! Just wonderful!!! A tribute to Pentax equipment in the right hands. Isn't it amazing too, how good these kit lenses are! Nice crisp shots!

maybe its not a good night for me to post... I keep lagging out.

Well, Sunday's over.. and if I am going to comment on all these gorgeous photos that everybody has posted.. Monday will be over too! Umm.. Garry if you keep getting rid of the beauties, I might have to reconsider sending in my application.. I spent the spare time I had this week, setting up a tent to take some macros of jewelry for a friend.. I might have to look into a strobe at some point to get some sparkle into the 'stones'. A couple of shots using the 'tent':<div></div>

Odds and ends<div></div>

Some color<div></div>

This is like walking through an amazing gallery: such wonderful surprises at every corner....!

Some asked about the lens(es) I used. I can't answer that, check the text with the pics. I've tested 8 lenses, all with macro-rings attached, and losing bits of exif on the way.

HAIG! OH MY ... ! Those tent shots are excellent. Yes, I know I was shouting, but I don't think I have ever heard of people bemoaning the lack of sparkle - it's usually all about preventing the blown out reflections of the strobe that gives people headaches! What great and even exposure over the entire surface of your subjects, which seems to be a certain commercial requirement. My experience is that having sparkle/highlights/reflections are SO hard to avoid.

 

My one gripe would be the substance you use to keep the ring upright in #1.

 

PS. Just hired a beauty of note to replace one of the ladies that was leaving. But actually, she was the best teacher, by far! Really! No really! She was. Really.

Thanks Garry.. there seems to be a lot of experimentation involved in getting the best lighting.. by the way, if anybody has experience in this area, I would appreciate all the help I can get!. The sticky wax to keep the lens upright is easy to pp out. I was just too tired to do it for a test shot. I've spent far too long in front of this silly computer as is! I need a vacation.. or maybe a sabbatical somewhere I can rest my eyes :-)

Weekend historic train ride

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I couldn't make it back yesterday, as Spain won the Euro Cup and I found myself doing other stuff away from the internet.

 

Have you guys noticed that the number of people posting on the PoW thread has increased over the last 8-12 weeks? That's a good sign for sure. Of course, it also means there are many more pics to look at (good) and many more to comment on (bad, if you're lazy as I am). I'll comment on my favourites, so please forgive me if I don't comment on your photo; it's out of laziness, I assure you.

 

Robert: That great blue Heron is &*%^$#@ good; I only wish it could have been posted larger. Are you going to print in out large? Such a pleasing composition too, like the heron knew exactly what you needed.

 

Dave H.: I love the New Leaf, the repeating pattern dissolving into the bokeh is fabulous. Hmmm...maybe I do want a 77 Ltd after all...

 

Ian: I like your first shot through the window.

 

O Shiva: A change of pace for you, but I like #2. I have a thing for rust :-)

 

Mihai: No matter what week they're from, I like both these pictures. I don't know if you posted both of them together on purpose or not, but I like how they are almost the same scene, only one of them has a man-made tower as the central subject, while the other has a tree. Yet both subjects appear old and derelict. The fact that your use of B&W is superb doesn't hurt :-)

 

Garry: You can tell us and yourself whatever you want...but your wife knows the real reasons for your hiring of a new teacher. That she still loves you says a lot about her ;-)

 

Todd: The 3 hungry chicks should be titled "The Three Tenors"; I love it.

 

Andrew: I'll be sending you a the $50 repair bill I got from my local repairman; you busted my cuteometer with your Frozen Fawn.

 

Markus: Love the train.

 

Fredrik: Wow, your high key portraits are beautiful, as are the subjects. Very brave, interesting crop in your girlfriend's shot.

 

Duane: I like Focused, especially those strands of hair coming through the helmet, giving a sense of speed. I remember the day I learnt to ride a bike; ended up with bloody knees. Your daughter is already ahead of me :-)

 

Alisa: Thanks so much for your comments. I never got a chance to repost last week and I wanted to let you know how much I liked your daughter's portrait. You are so very good with people shots...you're a natural! I always learn something from your portraits. As for my shooting in colour, I've always leaned more towards colour, probably because I love B&W and can only justify making a photo in B&W if I can really pull it off. B&W isn't just about hitting the "convert to B&W" button. At the same time, I don't want to be a snob that misses out on great opportunities just because "I'm a B&W photographer" and I refuse to shoot colour. I love photography, period.

 

Roger: Great photo, yucky, butt-ass insect :-)

 

Haig: I spent an afternoon a couple of years ago trying to photograph my wedding band. I decided jewellery photography wasn't for me. You are well ahead of anything I could attempt, and I admire you for taking up the challenge.

Sorry Dave, no pun intended. I should have thought more about the title.

 

Nick - she's 9, the training wheels should have come off at 7 but this ancient dinosaur wouldn't push her - I just decided that a shiny new bike without training wheels might provide some incentive. Your Daisy shot is outstanding.

 

Thanks Mis - I brought a small stool to get the right height for that photo. Seems to have worked out.

 

Hin Man - love the train shots. The first looks very similar to Javier's work.

Hin Man, that last train shot is wonderful!

 

I sure identify with your laziness Mis Mei. It's often hard to get the comment mode flowing. I have a hard time picking favorites too.. The best I can do is a top four. I like Ian's reflection, Mis's leaf, Mihai's mill, and Johan's windmill..

 

Btw Mis, I was on the same train of thought on the nest titles. There are actually 4 in the nest and on another shot I titled it "Chick Quartet".. I will steal your idea though and update another of the set with that... ;-)

What an awesome group of shots this week. Hard to single out anyones stuff.

 

A few Pentaxians got together for a day in the Toronto Zoo. Here's a couple of my shots from the day:

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/'><img src='http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/2526/trip5hv3.jpg' border='0'/></a>

 

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/'><img src='http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/9454/trip4zu0.jpg' border='0'/></a>

 

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/'><img src='http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/7497/imgp9589butterflyym2.jpg' border='0'/></a>

 

<a target='_blank' title='ImageShack - Image And Video Hosting' href='http://imageshack.us/'><img src='http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/8137/imgp9714tigersmyq8.jpg' border='0'/></a>

Peter, did you go with Daniel? (Not sure if he's in Toronto, though.)

 

The butterfly shot is too small at p-net's max pic width to be appreciated, but looks to be beautiful. I simply love the tiger, what a great pose; if *only* that blade of grass in the foreground in front of the eye weren't there...

Mis, Yes I was with Daniel and victor from Pentax Forums. We tried to get a bunch of giys there together but this

is the Canada weekend here and many were away or busy. Yeah i wished the blade of grass wasn't there as well. I

might try to remove it if possible.

 

Here's the butterfly in a larger version.Sigma 70-200 f2.8 non-macro:

http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/7497/imgp9589butterflyym2.jpg

Thanks for the bigger butterfly shot, Peter. Really does look better.

 

It would be cool to get a bunch of Pentaxians for a day of shooting here in Boston. It would be me, Rose,...errr...hmmm...well, that's not really a bunch, is it. And I've made so much fun of Rose's cats that I doubt she wants to meet me.

 

OK, I'll go to the zoo by myself then. Maybe I can join some Olympus club or something...

Miserere, A Boston meet-up would be a blast. Boston is not that far from where I live (closer than Toronto). I'd like to participate in one next year sometime (trip budget is about done for this year). I know there is a good number of East coast shooters on the other forum we both participate in as well. I imagine it would be possible to get 10 or more together for such a date if there was enough notice.

 

Thanks for the comments on the shot.

Peter, that sounds like a great idea. Let's not forget it!