mike_simons

Bill -

I couldn't agree MORE!

As a public school teacher in upstate NY, I often want to encourage my students to look in the galleries at photo.net for inspiration, critique, and homework purposes. I talk with my students about nudes and art, but it remains an uncomfortable situation - we're in the library at one of our computer labs, with plenty of other students and teachers around, and all a casual passer-by might see is a nude and they immediately jump to conclusions, villifying me and causing lots of problems. On the whole, my students treat it all very maturely.

I am about as liberal as they come, but I'm also realistic - Photo.net is and can continue to be a WONDERFUL resource to teachers who are simply trying to educate the next generation of photographers, but it would be wonderful to know that students - some of whom *cannot* treat the situation with the maturity required - are somewhat buffered from the nudes presented in the galleries.

Face it, folks, not everyone will ascribe to the "but hey! It's fine art!" mindset.... Please - HELP us by considering a buffer/zone/gallery structure that would allow us to let our students have free reign in perusing the galleries....

thoughts?

-Mike Simons

Corning, NY

Ok, Ok... I *found* it on the "Unified List," but not in a strictly discussion-based thread/forum - only mixed in with all the critique postings, etc.... How might it be seen somewhere, yet not somewhere else? I'm not understanding the hierarchy of display here... my apologies for being a newbie.

-Mike

Posted last night re: side lighting and making dramatic heavy-

shadowed pics.... Can't seem to find the post now in the General

Photo forum or any other, for that matter... I've searched on it,

but can't seem to dig it up - any hints/thoughts? I've gotten

replies to it, so obviously *someone* out there has found/seen

it....

Cheers,

Mike Simons

Brent -

Many thanks for your reply!!! I looked further on the 'Net and found (sadly) that the 2x TC conversation was moot to begin with: the 2x EF is only compatible with 135mm tele's or higher!! Don't know why that is, but......

I appreciate the rest of your suggestions - I've been finding more and more that I should be willing to shelve a bit of ego and re-affirm that I *don't* have all the answers for my kids and our needs... I've had the opportunity to go back and forth with a few pros here (one studio-based and one who does more field work) who're more than willing to talk with us. I'm looking forward to the opportunity!

As far as use of time goes, I teach English in the Special Ed. department, plus an elective course of B&W Photo for our kids with special needs.... The Yearbook Photo is my 6th teaching period, and in the fall, I'm an asst. director with the marching band.... and you're right - I have the best job in educ.... THE WORLD!

-Mike

PS - If anyone out there wants to off-load a 100mm 2.0 EF or similar to a group of OUTSTANDING kids in upstate NY, I'll take all offers! Our budget is $0.00, but we're willing to talk! Again, many thanks....

Hi, Folks... After getting resounding feedback in another thread,

I've moved here for a new question.

I'm the digital photography teacher at a school in upstate NY. We

use two Canon D30's for all of our photos, and we operate as a subset

of the Yearbook program (Sept-March = Yearbook production, Mar-June =

studio photography & other topics).

We recently picked up a 50mm 1.4 USM (after shooting on the stock 28-

90mm from Canon) and are loving the results, particularly when it

comes to our ability to stop action in our Gym (basketball,

wrestling, etc) when conditions are particularly low-lit. The low f-

stop is IDEAL, but the focal length is more of a problem....

Ideally, we'd use something in a 100-200mm range to be able to reach

across the Gym and bring action we're not close to right in front of

us... The 200mm 2.8 is out of our price range, but I'm wondering

about the feasibility of purchasing a 2X EF II Teleconverter, which

would bring us to 160mm (and drop us two f-stops). I know, 50 x 2 =

100, but you need to factor in the 1.6 D30 CMOS multiplier.... thus,

effective focal length is 160mm.

If that's enough information for you, what suggestions might you have

on a direction to pursue? I'd LOVE to find a place that'd give us a

break on a nice low f-stop 200mm lens, but I don't think many places

(or people with used ones) will smile on a school program,

unfortunately. How much - if anything - will we sacrifice in image

quality? I've not used teleconverters before, and don't know of

possible side-effects..... Are there other options I should

consider, including but not limited to third-party 200mm / 2.8 (or

thereabouts) lenses?

ANY suggestions, hints, tips, or advice is much appreciated!

Cheers,

Mike Simons

mcsimons@alumni.indiana.edu