sallymack

Urban landscape: sky and reflection of sky in window.

What a story! And what a recommendation! Thank you. I'm currently backing up to BackBlaze on their 15-day trial, it should complete in a couple of days. That kind of emergency is why I want cloud back-up. I'm so glad BB came through for you. They've been responsive to my questions, giving helpful answers.

Not so abstract but lots of motion.

What cloud back-up storage do you use and why? I'm exploring options since the service I use hasn't backed up my computer for over a month and customer support is non-existent. I need a reliable back-up for computer and external hard drive, over 2 TB (and growing). I need basic storage. Scheduled back-ups are nice when they work but I could handle manual back-ups for a price break. So, what do you use?

Thanks, michaelliner. The difference between snails and slugs: snails have shells, slugs don't.

Thanks for your thoughtful comments on my "Snail on Ice Plant" photo. It was taken with a 105 micro lens, ISO 11400, 1/200 sec, at f/32. The micro lens was the only working lens I had at the time so I got used to looking small. It's a snail. Given the snail's wide open mouth, I had to google snail teeth. Turns out they have sort-of teeth, tiny rows of them, on what they use as tongues. The things you learn through photography! Another element of the photo is that both the snail and the plant are invasive, "invasive on invasive," a naturalist friend commented. Both are plentiful in northern California where I live. --Sally

I couldn't resist posting another tiny landscape of newly-hatched spiders.

For me, it's simple. What do I photograph? Whatever I want which comes down to visually interesting, most recently ranging from a nest of newly hatched baby spiders to huge industrial equipment in a local shipyard. Then there's wetlands, water reflections, birds, etc. To whom does it matter? Me. Why is it relevant? Who says it's relevant or that it needs to be? Except for the joy I derive from it I'm not sure it is relevant.

Nikon z7II, Nikkor Z 100-400mm lens at 130mm, f/32, 1/200 sec, ISO 11400 I've been photographing these huge industrial components of commercial ship fender bumpers for a couple of months at Mare Island shipyard, CA. The diameter of the circles is 5-1/2 ft. The abstract possibilities are endless, shiny black paint a challenge.

Thanks for your thoughts. Whenever I've looked into stock photos, it's seemed too much trouble for too little reward. Wouldn't selling a photo for pennies be demoralizing considering the number of years I've been photographing and the amounts of money I've spent on hardware, software, film, developing, printer, paper, etc.? (PapaTango: "Give a person a fish and they will eat it. Teach a person to fish and they will spend lots of money on tackle. Give a person a camera and all bets are off ..." ) In addition, I like prints and photograph with printing in mind although I print few of my photos. PapaTango and MikeMorrell said it best regarding the passion, joy, enthusiasm, and energy of it. When I think of submitting to stock agencies, I feel none of that. What set off my wondering is meeting an Adobe Stock employee who suggested it. Yes, some of my photos would be appropriate for stock but to weed them out would take time better spent on photographing and editing what I already have. Thanks, all. I may still look into it, still mulling.--Sally

Leslie, thanks for keeping the forum going. Your photo is stunning! Since nothing says "Happy birthday" like a bunch of newly-hatched spiders. . .

Thanks, Paul. Curiouser and curiouser. . .

I don't know how paul_de_ley's lovely photo of an avocet in flight got attached to this thread. It was there when I "started the conversation," my questions about stock photography hadn't been posted, yet.

What are your thoughts on stock photography? My brief list of the pluses and minuses is not comprehensive, just throwing it out there. I'd like to hear other thoughts on the subject. Anybody submit photos to stock agencies? Which ones? What's been your experience? On the plus side, your photos are being seen by a targeted audience on a (hopefully) reputable website and potentially making money, albeit likely a minuscule amount. Your stock photo could land on the cover of a prominent business' annual report. Your photos are being seen by people looking for photos (not just "at" them). Minus: You're basically giving away your work. Is the amount you'd be paid for a stock photo worth it to you? Having no control over how your photo is used, it could wind up on the cover of a prominent business' annual report of a business you loathe or in a way you find distasteful. Or maybe that's not important to you. Thoughts, please. --Sally

Magnolia

Hi, Michael, it's not a technique I care for but the more I look at it the more I like it.