# sharing...



## Koru

i'm on a steep learning curve.

i have this black thing sitting beside me and it has as many knobs and buttons as the flight deck of the last plane i was in.

when i get the hang of which way to point The Thing, i'll be asking for some help.














































okay, my Nikon D80 with its 18-135mm lens have made a beginning. (and some parts of the beginning have been really awful. lol)


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## Gator_Nutz

Hooray!!! Now your fun will really begin. I am so glad to hear you got your new camera. Did you end up getting it in the states or there at home? Great start and I absolutely can't wait to see where this takes you. Congratulations sneaky


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## Koru

i got a D80kit (body and 18-135mm lens), in the States. it saved me NZ$600.00. i got a carry case, a cleaning kit, a 67mm UV filter and a 67mm P.L filter with it. i really meant it when i said i'm on a steep learning curve. i'm learning that i need a tripod for zooming - i should have bought the 18-135mm lens that deals with shakey hands.

the guy in the shop offered me a high definition lens for US$200. it was one that retails for a couple of thousand US dollars - he thought i was an idiot not realising what i was turning down, but i had to stop because i'd reached my pre-set limit money-wise.

i couldn't take photos for a while even in auto mode as i was shaking so much from having bought the thing. lol


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## MT Stringer

Congratulations, Karen. Film is cheap these days, so shoot away! 

You can always ask questions later.
Mike


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## fishphoto

Congrats on the new camera!


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## Koru

thank you both. i'll be asking questions for sure. i just need to figure out which way is up on this thing first.


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## Arlon

My first 1000 pictures or so where pretty bad. There are just more things to goof up but when you start figuring it out you'll be able to a lot more with it. Congrats on the camera!


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## Captain Mike

*Congratulations*

Karen.....Looks like your learning curve is already losing it's steep angle...:biggrin:

Very nice shots ...Welcome to the Nikon Fraternity. I look forward to many more great shots (and accompanying poetry) from you in 2008... ~Mike


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## richg99

Congratulations... on your new acquisition. Only advice this old point and shoot guy is the same on all cameras..... Shoot the SAME subject, at the same time.. with a number of settings. 

See what each change of settings does to the results. I often recommend (assuming you have "scene modes" or even M/AV/Tv etc...) that you shoot the differing shots in the exact same order as the dial on top of the camera. That way, you can compare what the results are and instantly see what selection you used. 

Hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Rich


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## grayfish

Congratulations on the new camera Karen. I like what you posted here. Looks like you have shot at least 500 images if the image numbers are close and started with 1.


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## Charles Helm

Looks like a great start!


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## Koru

thanks Rich, i've been doing that and although it's still a little like gobbledegook i can at least decide what 'looks' better to my eye and work from there. 

Jack, your powers of secret squirrel observation are right on. i have some more from my holiday that i'm going to share but i have to first write about it. 

Mike, thanks. was that a hint about the poetry? lol i'm working on it, don't worry! 

Arlon, 1000. okay. that there is my goal. not to mess up so many from 1000 onwards. 

Thank you Charles.


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## RustyBrown

I'm extremely happy for you. If you didn't have frustrations with the learning curve you'd be the first and I've coached quite a few. Keep in mind that getting better results never stops for anyone and that the improvements are easier to come by at this point in your relationship with the camera. As time goes on improvements are harder to come by and the results usually aren't as obvious.

A couple of pointers right out of the box - take them for what they're worth. 1) become intimately familiar with your manual 2) shoot subjects and settings you're familiar with and are readily accessible so you can shoot->evaluate->shoot again 3) be patient and 4) use the board.

Anyone else wondering what a high definition lens is?


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## grayfish

RustyBrown said:


> Anyone else wondering what a high definition lens is?


Yep


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## Koru

thanks Rusty. that sounds like pretty good advice.

the high definition lens --- it was a filter of some sort. i went into several good digital camera shops and each shop owner had one and man did they handle those little darlings with extreme care. i wasn't allowed to touch one (not that i wanted to).

they gave incredibly perfect clarity, and the colour was an exact match for what your eye can see (i think somehow our eyes adjust in different lighting situations whereas our camera need to be adjusted to suit different situations). when they put the lens onto the d80 kit, the difference in the image's end result was stunning.

the shop owners had these lenses in special maroon coloured, lined boxes. very expensive pieces of equipment.

i can't remember the exact recommended retail price (i had many things waved under my nose in many shops), but i _think_ it was $2,000+ .

the only other thing i recall is that it was not a 'common' brand. i _think_ it could have been made in Japan, but i'm not 100% sure.

_edited to add_ - i'm just seeing if i can hunt the thing down online to show you.


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## Koru

very frustrating, i can't find it online anywhere.


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## fishphoto

grayfish said:


> Yep


I'm curious too?????


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## Koru

whoa... maybe it was 'high density' - memory playing tricks on me now.


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## Charles Helm

You sure it wasn't a neutral density filter? Of course, I have not seen one of those cost nearly tht much.


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## Koru

Charles Helm said:


> You sure it wasn't a neutral density filter? Of course, I have not seen one of those cost nearly tht much.


no, it definitely wasn't 'neutral'. it was either a high density or high definition. i think high density which made the definition incredible. it was a new-to-them piece of equipment too - the latest thing.

i can't for the life of me find any reference to it online.


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## richg99

Hmmmm....Let's see...you can't find "IT" on the internet...and .... If "IT" supposedly should cost $2,000 and he wanted to sell "IT" to you for $200.00........ I think you were wise/lucky to have not bitten at that bait. Caveat emptor...regards, Rich


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## Koru

richg99 said:


> Hmmmm....Let's see...you can't find "IT" on the internet...and .... If "IT" supposedly should cost $2,000 and he wanted to sell "IT" to you for $200.00........ I think you were wise/lucky to have not bitten at that bait. Caveat emptor...regards, Rich


i'd believe you accept for one point, there was more than one shop owner treating it like a piece of finely honed gold. it'll show up, eventually. i'd bet on it.

rosesm


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## Koru

....


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## fishphoto

I'd be a little skeptical also. There's no "magic" piece of equipment when it comes to photography. There is a very good reason that people will dish out thousands of dollars thier gear. Do you need thousands of dollars worth of gear to take great photos? - No. This board is proof that you can take great photos with the most simple equipment as well as the most expensive. I would shy away from anything that was being offered to you at 10% of its "value." When it comes to photography, you pretty much get what you pay for.


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## Pocketfisherman

Very nice. It looks like your well up on that learning curve.


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## Koru

a couple from one of the buildings at work the other day.


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## Koru

this time of year is so windy here! it's hard to find a time of day/night when the flowers outside are still. when i finally managed to find the right time, i couldn't see the photos --- until i found the flash button. 














































very slowly slightly getting there. i _think_.

tripod and remote shutter control coming this week. that'll be a relief.


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## Gator_Nutz

Good work Karen. Next, try bouncing the flash off of a white card or something. There are a ton of ways to get different effects with your flash. They also sell little diffusers that will fit over your built-in flash taht supposedly give nice results. See? Once you get started there will be lots of little things you would like to get Speaking of flash, the Nikon class on flash that I was to be taking next weekend was cancelled due to lack of attendees. 6 million people here and they could not fill one little class. Rediculous. Keep up the good work. #3 is my favorite by the way.


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## Koru

i hope you've kept your name in the queue James for next time the class is running. i'll keep my fingers crossed.

okay, here's three from today. i'm cross-eyed now from looking through the view-finder and my body is going to let me know how much twisting i did to use the tripod today. no matter what i do, when i take a photo of roses in a vase on a table, they look perfectly in focus on the LCD but when i bring them to look closer on my computer screen they look as if they're not in focus. i don't know what i'm doing wrong there.

anyway... three from OutSide...




























using the tripod, and the 2sec delay with the remote controller. (it doesn't help when the cat thinks it's a great idea to go smooching his body against the tripod legs).

okay and whilst i'm learning...

all were set in Aperture mode and I moved the aperture to varying places to get what i felt were the right 'moods'. i admit to preferring the darker greens in the second pic, partly the plant and partly the F6.3 setting.

i'd love to know your thoughts.


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## Koru




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## Gator_Nutz

I'd say you're getting there at a brisk pace Karen. They get better with each posting. Of the latest I like the purple flowers (very sharp on this monitor) and I really like the yellow flower towards the bottom. The color, the shadows, and the other flower that I can see just a hint of (or is it a leaf?) works very nice for me. Keep up the good work. You are making me want to go buy more flowers.


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## Koru

from this morning...


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## Koru

one from early this morning


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## Shed Hunter

*New camera*

Congrats. on the new camera. I like what you posted. I like #1,2, and really like #5. Looking forward to seeing what you can get out of the newfangled thing.
SH


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## Koru

practising for the contest:


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## Koru

a shed in the bush --- cut my legs to smithereens on cutty grass for these few pics:













































yesterday's solar eclipse:


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## Brent

Koru said:


> practising for the contest:


If you call that "practise", I'm wondering whta you do for real! Or are you just trying to intimidate everybody?  Very nice......


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## Brent

Koru said:


> a shed in the bush --- cut my legs to smithereens on cutty grass for these few pics:


That "shed" looks like it has some stories to tell. I'd like to hear some. That third one looks like a good candidate for some HDR....


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## Koru

Brent said:


> That "shed" looks like it has some stories to tell. I'd like to hear some. That third one looks like a good candidate for some HDR....


HDR often comes up with great results. i'm opting out of doing HDR (somebody remind me of that further down the track when i'm looking for extra work! lol), i want to spend my time taking photos and putting words to them. 

that shed was a house. there's so much rotten timber in it that walking through it was really dodgy. it appears to have been just a single room dwelling complete with some kind of fireplace for cooking (brickwork gave that away).

it's been in the bush for years, but has been empty of human life for the last 25 years that i've known of.

i turned up the colour on that photo to 'vivid' or 'vivid +' or something. it brought the greenery out a lot more than i expected. there were little dusty things flying about all over the place. i'll go there again when rain has dampened the dust a bit. we're in the middle of a drought here.

as for the flowers... it's fun practising.  except playing with lights in the middle of the night tends to keep me awake for hours afterwards. lol

thanks for your thoughts. 

rosesm


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## Koru

odds and ends














































.


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## Koru

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.
rosesm


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## Gator_Nutz

Very, very nice Karen. Especially that last one. It is particularly fascinating with it's color, sharpness, and textures. This thread has become sort of a journal of your learning experience with your new camera. You can definitely see the marked improvements from the beginning to now. Keep up the great work. Just between me and you, I might have saved that last one for the contest
James


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## richg99

Whhhoooooeee.....progress is your most important product! Nice stuff. Rich


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## Koru

now James, had i saved that last one, i could have had the rest of the month off. as it is, i have to keep at it. silly me! lol

(i think one of my favourites is the bumble bee  - not a cliche bee/flower photo at all that one.)

thanks Rich. i have to say it's nice to have a measuring stick to see if i'm getting any better. it was very frustrating for a while there and i thought about giving up (briefly), but then realised i just needed to chill out and just enjoy what i have. 

rosesm


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## Koru

some so far this week





































rosesm


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## Koru

rosesm
(not too bad for really really windy weather)


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## richg99

What are you keeping aside for your entry? Must be very very good. Rich


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## Koru

i went and spent an hour wandering around Auckland City's Wintergarden today... lost count of how many photos i took. will put some here as i get time.


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## Koru

a few more...




























and a crop


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## stargazer

Wow Karen, Progress by leaps and bounds......Found it interesting to view the first shots on this thread and compare to these. Now your cookin!!!!


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## Gator_Nutz

More very nice images Karen. I particularly enjoy the statue but you know I like statues. I like the last one better cropped also. It's great seeing you out and about shooting so much. It is definitely agreeing with you and the good results are showing more and more. 
James


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## grayfish

Beautiful images Karen.


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## Koru

thank you  i'm glad you're liking them. i'm slowly starting to feel comfortable with this black machine that seems almost permanently attached to my hands.

here's some more from yesterday...


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## Koru

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.


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## Koru




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## stargazer

Very nice Karen...Good job on the flowers


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## Koru

thank you 

this one is growing on me:


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## Charles Helm

It looks like that new camera is getting a lot of use. I find myself drawn to this one the most -- interesting compostion with the contrasting grids and the added picture elements, plus an almost monochromatic color scheme. Definitely something more than the traditional shots.


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## Koru

thanks Charles. i thought that was a quite quirky shot myself too... seems only you and i think so. it was funny when i was taking the shot, a gardener came up to me and said that if i waited a month i'd be able to take photos of many more leaves. i didn't tell him my focus was really on the abstract aspects of the lines. i didn't realise at the time how much that leaf would put into the photo. it earths the photo.

rosesm

i haven't posted many pics lately because i badly need to get my eyes tested and need to get new glasses. when i spend half an hour taking photos using the viewfinder, i find i'm practically blind as a bat (even more than normal)... when i put them on my screen to view and sort, too many are appearing blurry. i've been spending too much time staring intently at my screen at work.


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## Charles Helm

Best get to the eye specialist ASAP! Then report back. Hopefully all you need is an updated prescription.


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## richg99

Hmmmm... This is a really dumb suggestion, and I apologize for even making it...but...most cameras have a "diopter" adjustment (often hidden under the little viewfinder window). Does your camera have it? and did you adjust it to fit your eyesight? I know I couldn't see $#4%#$ if I hadn't adjusted mine. regards, Rich


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## Koru

richg99 said:


> Hmmmm... This is a really dumb suggestion, and I apologize for even making it...but...most cameras have a "diopter" adjustment (often hidden under the little viewfinder window). Does your camera have it? and did you adjust it to fit your eyesight? I know I couldn't see $#4%#$ if I hadn't adjusted mine. regards, Rich


not a dumb suggestion at all Rich, thanks. i adjusted it when i first got the camera, however the diopter has either moved on its own (which doesn't seem possible as it is a very firm movement to alter it), or my eyes have changed. i am pretty nearly 100% positive that my eyes have changed. i've just adjusted the diopter again now and will take the camera out for a while later to see if it makes a difference.

i went to renew my driver's licence and it required a quick (brief) eye test i.e. look through this large viewfinder and read the 4th line etc. i noticed at the time some of the smaller typed letters were slightly blurred not enough to be any kind of a problem diving.

my eyesight changed when i started my new job at the end of October... in that same first few weeks i had the floaty things happening and felt eye strain and had some blurred vision. i have been trying to put off going for new glasses as i will need trifocals (distance, computer screen & reading) and i have been waiting for my reading sight to stop changing... glasses here are not cheap. i bought two pairs a couple of years ago and it cost nearly $900.00. my vision is all the 'between' lens sizing ratios and so glass has to be specially cut, thus the expense.

Charles, i'm booked in to the ophthalmology clinic (for the floaty things - possible torn retina) but they have a bit of a waiting list. i'll let you know what happens, if anything.

i'm just praying that whatever the problem is, (my eyes/computer screen/camera) is fixable 

rosesm


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## Koru

first pics with a macro





































it's finally been raining today. when it's dried out again, i'll try using my tripod and see if i fair any better.


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## Koru

i just had the urge to play with weeds this morning... nothing quite like grounding oneself.

for these few photos i used one of my new filters, this time a +4 (the previous post was using the Macro - i think it's a +10)

i found it a little easier using the +4. anyway, without further ado...

The Dandelion




























and a crop of the last









i took them in natural sunlight, indoors as it was too windy outside.
rosesm


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## Koru

i had a play with a black piece of material and some flowers yesterday... to see if i could achieve what Arlon makes look sooooo easy.



















some more flowers:



























and one of Tim who finally decided to allow me to take a photo of him again. i can't decide if i like the leaf shadows or not.


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## sandybottom

Koru, those are the best shots yet! I see your getting comfortable with your new Nikon too. Again very nice.


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## Koru

thanks Sandy. glad you're liking them. 

another...










rosesm


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## richg99

K..Maybe it is my eyes...but in the the recent series, I only see the first orange flower and the last shot of the cat as being truly "sharp". 

On the others, even where you attempted to get only a portion of the flower's petals "sharp"... that portion didn't come out as clear as any part of the first and last shots in the group. 

Is it just me? I had an eye operation recently so I don't know what I am seeing some times. Rich


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## Koru

richg99 said:


> K..Maybe it is my eyes...but in the the recent series, I only see the first orange flower and the last shot of the cat as being truly "sharp".
> 
> On the others, even where you attempted to get only a portion of the flower's petals "sharp"... that portion didn't come out as clear as any part of the first and last shots in the group.
> 
> Is it just me? I had an eye operation recently so I don't know what I am seeing some times. Rich


no, it's not just you Rich. it's me. i'm having a job getting focus right. i think i'm going to have to resort to my tripod - now that winter is on its way here probably most of my photos will be indoors with a tripod anyway. - k
rosesm


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## Koru

in dreamland









trying a few things:




































rosesm


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## richg99

All sharp..and I like the compositions. Rich


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## Koru

it's been a while. i've been busy with work and trying hard to learn a little more about this expensive piece of equipment that's sitting beside me...

mother's day brought me a gift that called the camera out of its case 





































and one for the things that fly contest that i'm not entering because i need more practise...









rosesm


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## richg99

Fine shots, there... K. I, of course, like #2 and #5 best. 

What do you mean " called the camera out of its case"...Heck, my camera is NEVER in its case. I just keep it hanging around in case some photo opp shows up. They often do and even then I can't get the camera up and ready to shoot fast enough. regards, Rich


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## Koru

i've been learning about exposure in the last couple of days.

these were an absolute delight to take...


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## sandybottom

Koru, your doing great. Things that fly was tough for me too this month. I've been looking everyday. Now getting my camera and something flying at the same time that's a different story. I submitted one but not satisfied with it. Keep those photos coming.


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## richg99

K... and the results are a delight, too. Great "colours" and cropping. I still think you ought to be selling your work locally. Rich


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## Pocketfisherman

I think you have "exposure" nailed down. Those are really nice.


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## Koru

thanks Sandy. feel free to suggest an easier topic next month! 

Rich, i didn't crop - just one sharpen in PS7, my sig on a new layer and the frame on a duplicate layer of the background. i'm thinking hard about the selling thing. it's not forgotten, just needs good deal of working out first. 

thanks PF... it was like turning a switch on when i realised what it meant when i played with the exposure button. 

glad you all like them.

rosesm


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