kja

What camera are you using? I shoot most of my sunrises on my baby Canon compact coz it's easier to carry while walking the doggies :) I usually prefer to shoot silhouettes or simply without flash. I point at the sky until the image looks how I want it to look - not too light, not too dark, keeping colour in the sky - then recompose if I want the dogs or a subject in the frame. Sometimes I know the sky is a lost cause, or it's simply boring mostly, so I aim for the action knowing I'll get some good splash of colour Don't forget to turn around with your back to the sunrise oops, found one at sunrise :) This was sunset, but it's the same concept. I used flash here and just made sure I was far enough away from the dogs not to blow them out

Thanks! Got out for a single dive today. Not really happy with anything I shot, knew I wouldn't be. One I don't hate: turtle perched on edge of plate coral

two more dives today - yippeee! Turtles were pretty cooperative on dive one So mellow they snooze as they swim past :) Scratch under flipper, please Canon 40D, Tokina 10-17, Subal housing, Zen baby dome, 2 Inon strobes

I'm not sure what lens I will choose - depends on where I decide to shoot. I'm guessing at least one of mine, if all goes according to the plan I came up with in the shower this morning, will be with my 17-55 so not terribly long. But I also want to use something over 100, maybe even my 200 or longer. I won't be approaching anyone before or after, most likely. Yup, looks like these people haven't chosen so will be coming up in the next issues so start thinking :): Sam Tayla Kristen Samantha :)

OK, I've just been through the blog trying to be more organized and we're kinda dropping the ball on participating: Theme 1 - 10 Theme 2 - 10 Theme 3 - 11 Theme 4 - 9 Theme 5 - 9 Theme 6 - 8 Let's try to have all eleven of us make it for theme 7 and beyond :D

OK, I didn't get any emails overnight either so here's the new theme - and don't worry, I hate it, too :D :D Stranger expression - we have to capture something that shows emotion (not just a random snap) on the face of a stranger. We can't know this person and we can't set it up. Happy, sad, pensive, intrigued, confused, meditative, relaxed, joyous, angry, exasperated...anything other than just breathing :D Shooting dates: 06 April, 2013 - 19 April, 2013 inclusive Post date: 20 April, 2013 Woohoo! this one for me is a massive challenge. I also have finally made a list of everyone and gotten organized on who has done one etc so there will be no more delays or struggle for me to get info to the next person in line. Only took me three months LOL Yikes - just noticed I must have clicked "done" but not publish when I scheduled my sport. Sigh, oh well, it's up now. And so is the announcement for the new theme - have fun!

hmmm, no one emailed me so I have to think we've gone through the list except for me? Are we that far into the year?? If I don't hear from anyone by tomorrow morning, my time, I'll choose something as it must be my turn!

+1 on no for Big W being professional lab :) Rule of thumb: a professional lab will pretty much only do photo related stuff - not sell tampons and dog food :D I had a clickon print book done about five? years ago and the colours are still spot on and everything looks lovely. they are not high end books with heavy pages, but the pages aren't nasty el cheapo flimsy ones eithers. If I was doing a personal project, I'd use them again probably. And there's a sale on now with this code: FHGOJ-BBFA0-A00Q0-0LGJD-BNGHC

Clickon Print photo books save $25 FHGOJ-BBFA0-A00Q0-0LGJD-BNGHC

Looks like you're doing great with getting your focus where you want it. Perhaps it's time to try getting your image to tell a story or suggest an emotion/involvement now that you've shown us specific close up bits - it's a good progression. Have fun!

god, no! I'd have a zillion of them and they're too easy to lose. Also way more expensive per unit than hard drives.

For organization, you can't go past Lightroom. Keyword those babies and you're good to go. I personally suck at doing it but then I seem to be able to find things anyway because the way I name folders works for me (after a bit of trial & error), it just takes way longer. But it's a goal to be better at keywording :)

Hard drives for sure. I keep two copies of stuff that's at least pretty important and anything that I deem important is stored on three different drives. Hard drives are dirt cheap now, and smaller, so it's so easy. I'm slowly migrating things to newer, higher capacity, smaller physical size drives, too. No use for old baby sized drives now that 1TB and bigger are so well priced!!

I should abdicate organizing things coz I can't remember whose turn it is to choose LOL If you have NOT chosen a theme yet - email me at [email protected] and let me know. I will let one person know by the end of today and we'll have a new theme tomorrow. Please ONLY email me - somehow my life is out of control again and sometimes I don't check here and even if I do, having things in my email box will give them a better chance of getting done! And I hope to get mine up today tho so far it's 0838 and I've fallen seriously behind...again <sigh>

OK, how about we extend a couple of days? Seems everyone's end of March has been a bit insane? NEW end inclusive shoot date: 3 April NEW post date: 4 April good job to those who were able to meet the initial deadline!! I have no idea where the past two weeks have gone here - everything is just out of control LOL

Try shooting with it first. One of my workhorse lenses appears to have two really nifty gouges in it but it does not impact the images at all so I don't worry about it.

Aw crap, I wrote down that shooting included tomorrow, too LOL oh well, there are no theme police so I say we all get an extra day this time :D

If I needed one, I'd simply buy a 7D - secondhand if I could find a reliable seller, for sure :)

OMG what a way to start April! Crazy feeding frenzies, enormous cod getting all up close and personal, sharks, turtles, rays, sea snakes, anemonefish, nudibranchs, clear water, 28C...damn, I guess I'd better go out again tomorrow! Canon 40D, Tokina 10-17, Subal housing, Zen baby dome, 2 Inon strobes

Oh no! My best to you guys - I hope Indy is doing better soon! I can't believe this month is almost over. I've been insanely busy but I can't rightly recall all I've done LOL So I still haven't shot what I intended to shoot...

I thought (think, actually) they are sheep, too, but the people I was with insisted they are goats. It's funny either way :D

pheebs - great collection!! 29 march 2013 - you know you're in Coral Bay when you have to wait for the feral goats to cross the beach track

Thanks, I'll have a look at those links later in the week when I have some time :)

I have a little personal project I want to do but it involves layers and selecting elements, replacing backgrounds etc. I just don't photoshop so only have the very basics on how to achieve what I want to achieve. The biggest obstacle I see initially is getting a good selection. I had a quickie play around with this image: 1 frame + 1 swirly elements + 1 background + 1 photo of Tilly = It's getting the stuff around the main subject to look smooth and "natural" - I can't imagine what this will be like when there are strands of hair or smaller elements like a hand etc. So what are the tricks and tips? What should I be googling for when looking for tutorials? Any help appreciated - I'll never do this a lot as it's not my thing, but it's time I at least learned how to do a moderate edit in a reasonable amount of time.

piper - bummer!! But onwards and upwards, try a new thing - it's all about discovery really!