Ripley

Bushwalk at Lawson. Didn't take the tripod as the hike was a bit long and it was too hot, so put camera on a rock, clicked and hoped. Middle of the day lighting unfortunately. On the drive home, OH spotted a pair of large birds feeding on someone's property and after having their ID confirmed, he is a Pacific Heron.

She does have very sad eyes. I had cornered her in the fernery annex to the house just to try and get her to sit still. The 50mm was an acceptable distance for her.

Thanks, JS. That lens was a purchase this year and so sharp, I'm very happy with it. Trouble is, it's fixed so if the bird comes closer to the boat, too bad! All my fave shots were wild bird shots this year but as I'm a bird nerd, didn't want to bore everyone with all birdie shots. Fave doggie shot. Lens: Canon 70-200mm f/4 L non IS (not my lens, I borrowed from a friend).

Gosh, there are so many wonderful photos here, dogs, landscapes, wildlife, humans - something for everyone. Here are 3 non doggie ones Canon 30D with Canon 300mm f/4 prime Campbell's Albatross (he's pretty huge) Sperm Whale diving (lens: Canon 300mm prime) Blue Mountains lookout (I think it's Govetts Leap but can't remember) Canon 30D with Sigma 17-70mm with grad filter attached

Bellatrix, your KCC is very beautiful. This is Charlotte. Charlotte was rescued from deplorable conditions on a puppy farm. The owner now faces cruelty charges. I won't go into where this revolting place was, but she was adopted last year from an RSPCA foster carer and now lives with my mother. She won't look at you and if you get too close to her, she runs away. She will let you give her a scratch under the chin and around her ears, as long as you keep yourself at arm's length. If you pick her up, she will pee on you as my husband discovered! Considering how and what she was kept in, it's amazing she is now fully toilet trained. Sweet little girl.

I went and saw the last one this year in late March. If you work in the CBD, you can pop over there during your lunch hour and it's free. You can look at the winning photos as close up as you like. I remember the underwater category winner last year was a diver and a blue whale facing each other and it was blown up to almost billboard size. Re the wolf shot, it's an amazing capture but again, the photographer wasn't there, just like last year's winner of the snow leopard. Maybe that's why the controversy again?

Mine is a Fuji. After waterproofing it and testing it in the tub, it's fine to take out snorkelling. One thing to make sure of - make sure you buy a memory card first. I forgot and thought it came with one, took it away with me and could only take 2 photos so only took it out once. A real shame as I was staying on Heron Island so right on the Barrier Reef! Could have kicked myself when I was joined in a snorkel by a friendly black tipped reef shark.

Re filming and effects, I absolutely love the filter or whatever they have used for this clip. It's the Robert Carlisle Johnny Walker ad / story. (with a vignette it looks like) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnSIp76CvUI eta: that vignette is awful, tess. One thing I hate is tobacco grads on landscapes. So 70s but you still see them sometimes.

I can't help when OH is watching Top Gear thinking about which filter they've applied to get which effect. I also notice they shoot in the best conditions, being warm evening light or early morning light. I had a tutorial in a UK mag on how to give a photo of your car the "Top Gear" look in post processing, didn't try it and I have thrown it out now.

Just a hobby, rubiton. I like nature and wild things and taking photos of them. Christmas break is my time to finally sort out my photos and get them up on pbase or similar. (Was reading the paper today and was amused to read that NSW's recently kicked out Premier, Nathan Rees, mentioned he loves birds and photography and taking photos of them so he might take up that now).

She only has sight in one eye but it's a beautiful eye. (slight Orton effect on pp this) Mum's sheltie. monelite's dobermann Furia, as a pup after she'd been doing what pups do and snuffling around in the dirt. On the large version of this, you can see monelite reflected in one of her eyes.

Shoot in Raw if you have the time as it's more forgiving of exposure. I was only shooting jpeg as I had the camera on high continuous and the 30D give 6 frames per second and so takes longer to write to the card and you miss valuable shooting time. There are downsides to this, it's going to take me ages to cull out all the crap shots. Also if the bird is against the sky, you can try shooting in Manual if the sky is a blerk one (I hate white skies as they cause underexposure), I haven't tried this before though. For metering on birds in flight, I generally use Evaluated unless the bird is stationary and I want a black background and it's nice light, I'll use spot metering then. eta: sorry, one more thing. I don't necessarily agree that you need a humongous lens for general bird photography. I have a 300mm prime and a 1.4 teleconverter and I don't like using the teleconverter as it slows down focus, so often I'll just use the 300mm. You just need to learn how to approach your subject closer (so no bright colours). Or go to places where birds aren't that afraid of humans such as camping grounds, protected islands or wetlands or out on a boat that specialises in seabird trips and practise. I've just ordered a 'camo' neoprane cover for my ugly white lens as it stands out like dogs' balls. Oh, and I turn the focus beep to off.

Try trying to fit a Wandering Albatross in the frame when it has a wingspan of over 3 metres (that's over 9 feet!) and you have a prime lens, not a zoom and then you have to make sure you don't blow out the white feathers. God, that was bloody hard but I think I have a few keepers. Because of it's sheer size, and my prime lens, I missed a few passings it did around the boat but got a few in thanks to putting the camera on continuous shooting mode. I'll put some shots up over the weekend, they are still on my CF card. eta: I've found for birds in flight, it's better (for me anyway) to activate one focus point only and then try and get that focus point over the bird's head. If you have all focus points activated, the camera may focus on the background and not the bird and you will get a sharp background and out of focus subject. I will also usually shoot in jpeg and have it on high continuous shooting mode so I have more of a chance of at least one shot being sharp. Shooting birds in flight in raw takes too long for it to write to the CF card when your camera is firing away like a machine gun. I don't always use AI Servo, AI focus is good if you can lock the focus on the bird before it moves again and Canon cameras are pretty good at keeping that bird in focus. Pan with your body as you shoot. You can also try panning using a slow shutter speed for some bird shots that show movement. I usually only use one focus point when I photograph birds and not always the centre one. It helps if you can quickly change focus points on the dial on your camera too - I have a 30D and find it easy to do this with the dial at the front. You don't get time for preparation and fiddling about when a wild bird comes into view.

My boss is going on holidays to the US in Jan. Little does he know I'm putting in my order for him like I did last time.

Yep, bought my 30D last year from B&H in New York just before they discontinued it. It was under AUD1,000 so I didn't get hit with duty but you will if the price goes above AUD1,000. It arrived in 3 days!

The excess is $200 I think but that's fine. I've insured the camera and 3 lenses, not worth insuring the 50mm as it's cheap. I've insured them for what I paid for them at the time. Luke, that must have been an awful feeling! I know how I felt when my lens rolled off the bed and onto the tiles, total stomach sink and then you get really annoyed at yourself. I'm pretty good with making sure my pack is on me at all times but I'd be pretty likely to fall over in a stream or have a random wave dump me if I was setting up to get a sea shot or worse, lose it over the side of a boat.

I just upgraded my home contents insurance and asked about camera equipment. I've now insured that as well. This is with NRMA and they told me I'm covered not only in the house but as a portable item so I'm covered for theft and breakage (ie. breakage from me) when I take my camera and lenses out of the house. Not just for Australia but internationally as well. To do this (plus upgrade my home contents insurance slightly) it wasn't much extra a month at all (I pay monthly). Anyone else insure their gear this way? After dropping and breaking my 70-200mm L this year I'm glad I've insured the rest of the gear as I'm clumsy and often hike with a camera backpack on, if I fall into the water, that pack is going down with me.

Aperture is supposed to be just like Lightroom for Macs. It's cheaper too.

No you don't! So cute though, I love the baby rug laid out. Taking up photographing newborns, ruges?

You got (first photo and second photo in flight) either Crested Terns or Little Terns - can't tell for sure as they are similar looking, but Little Terns are an endangered species; and (*wish chezzyr was here to help me*) not sure of the last bird, but he looks like a juvenile. I'm not good on my seabird IDs, better with parrots. I need to finish my batch from last month, gah! no time! Did you enjoy yourself? Photographing wild birds is what I love photographing most, it's quite challenging. Did you get wet?

Well he's a very handsome boy, even if his beak is peeling atm. He's a very patient boy too. I had to position him right in front of the pear in the tree. Love the reindeer ears, my dog runs a mile if I try and drape anything over her Don't the pooches all looked thrilled with the dress ups?

parrot in a tree

Image quality would be better on larger prints, being full frame wouldn't it? If you can afford it, go for it. Do they hire out cameras like lenses? I think I have a review of the 5D in an English mag I have, want me to dig it out and PDF it to you? It is a 4 page spread on it from memory. Or FredandMiranda have camera reviews with people putting their images out of camera up there I think. Before I bought my 300mm prime, I read the reviews at F&M and had a look at the pics and when I don't put the UV filter on it, it's so sharp I can see the pin feathers straight out of camera, just with my 30D. I'm going to upgrade to the 50D when I can afford it and keep the 30D as back-up.

Rocco has developed her own unique and individual style. Post processing takes talent and it's better to develop your own 'style' (hate that word but I'm ill and can't think of a substitute) by experimenting or even reading up on things if you want to learn or play around with software yourself, but there are some who email and want exif data, what you did with PP and then and then go copy that person's stuff. I like the diversity here with people's dog photos and portrait photos and seeing their different touch on their pics. Thanks for sharing your photos here Rocco, they bring a smile to people's faces. eta: I'm old fashioned with this, but reading books or buying a magazine is a great way of learning plus you are supporting a photographer in some way doing this. ashanali if you had the time, and I don't know how you do it running a business, taking wedding photos, editing them and looking after 4 kids, you could teach photoshop on the side, I think portrait photos are something most people like to try and learn. I don't know how you guys find the time. I'm into taking wildlife pics which don't require that much post processing but I cannot find the time to work full time and photo edit and also enjoy a social life at the same time - you guys must have the work/life balance down pat.

.