dwynwen

This is pretty much my take on it too. I've been posting in the 52weeks of photos thread this year - the first time I've posted in photos (as far as I can remember) - as the high quality of images in the photos forum can be a bit intimidating. I try to comment most weeks but sometimes don't find the time to spend actually looking properly at the pics and comment - the sense of community and a few comments on my own pics is quite important to me. I like the fact that the thread generally sticks to some quick comments and the pictures themselves. I'm still working towards asking for actual C&C :-)

I got this info in an email this morning ... (from an adobe vendor, so I'm assuming it's correct) (for those who are sitting on old versions)

A quickie, to keep me in the game :-) Week 16 - Akita pins. by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr

Two akitas is cuddlier than one :-) Cooper & Suki on Flickr (add a bigger car to the list...)

Two visits to the Sydney Royal in the last week. I do like a sport where the heifer has a good chance of winning ... Week 14 - Ladies Campdraft - Sydney Royal 2012 , on Flickr Week 15 - Sparkles. , on Flickr 52 weeks of pleasing pics

#452 kja - how cool - was this just some random turtle you met? or one who is used to hanging with people. #453 ButterNut - Nice shots, I particularly like Mr Lego. #454 dogfan - the short d.o.f really makes dino pop!, you budgie looks like he's wondering what you're up to. I've been driving past this spot for years and have never stopped to check the view. This week on a whim (and to ditch an aggressive following semi) I did... Week 13 - Paradise Lost 52 weeks of photos by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr efs

#445 Evolving - Great shot, love the way the light falls on Echo and the grass up to his (her?) knees. #447 huga - disturbingly wonderful shot. #449 KumaAkita - Ah, the watchful akita (no complaints from me, I could look at photos of Kuma every day) #450 gapvic - Simple and powerful ..the symmetry really works. (doing my comments in snippets so I don't get behind so much)

For anyone looking for a big(ish) camera 'insert' or bags/covers for tripods - Tom Bihn has just released a long awaited insert to fit their bigger backpacks and messengers. I can't really justify it in addition to my Lowepro backpack :-) .. it looks really well designed. Insert 'trailer' blog with video (2:31) Intro video to insert and tripod "quiver" (1.22) User review of insert Ed to add review link.

#443 anniek -(12) teefies! what a sweetie. (13) the last image is so full of energy (not that the others aren't) nice layout. #435 Flaves - (12) those pics make me laugh (happy not funny) #436/#441 McDM - thanks for the info, love the full frontal of the MM. And the bongo is just gorgeous. KumaAkita, I loved the national gallery, the Renaissance works are great but the other exhibs are too - mind you, I can live without seeing any more Madonna and child variations for quite a while… #438 redangel - oh that's so neat!

the comment catchup .. from 9 march for no particular reason. (OMG this is a huge post when I paste it in here .... sooorrrry) #378 dogfan - gorgeous flower pic .. the centre focus really draws the eye. (you asked - my week 9 was a 6 arm chandeleir spinning, with a bit of tilt via Lightroom) #379 ButterNut - I think Storm is very dignified … and what an hypnotic gaze …" give… me … the… treat… " #380 redangel - another hypnodog.. love the way she fills the frame. #381 MnDM - lovely hands shot. #382 anniek - great light and pretty dog. #383 kja - beautiful! #384 Evolving - what cuties! Two breeds on my want list. #385 gapvic - yet more great self portraits - how many shots did you make before getting the week 11 (autumn) shot? #387 fattima - Cool shots, the shoes in the mirror are great .. I really must learn to be able to 'see' photo opportunities like that. #389 MrRedDog - Love the varying wood textures … (I have a penchant for tree closeups). #391 huga - Great moody shot - and thanks for explaining the technique you used. #398 MTD - lovely scenic shots, you find the greatest things to photograph. #399 KumaAkita - cool living wall .. those pots must be a trick to weed. #400 ButterNut - Love the colours .. making me regret the whole no chocolate policy. #401 Flaves - you've caught those ears just perfectly! #403 anniek - ok, greyhounds and whippets obviously just have the look. #404 huga (the multihuga portrait) .. wow, just wow. #405 dogfan - I really like the composition of your week 10/11 #406 MnDM - pretty polly! what kind is he? #408 gapvic - the second fence is where they start shooting … :-) #410 CrazyCresties - that fly is gorgeous, and the green background is perfect. #411 kja - cute puppeh, would be easy to make him into a foster failure. #417 MTD - Love how the frog is almost luminous against the sheet of metal behind. Snook - I'll miss seeing your pics … maybe next year? #420 MrRedDog - I doubt anyone could resist that little face … demon pattycake! #422 KumaAkita - gee i hope you didn't need to take all of those at once! Just looking at the Keflor box is bringing me out in a rash.. #424 kja - that picture was perfect but you made it better by adding the girls. #425 MTD - nice detail of the mantis - I like how it's not immediately obvious what the image is of. #426 fattima - great colours and light. #427 huga - you keep introducing me to musos I've never heard of … must get out more. #428 Evolving - Great catch! #429 redangel - pretty shot, neat how the flock lines up with the break in the clouds. phew .. you're a prolific lot. I got my compact camera back from repair last week and took it to Canberra thinking I might get a nice photo or two .. realised this morning that it was still set to low res pics .. Meh. So last week's pic (post #431, above) is an iPhone pic of a trip highlight .. ;-)

Went to catch the Renaissance exhib at the National Gallery last week, and swung by the Library Cafe.. Week 12 - Lavender at the Library by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr

Oops I'm running late ... Week 10 Week 10 - Shiny! by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr Week 11 Week 11 - Hibiscus by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr

One of the few sporting events that gets any attention in our house ... Anchorage Daily News has good coverage too. photo gallery for day two

some thoughts from the last week (in order of appearance) lovemesideways - Three great selfies, I particularly like week5 ... the focus is awesome. MTD - A really pretty picture but so sad what lies beyond the doors. Huga - that's quite a powerful shot. (week 9, 'lay me down') MnDM - Lovely flame image, sorry you lost your friend. MrRedDog - lovely, though I might have been sent back to the drawing board if I'd seen your week 9 before posting mine :-) CrazyCresties - the pic of the dove is really good .. the pink of the flowers matches his legs! The colours of your week 9 skink are brilliant too. Evolving - such a serious looking fellow ... love the boofers. anniek - Forrest is gorgeous. huga - love the bath shot .. you just keep coming up with original things .. and sent me off to google Pulp - then Jarvis Cocker then somehow finding this bit of weirdness. kja - It's nice when the subject co-operates and poses nicely. I like the almost abstract feel the pic has. redangel - that bug looks like he's sitting on fur, nice detail. Your poodle drawing is really good. Looks like the talent is hereditary too! KumaAkita - Squeee.. Sammieeeeeee. (only thing cuter is a moku Akita)

Week 9 Week 9 - Light and Movement by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr

Week 8 - I took this at the start of the week and haven't come up with anything better. It was a sunny morning after a wet night - everything was sparkling with drops of water and this shot caught the light just right. Week 8 - Morning sparkles by 52pleasingpics, on Flickr

Beautiful .. I have some poor shots of a red one I took recently that didn't make the cut for my weekly picture. Would you share the gear/settings you used? Getting good insect pics is something I'm struggling with.

Another Sydney Harbour picture this week - despite the fact that a visit to city like London or Paris make Sydney look a bit like a country town ... There's no place like home... (week 7) No place like home. 52 Weeks Set, on Flickr. I need to catch up with everyone's pics ... back soon.

Flaves, keep going - I also often look at the other pics here and feel totally outclassed. BUT - making myself post a pic a week makes me strive a little more for an image I'm happy with. Looking at the other images makes me think about what I like about them and how they've been made, and maybe some of the creativity will, as Kuma said, rub off on me too. It's a pretty supportive environment to practice in, and that's a rare find these days.

Week 6 - Summer in Sydney - Wouldn't be dead for quids. 52 Weeks Set, on Flickr. ed: add week number

It's an Eastern Water Dragon. There's a family of them that live in one of the dams at our place.

Someone asked what kind of plant my shot from last week was .. unfortunately I'm really bad at taking note of these things ... best I can do is some sort of palm .. I think.. It was in the tropical centre at the Sydney Botanic Garden. Week 5 - Cautious. 52 Weeks Set, on Flickr. I was fairly happy with this shot considering it was taken from a few metres away with a zoom lens, hand held - these guys just won't hang around while you set up a tripod.

A catchup from the last week and a bit or maybe more ... almost up to date :-) Snook I love the way you and Justice are looking at each other in the week 3 pic The portrait with the gerbera(?) is really pretty ... hmm perhaps I could ease into the whole self portrait thing by making myself blurry beyond recognition.... The gym pic is great .. thanks for posting the info about your backgrounds .. I think I need to start putting a bit more work in :-) Gapvic Love the family shot. 2 pics for week 4! .. The colours are lovely, the stubble, the hay, your hair (!) - great contrast between spiky hay and silky hair. The sock monkey pic is great .. so different to the previous pics and again the light is really nice. The shot of you by the window is lovely, I particularly like the contrast between the richness of the dress and the fairly austere setting. MnDM The coatis, awww so cute - I had to go look them up too. Lovely beach shot with the whippet. Huga Theres a bunch of mischief in that little face - hope school is going well for him. Love the monsters pic - all your pics are so creative. Very pensive mood in 'it must be love'. CrazyCresties The black background really shows that Mantis off well, great capture. Kym and Adrian Sweet puppy! redangel Fabulous pics of the Roulettes! I too have a flightpath overhead ... but I'd be a bit worried if QF1 got that close to one of it's stablemates.. Butternut Ahh the army of god .. thanks for the info. Cool piggy! lovemesideways spooky! not sure two dogs would be enough to protect me from all that darkness though.... going by your next pic I see at least one of them is perhaps more of a thinker than action dog Millie-Moo Can't really complain about seeing more of Jack - he's a very photogenic boy! Sweet pic of Aggie. KumaAkita ok how come everyone else gets the window seat and not meeeeee... or do you do what I do and check the view from the loo?? The reflection of the pot in week 5 really adds something to the image. MTD Pidey! Love those guys - as long as they don't hang around in the bedroom at night... how close were you?That ginger flower is gorgeous - I've only recently discovered these plants and now I want a hothouse! DogSportObsessed The close up (wk 2) is really pretty. I do think your pup in the week 3 pic is wondering why you're doing dumb things with your hands when THERE'S A BALL TO PLAY WITH though... anniek Cody and Gemma are really sweet.. nice backlight. Flaves German water dog! pixie-meg Lovely portrait (the swimming one)... it really conveys a holiday feel. Your little girl must be a chook whisperer, I don't remember chickens being cuddly when I was a kid. fattima Vrooom. I do love a good grill. The little min pin is really showing how much he enjoys life. dogfan sunflower in the sun! I really like the way the light gives a feeling of heat and glare. MrRedDog Wow ...I feel like I'm going to get sucked into my computer screen .... Cute pups, that looks like a fun day. gila Two really different self portraits (hair & diary).. they're great. Misteri Pretty fireworks shot .. love those big starbursts. Evolving Alera is gorgeous .. I love those markings .. and the sleeping puppy is really sweet.

52 Weeks Set, on Flickr.

Great pics! That looks like fun.