PossumCorner

The 90 macro is a good lens, I have one that I bought on so much recommendation. So the new release should be as good if not better. I also have a Sigma 150 macro - equally happy with both of them, the Tamron is a Sony attach for the A55, the Sigma is Nikon attach for the Nikon(s).

Oh them too Perseph, (don't ask). "Psst kid, down here -" "Can you give this message to the fairy down the back garden" "Hey Fairy, he said, he said, - oh bugger I forget - should have just knocked him over too" (Fair go Ari, we don't do cement bird baths and taste in the same sentence).

There was this a while ago - It wasn't me, it just fell over on its own. Then today: "No I didn't, this one just fell down too". Meantime the sheep that blew next door in the storm has crawled under the fence to be with the ponies. They are teaching it to mow lawns and other gardening skills. (Loving the canola fields growing round about, if the sun ever comes out I'll try for some shots of it).

It was that week that I bruk me leg, so the disc was put aside, just found it. These were so rough, I leaned a welder's visor on a fence post top and lay on the ground and shot up through the teensy visor patch. But this is the Sun. And Venus passing.

Congrats, and what a great exhibition to be part of, much terrific work there, and it's something a bit more meaningful than most to be part of.

I think the best ponies are on Shetland Sales - this light skewball looks extra good - Goulburn area. http://www.shetlandsales.com/category/307/Colts/listings/732/Streamville-Park-Sebastian.html

Blown in by the big wind the other night - onto the vacant block next door. (Same big wind that disappeared two of my guinea fowl). Sean the Sheep is pretty distressed, and sort of hangs out with my ponies over the fence for company.

Arcane his expression is classic, lovely shot. It is like "What just happened? Who are you?"

This link is a thread including tutorial, the Brit macro photographer was doing photo stacking before most people had heard of it, he does fabulous work, if he has a Flickr gallery still there would be a link to it somewhere - the "tutorial" has various Photoshop generations included. http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=61316

Very smart - I tried for pink rugs from last year's catalogue at a horse-gear franchise - they said they would no longer keep the pink ones because they fade badly. Bother. At the same time I was listening to pony people claiming that rugging is not necessary for non-show ponies, causes other health problems as well as preventing some. Complex. So mine have come through winter without rugs. But (there's always a but) I googled the maker on Tiny Pony's pink rug. I can only find them in Queensland but they post anywhere. Now I can save for seven or eight pink rugs for next winter. And a few spares for changing when soaked. Might order just one for starters to see how they fit. I don't care if pink fades, it's still pink.

I'm making my own collections for the same reasons as Rev Jo. Ages ago I think Persephone was doing some lovely "backgrounds" with wool and bark. I love everyone's work on this thread and appreciate the links - I don't see anything nqr about using other artist's textures, but just found doing your own selecting/collecting is more satisfying (and challenging). Jo you mentioned spinning - one of Perseph's was of wool, there is a ton of magic scope there. A mohair (Angora goat) spinner near us also does the dyeing and the colours are stunning, hoping to 'take advantage'.

Lovely shots MM, nothing of the "sort-of-fail" about it, beautiful baby with gorgeous eyes. LOL at Persephone's tact. Of course the props are what the parents wanted, and why not, esp for Fathers Day. You could always pop back soon and ask to take some prop-free shots for yourself, portfolio or whatever, his mum might secretly prefer to look at a simple bunny-rug baby-photo. It did cross my mind though that a football fan would think "terrific shot of the Sherrin, pity it's a touch out of focus, and that kid in the background is a bit of a distraction". Giving the props equal-billing to the subject is something PixiFoto used to be panned for. Horsey people are just classic, they use ponies as the prop, and worry more about ears forward than baby looking happy.

I often think or compose in square format because in the black and white olden days I used Rollei top viewer and later a Hasselblad and there is some rubbish square format around but a good set blows oblong formats away. It's all judgemental though isn't it, like rule of thirds works when you use it, but it works if the subject is not suited so you go with what seems best. A good blog by a square format mostly nature photographer but a bit of everything is http://tonymclean.wordpress.com/ - his composition style jumps around but works well, and some useful comment aside from the images.

I like the Sigmas too, - we bought the Sigma 150 Macro so I could do spiders and such without getting too close, that was good advice I took for once. Then when we got the Sony A55s I bought a Tamron 90 macro, they generally get good reviews. (It gives me as good a result as the Sigma does on the Nikon). There's always something else on the wish list, I'm looking at doing more around landscape now, and really need a good wider lens because nothing I have is quite what I think I want.

Those kits are good value to begin, and then decide if you want to go bigger and better. At our previous house we turned a big shed into a studio, but sold the house before getting enough use out of it (after waiting so long to set it up). With a garage you can line it, paint it white, open the doors and tons of natural light comes in (our faced East so morning light was great). Use speedlights and studio lights for fill just as needed, or close the doors and use only lights day or night. Backdrops: there are cheap starting off ways - the yellow tripod stands for Bunnings workshop lights - heavy curtain rail across between them. Trawl fabric shops, Spotlight, Lincraft etc for end-roll remnants, blacks, whites, autumn-browns etc. And those workshop units for lighting as well, just replace the globe with the "daylight" ones, about $5 each. And read the warning on the box, they run hot hot hot so not for careless use with dogs, okay as long as you are aware. For comparison, you can hire a "proper" studio light set-up to see if that's what you want, before you spend hundreds-plus on one. Camera House in Croydon were not expensive, or if you are in a Camera Club or Photographic Society they generally have lights that members can borrow or hire short term. I was happy here without a studio for a year, the outdoor stuff is just so good I didn't worry about it, but now I'm looking at a long narrow annex on our garage that is only horse stuff, gym stuff, and feed/hay. I can use half of it, would be about 4x6 metres, and will start to work out lining/painting. All my stuff is still in storage miles away so you will probably be up and running long before me, but deciding to do it is a start.

Will the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club be running it for your club day? If so the lure will probably be a plastic shopping bag. It didn't make my dogs more inclined to chase things, but it did make them more keen and focussed once they saw rabbits running. It is lovely to see dogs really enjoying an activity and not just as a trained reward or motivator response but total fun. Edit to add - some lure coursing shots on the website in my sig, they are a bit old but give some idea.

But the dressage is on tonight at 8.00. I'll have to call in tomorrow to see what the non-Olympics people think of street photography with a mobile phone. Both of those aspects are interesting, although there is some terrible stuff presented under the name of 'street' wrong on a lot of levels. Mobile phones can give some terrific results and some people might be more comfortable with one than previous entrants have appeared with a camera. If the reports sounds good I'll catch a replay. Back to the Games.

I so dare not let OH see these shots. We drove past a small flock of amazing coloured Dorpers-Wiltshire flock the other day, and he was a bit smitten, wondering how they would get on with the goats and ponies if we got "just a couple, or three or four". We are bordering over-stocked, no room for more grasseaters and still able to rotate paddocks, any more would be silly. Agree how lovely they are, some good spinning featured in the Weekly Times this week just to keep the thought there. Must not think about amazing sheep!!

Assignment is PJ and subject dogs so could be good watching. Edit to add it's broader than that and more of a challenge than any previous asks on the personal not just camera skills side. And the good Leica - I had one of these - yummo!!

We did have a few comps at camera club when everyone used the same plastic disposable camera, really cheap plastic junk. And some of the work turned out was top level photography. As for tonight's show, well Mum often said if you can't say something nice just say nothing. Coffee time.

Here we go again. I still don't like the concept (or the constant choice of shots without eyes shown). But it's a day at the races so can't resist some horse and fashion shots. Lookout Rubiton, they'll be after your job! Interesting cameras, could be fun.

It's a bit of a piece of string question - different circumstances. With Shetlands or miniature ponies generally between four and six months. Any earlier is very unfair, and too much longer makes the weaning process more difficult. If the mare is pregnant again, better not to have the foal on her too much longer - but if not it isn't an issue for the ponies, more a management convenience issue for the owner. My foal is still on the mare and he is six months. And she could be in foal. But I'm still housebound with broken leg so I can't manage weaning him til he is 7 or 8 months - not ideal, but not the end of the world. Company is an issue with new weaners - if no company it's also unfair - and if they are weaned with company, they might not develop independence and always have separation anxiety when taken out for training etc. Or stress if the companion pony is taken away. Life's never simple.

Who's watching? After the first one I said I wouldn't bother again, just don't like the simplistic "Reality TV, competetive themed" shows I don't enjoy any of them whether it's chefs or singers or Big Brother or weight loss. Good luck to them all - still don't like the format of the show. Edit to add - how difficult to pick a best shot from such a shoot for a competition!! That would be agonising - and worse if it were a wedding. I mean because it is making the judging panel "the client" rather than the bride, and selecting a competition-worthy shot rather than one the bride might prefer. It would have been good to have a slower look at a best five or best ten from each of them.

Don't know. I did miss the first five minutes. But I did think they would be competent, what I've seen they don't know which way is up, either with lighting or exposure. But will keep on with it and see. Dick Smith knows more than they do so far. You'd think they'd have done a bit of homework or something, even just on posing, control of subject, putting them at ease or giving them confidence instead of the subjects taking over, taking control. Quite strange. But results might not reflect what I'm seeing, they could be brilliant. Anyone else - before it gets more towards finished?

Anniek just so truly sorry. Rest in Peace good dog Cowboy.