Introduce Yourself & Welcome Other Members (archive)

[Colin Southern]

Hi guys,

I've been lurking for a wee while taking in the comments and excellent support of the forums. I'm Scottish, however i've been living in Australia for around 2.5 years - heading back home this May.

Got my first SLR at Christmas settling for the Canon 450D with 18-200 canon lens. Very happy with it at and working my round getting used to all the opportunities an SLR holds over the compact.

Thought i'd say hello.

Hi Azz252,

Glad you've come out of the mist - great to have you with us

Just curious, what's prompted the return to Scotland?

[Azz252]

Pleasure to be here Colin. I have to say you're posts are particularly enthusiastic and enjoyable to read, i've learnt a lot from them alone.

I've been in Australia on a work transfer opportunity for about 2.5 yrs and it's now time to go home. I was never going to stay here permanently and i've had a great time but home is home at the end of the day. (There are also a few things i dislike about Australia but i don't see the point in discussing them here).

Nevertheless i'm going to make the most of my remaining time but i'm excited about the opportunities to take some photos of Scotland when i get back, weather permitting of course! When it's sunny it's beautiful tho. I'll upload some relevant photo's soon and hopefully get involved in some interesting discussions - i've got a suitable one for your boat thread as a starter.

See you about the forums. Time to head home for dinner

[Colin Southern]

Pleasure to be here Colin. I have to say you're posts are particularly enthusiastic and enjoyable to read, i've learnt a lot from them alone.

Thanks very much - very nice to hear

Nevertheless i'm going to make the most of my remaining time but i'm excited about the opportunities to take some photos of Scotland when i get back, weather permitting of course! When it's sunny it's beautiful tho. I'll upload some relevant photo's soon and hopefully get involved in some interesting discussions - i've got a suitable one for your boat thread as a starter.

I'll look forward to seeing them - will you be staying with us once you get back to Scotland?

[Hamish Coutts]

Morning (at least it is here!) all,

Just joined the forum though have been visiting this site for years.

Was a professional in the 1970s and 80s doing mostly industrial commercial work. Formats used mainly 2¼sq and 5*4 but did do the odd bit of 35mm work . I'm also used to film, chemicals, enlargers and groveling about in complete darkness.
Since then spent my time as a project manager/process analyst (what I did before photography) in the financial services industry finally leaving last year. (retiring slightly early)

I have always been into photography since I was knee high to a tripod and it is now occupying most of my time again. My passion has been and always will be landscapes - it gives me every excuse to get into the hills. I patricularly like panoramas.
I have an EOS 20D and 5D. Lenses are 18mm (sigma) and 50, 100, 24 to135 zoom and 200mm (Canon). Tripod is Gitzo carbon (you try lugging a conventional tripod up a 3,000ft mountain along with all the other gubbins!). I print on an Epson R2400 and Ilford paper.
Photoshop is my main editing tool.

Think that about covers it. Look forward to gaining new knowledge and sharing the little I already have.

Regards,

Hamish.

PS one of the reasons I'm back into photography is this site. Over the years it has given me a lot of inspiration and motivation. Thanks Sean!!

[Colin Southern]

Hi Hamish,

Thanks for introducing yourself - I was hoping my message would give you a nudge (we have so many "strong/silent" types here, which is a pity because we'd love to have them join in).

I'm envious that you've retired. I'm hoping for an early retirement myself, but still a wee way to go (perhaps in 10 years if I'm lucky). Like you, my first passion is panoramic landscape/seascape photography, but have been a bit quiet on that front recently (primarily a ball and chain in the form of two kids).

We've had a bit of gear in common too - I have fond memories of my 20D and I'm a fellow Gitzo tripod user (posted a few photos in the thread Best Tripod and head for stability).

Hope you'll be able to join in some of the forums. By the way, do you have a website at all?

[Azz252]

I'll look forward to seeing them - will you be staying with us once you get back to Scotland?

Yeah i'll definitely be hanging around here, i like the friendly atmosphere and excellent assistance, also the fact it's not too busy (altho getting busier by the looks of things - probably for good reasons) and not cluttered up with Canon is better than Nikon chat etc that i've seen elsewhere.

Just need to find out how to link photos from Flickr and i'll join in on the other thread

Cheers

[Colin Southern]

Yeah i'll definitely be hanging around here, i like the friendly atmosphere and excellent assistance, also the fact it's not too busy (altho getting busier by the looks of things - probably for good reasons) and not cluttered up with Canon is better than Nikon chat etc that i've seen elsewhere.

Ah - you must have missed my "Canon is better than Nikon" post in the weekly photo challenge!

Just need to find out how to link photos from Flickr and i'll join in on the other thread

It's pretty easy when you get the hang of it - in short, display the image on flickr - right-click -> properties -> copy the URL to the clipboard - start writing your post here -> click the Insert Image button when ready and paste the URL from the clipboard into the box that pops up -> job done.

Why not give it a try and let me know if you still need help?

Take a look at post #19 here ... https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/forums/thread785.htm# (it's not complete yet, but it'll get you through 2 of the 3 stages).

[Azz252]

I worked it out Colin, it was remarkably easy!

Contributions in the boat and bird thread...

[Hamish Coutts]

Thanks for the welcome Colin.

I am in the process of creating a website which will be called Approaching Blue. (Got the idea sitting on a hillside waiting for a bit of god lighting to move into the right position). Should be ready in a few weeks and I'll post the info on this forum.

Don't worry, when I have a few minutes going spare I'll log on and see what I can do to help anyody. I find forums like this very helpful for advancing levels of knowledge and goodness knows there are many gaps in my knowledge particularly where photoshop is concerned! I find it amazing what can be done to an image after exposure and that the results can be seen so quickly. For years I was used to film where days would elapse between shooting and seeing the results.
One thing I will not miss is colour printing in the darkroom - that was probably my least favourite activities.
My wife does black and white with an old Hass - I built her a darkroom a couple of years ago (it's an insulated shed at the bottom of our small garden. She has power and plumbing and can lose herself in there for hours). It's good to go in and get a reminder of what it was like. The smell of the fixer brings back so many memories. I still prefer photoshop, though.

Regards,

Hamish.

[Colin Southern]

Hi Hamish,

Sounds like you've got it all under control. A personalised website is something I really should create (or more precisely, "should have created") - I've always found the online hosting sites less than ideal, but darn convenient all the same. Looking forward to seeing "approachingblue".

Wonderful to hear you'll be popping in from time to time to help - greatly appreciated by all

I think everyone has big gaps in their photoshop knowledge - I've never come across a program so "deep" and so "wide" - I think you could do a university degree in Photoshop and still not fully understand it. What version are you using by the way?

[buckie]

I found this site, as many did, by looking for information. I am currently using a D50 and was looking to upgrade to a D300. There are some differences about which I would like some input.
The forums looked very interesting and it appears that there are alot of willing people to share information.
As I develop my collection and my abilities, I would love to share my photographs.
I look forward to a great interaction.

[Colin Southern]

I found this site, as many did, by looking for information. I am currently using a D50 and was looking to upgrade to a D300. There are some differences about which I would like some input.
The forums looked very interesting and it appears that there are alot of willing people to share information.
As I develop my collection and my abilities, I would love to share my photographs.
I look forward to a great interaction.

Hi Buckie, great to have you with us.

Just sing out if we can help with anything (and please feel free to start a D50 -v- D300 thread if you'd lke some input from the Nikon users on the differences).

Where abouts are you from?

[williamchangck]

Hi, i am william from Malaysia... nice to meet you all...

[crisscross]

Welcome William and do post some pics and tell us more about yourself, but especially post pics

[aertaylor]

Good Afternoon
I'm Tony in Hillingdon, West London.
Just retired at 68 from being a 'service engineer' in electronic security.
And now have a Samsung GX20 to amuse myself with!
So I'm looking around on this lovely site for some ideas, and I like what I see.
At the moment, all you experienced folk are my tutors; much appreciated.
regards
Tony

[crisscross]

Good Afternoon
I'm Tony in Hillingdon, West London.
Just retired at 68 from being a 'service engineer' in electronic security.
And now have a Samsung GX20 to amuse myself with!
So I'm looking around on this lovely site for some ideas, and I like what I see.
At the moment, all you experienced folk are my tutors; much appreciated.
regards
Tony

Welcome Tony - thats a lot of pixels you have to wield, looking forward to seeing some of your shots, don't be shy with them

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Tony,

Compared to some of the good folks in this forum, you're only just down the road from me!

Wishing you a "welcome from Windsor",

[Jim B.]

Welcome to all the new folks.I'm new here too.I have to say, after being a member in a few other photography forums,this is without a doubt the most friendly and informative.At the moment I'm more of a taker,but I hope as time goes by I can contribute on the giving side of things.Great support and encourgement here.

Regards,
Jim

[Brigitte]

Hi to all!

My name is Bridget from Germany (so please don´t mind my english writing) I`m a novelist in last year I wrote a novel whose story-line plays partly in Cambridge. In my research I found the website "Cambridge in Colour" with the very amazing and inspiring photographs which gave me some wonderful impressions of Cambridge.
I´m interested in a lot of things also in photographing. I use only simple Digtal Camera.
I´m really very impressed of all photos from the people here in this Forum they are very professional.

regards,
Bridget

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Bridget and welcome,

That certainly is a little different to how (or why) most people find the forum and site, but we're pleased you took the time to join and say Hi.

Your english writing is fine by the way.

If you have any questions, just ask away, we're all pretty friendly here.

Regards,