Introduce Yourself & Welcome Other Members (archive)

[Dave Humphries]

Welcome Tareq,

I would imagine there's no shortage of work for you in that career, unless I am mistaken.

Welcome also to amadeo and Bob.

Regards,

[billygoatgruff]

Hi there esteemed colleagues! My name's Bill, from Bristol, UK.

Um...this is my first posting here, although I've been a frequent visitor to the tutorial pages and image galleries on this excellent (and rather intimidating) site.

In comparison to some, I suppose, I'm a relative latecomer to the digital realm.
I've been using an Olympus E500 since early 2006, which has been a great learning tool; albeit bought without a great deal of research, and largely from a long-held fondness for the OM2, although I now feel I've reached a stage where I need to move up a gear (or several :-)).
After very lengthy procrastinations, research, negotiations with my other half, and the selling off of various non-essential limbs and organs, I'm now building up what seems to me to be a "proper" photographic system based around the Nikon D300.

Which is all, really, very scary, not to mention cripplingly expensive.
So far I've managed to un-cage the beast and talk nicely to it.....

Hopefully, I'll be able to contribute something sensible and photographic before too long.
All the best,
Bill

[McQ]

Hi Bill, welcome to the forums! The transition to digital is quite a journey, as I'm sure you're finding out. Hope to hear more from you as your get "the beast" up and running -- both in terms of questions and digital photos. Regards, Sean

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Bill,

Surely we're not intimidating (I hope)?

So let me start by asking you a question - that way I'll owe you one!

I am thinking of getting a proper DSLR and was considering the new Olympus E-30 (when the price drops a bit), so I'd be interested to know why you wanted to move away from 4/3s and the lenses you had?

Thanks,

[pixel pete]

Hi Bill,
Welcome. I'm sure you'll enjoy this site. I've said this many times. I've looked around online a lot and I haven't come across a friendlier group.

As long as Mark and I don't talk trash about “football” on either side of the Atlantic, I think we won't be banned.

Use that, bad boy D300, Bill and more importantly post some pictures here! Everybody is very civil here.

It's raining today but it has to be somewhere, what am I talking about? I'm just wondering what I'll post on my blog today, that's all.

http://www.peterphun.com/blog

[Donald]

Hello Bill, from another relatively new boy to the world of digital photography. It's all this talk about RAWs and pixels and such things - all very confusing to start with! However, I think it's starting to fall into place. All I've got to do now is put it into practice.
This is a brilliant forum, with a fantastic bunch of people.
Look forward to learning alongside you.
Donald

[billygoatgruff]

Hi Sean and Dave, and thanks for you warm and swift welcome!

Well, Dave, re: your question.

It's been quite a complicated decision which, I suppose, started off with the huge cost and (then: Jan 2006) availbility of high quality 4/3's lenses, as well as a burgeoning awareness of the "Things Digital"
As my skill and experience with the E500 grew I realised that I wanted a camera system with more oomph than the entry level of the E500 was capable of, but the more I thought about it the more I was drawn towards the familiar compositional territory of the 3:2 aspect ratio of 35mm film cameras.
Once I realized that I simply preferred the 3:2 ratio over the 4:3 of the new style Olympuses - basically, was I going to be happy investing a large amount of money on future kit for a format that reminded of a CRT TV set? Was the question that largely set me on my current path. Personal taste, I suppose.
And a desire to join in with the major-leaguers, too. Olympus don't appear to have got there quite yet, or perhaps didn't appear to me to offer quite the comprehensiveness that Canon or Nikon did and do.

Cheers
Bill

[billygoatgruff]

Hi Pete and Donald.
Thanks for the welcome!

I may post a picture or two if I ever work up the nerve!

Off to cook now, so catch up later

Bill

[The Blue Boy]

Welcome Bill.

It seems that we are finally able to welcome a few "lurkers" into the fold. I, like you, struggled with the learning curve at first. It's luckily for us there are people at the top of said curve here who are quite happy to throw us a rope! As for being a little intimidated, well, this was the reason for this thread, and touch wood, it seems to be working. Feel free to ask any question you wish (have a quick look through first, just in case it got covered last month) as people here are only to happy to help.

Mark

[Bijan]

Hello everybody,

My name is Bijan, from Tehran-Iran. Photography is my main hobby. I shoot Olympus since 1980. A humble OM-10 and few lenses. Turned digital 5 years ago: C-5050 then C-8080WZ (which I still have and enjoy a lot), and now an E-520.

Starting with analog, post processing is not usually an option for me. Always shoot JPEG and Olympus JPEG engine is just right for me.

My favorite subjects are mainly nature, people, cars, and Macro. Of course taking pictures from people in Iran is not the most convenient. As sort of a solution I am resorting to Super-Tele (70-300mm, i.e. 140-600mm EFL), but still! You may get caught for shooting people by Police, if you are not a professional photographer, arts student, or a journalist!

I am learner, and there a lot to be learned. I am a member of DPreview with Bian_Iran ID and sometimes post there in Olympus SLR forums. I am also posting pictures in MyOlympus.org . Going through is site, I believe it is mainly Canikon shooters, but quite rich in technical aspects. I would visit here more regularly.

[Geoff F]

Hello Bill. Is there anybody else left in Bristol this week. Half the city seem to be here, S. Devon, for the half term break.

Don't worry about posting photos, you can always start with some 'where did I go wrong' questions and you will find that a lot of members are always willing to offer suggestions; and even confess to having similar problems.

Geoff.

[billygoatgruff]

Hi Geoff

I'm not too woried about posting photos - just haven't worked out how to do it, yet!

Hi, and thanks to you, too, Mark!

Bill

[The Blue Boy]

Bijan, welcome.

I can't imagine the restrictions that are imposed upon photographers in your part of the world at the moment. We bitch and moan when we get stopped here in England! Hope to see some of your work here!

Mark

[Dave Humphries]

Hi again Bill,

Thanks for the speedy answer and it has been enlightening; I hadn't really considered the aspect ratio, even with a name like 4/3 and a background in TV myself - I must be "losing it".

I agree that Canikon (to borrow a term from Bijan {Hi there}) do have more fully developed ranges of lenses and accessories, although I'm not sure that will matter to me.

So, as I said, I owe you one now, so ask away as and when you've got any questions.

Thanks,

[Gary Meader]

Hello everyone- My name is Gary and I live in Washington state. NW corner. I teach photography at my local Community College and have been shooting since the late '70's. Posting images is a bit tough, all I have is dial-up and there's no plan for high-speed in my area. I live in the Cascade foothills. Anyway, I'm doing digital with a 5D, iMac 24" and I also use large format for B&W. I'm glad to see so many of these forums open up, so we can all learn how to do this. I'll try to hold my end up.

[Dave Humphries]

Welcome Gary,

Being from the UK I had a quick google to see where you are (way over the far side), sounds like a nice unspoilt part of the world, but I suspect the weather can be an issue at this time of year.

This is THE best forum of course, we're glad you joined!

Regards,

[dustysandy]

Hi everyone. I’m Alexander Scott (dustysandy) from Lodi, California. I am British by birth, and was raised in Australia. I wish I had been a photographer in my youth, as my folks took me everywhere, from Melbourne to Kabul, from Aden to London and all points in-between.

My wife and I are both retired teachers and I am getting back into photography after some years of on again off again interest. Digital photography is amazing, but I still maintain a darkroom. At times I feel overwhelmed by all the buttons, menus, and peripheral items involved in digital photography.

I am pleased to have found this Forum, and a little jealous of those of you living in England. I think the British Isles is the most photogenic country in the world. I am sure I will learn a lot from everyone in this Forum.

I have a bunch of my snaps at /www.flickr.com/photos/dustysandy/

[Daniel Salazar]

welcome Gary, it's a pithy that we won't enjoy viewing your pictures, however your advice will help us.

@ Alexander, welcome to the forum and for shure we'll also enjoy your pictures from California because you also have nice views.

[Colin Southern]

Hi everyone. I’m Alexander Scott (dustysandy) from Lodi, California.

Hi Alexander - welcome to the CiC Forums - it's great to have you with us - hope you'll pull up a chair and make yourself feel "right at home".

If there's anything I can help with, you only need ask - and if you ever decide you'd like to change your username to something like "Alexander Scott", I can even help with that too

[Colin Southern]

Hello everyone- My name is Gary and I live in Washington state. NW corner. I teach photography at my local Community College and have been shooting since the late '70's. Posting images is a bit tough, all I have is dial-up and there's no plan for high-speed in my area. I live in the Cascade foothills. Anyway, I'm doing digital with a 5D, iMac 24" and I also use large format for B&W. I'm glad to see so many of these forums open up, so we can all learn how to do this. I'll try to hold my end up.

Hi Gary,

Great to have you with us

Dial-up shouldn't be too much of a barrier to uploading - if you just resize your images to around 6 inches wide @ 72dpi they'll display just fine, and shouldn't be over 200k (especially at slightly lower quality settings) - it'll probably be more of an issue with you viewing images in iname intensive threads though, unfortunately.

If I can help with anything - please sing out.