PossumCorner

If your camera has a 'portrait' setting that should be the nearest to best of the automatic settings. Manual is better, but if you don't know the correlation between f-stop, shutter speed and ISO, then for the time being try with auto portrait setting. And use the tripod, that's the best favour to do your results. At first you will dislike it, out of your comfort zone, three left feet, too bad, persevere, once it becomes second nature you'll be seeing and feeling the difference it can make. Don't go full zoom, do the opposite and get in a bit closer using your feet. If you try small jewellery on the Macro setting, same applies, go in closer with wide angle, not zoom. Using the tripod. If the camera insists on using the flash, put a very thin (separated) piece of kleenex tissue over the flash (not the lens) so it's softened and doesn't give blow-out highlights on the shiny bits. There are quite a few on line tutorials for jewellery photography.

That's okay Gapvic you'll keep - I have come out of shock with the help of oxygen and some bex and a good lie down. And as every dark cloud has a silver lining, once this extremely difficult subject is done and dusted, we can all put our photographic feet up and relax for a while - (whilst looking at the entries and saying "Oh - why didn't I think of that"). Magic for me right now would be some rain, (as we're on tank water like so many) but it isn't happening.

Extension tubes - yes I have a set that got a bit of use a few years ago, but to be honest I couldn't be bothered with all the changing, extras to clean, all that. Same reason I wouldn't use extensions with a perfectly good lens, would prefer to work with that lens to get what I want rather than mess about with "inserts". Same with inverting a 50mm or whatever, still need an extra connection piece and the less changing I have to do, the happier. The less lens changes the better for the cleanliness of sensor/camera/lens (or call it laziness) - I prefer to have two bodies set up than need to keep changing lenses, let alone some extra bits in between. But the ext. tubes give a good result and it would take more expertise and pixel peeping than most of us have to really see a difference. Or Persephone's neat p&s macros - challenge most people to say they were or weren't taken with a DSLR and macro lens if they weren't told.

Love our D50. The Tamron 90mm macro is a well-regarded lens, gives an excellent result and no-where near the cost of a Nikon lens. Also check the Sigma macros - I have the Tamron 90 for our Sony cameras, but a lovely Sigma 150mm macro for the Nikons. It was a bit dearer than the Tamron plus heavier, I generally need to use a tripod or support for it, so it is better (for me) in set-up shots, whereas the Tamron is lighter so I can hand-hold for longer. If you take your camera into a decent store, they should allow you to try a few different lenses on it in store to get an idea of how they feel to focus and hold.

Mr Dursley: "There's no such thing as magic". Where's Harry Potter when you need him?

Onya Piper! Now where's SammieS - ? Assume "in" - needs to add to list.

Another cut and paste update: REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Kristin (kja) Larissa (gapvic) Hannah (RallyValley) Judi (PossumCorner) IDEAS FOR THEMES: In the yard Shadows Whimsical Eyes are the window to the soul What I love best Low light/night shots A colour theme (e.g red, blue, yellow) Frozen action Little people A bit of magic Seen today out driving Sport - cricket, dog-sport, netball, whatever's on. Cooked or Raw - cordon bleu or salads/sweets Feathered - wild or domestic (No zoo shots) Water - a drop or an ocean ? ? BLOG TITLE: Our Photo 2013

Sounds good - a commitment, but not unrealistic demanding - so many of the dailies or even weeklies back-pedal to appear more of a chore than a joy. Can't think of themes without making them too narrow, - or over re-cycled like backlits and motion blurs etc. "Seen today out driving" "Sport" - cricket, dog-sport, netball, whatever's on. "Cooked or Raw" - a done dish - cordon bleu or simple salad. "Self Portrait" - but is already covered in the About Section (once is enough or one too many, oh well if must). Blog-name - no inspirations - Cameras Off-lead.

Try Shutterbox. Ring John, they are great and will tell you if they can or don't. Highly recommend. Contact details are: http://www.aussieweb.com.au/business/shutter-box/1906125/

Haven't read whole thread - we had choice of de-barking young Rheneas (my avatar dog, Pom/ShetlandSheepdog cross probably) or pts, 2nd owner through RSPCA, returned for barking, so last chance owner. Barked day and night, at nothing, joy of barking. Complaints from neighbours, Council. Training, environment, behaviourist, all that. Result no change. Went through all the legal procedures, documentation, proof etc. Debarking created happiest dog in world. No more need to be told to be quiet 24/7. Still barks day and night years later, happy as a pig in mud, minimum sound, maximum fun. So I could never advise against it, but would only say to be very careful to take time to find best recommended vet, and get the paperwork right.

They look good K - my neighbour has some good ones going which really surprised me for this hot dry area. She has half-sunk a couple of old baths into the ground, and the frogs find their way in so they are full of taddies. Just has to be sure the water is topped up so they can crawl out when mature. We do have kookaburras around, but not in the numbers they were in the Dandenongs. I could never keep a fish pond of any kind going in Belgrave because the kookaburra hordes always found a way to get them. Do tadpoles eat mozzie larvae, or are they vegetarian?

Brilliant, you're on a roll now, first of many!

Not absolutely sure but I think the BYPoultryForum used Vista Print, and to get a price of about $17ea (plus $2.50ish ea postage) they had to pre-order 50 calendars. I always recommend Red Bubble but if the prices have gone up that much, maybe time to re-think. But I do think RB is great in the way there is no minimum and no wastage. When I worked for Allen Calendars they would have a lot wasted, left-overs from standard and custom print runs. Don't know their charges, here is a link, looks like minimum 100, probably not what you had in mind - business/club? But they used to do some super quality work (as well as some pretty ordinary - it's the get what you pay for thing again). http://www.allencalendars.com.au/shop/Custom+Calendars.html They do the calenders you get given by the local grocer (ordinary quality, one for everybody) or your high end whatever supplier (brilliant quality, valued customers only). It's not only 12-13 image calendars, they do the 'budget' single image styles.

What a hoot Frodo's mum, I've seen that action as the monthly Challenge on its own on a photography forum. One I'd rather we didn't take up if that's okay?

I think the first suggestion is fine - as you said people have other distractions. Something like: "Look! No dogs!!" Or a "through the ?? window" (has to say which window, kitchen bedroom whatever) and also might motivate me to get bucket and sponge and clean the windows, something has to).

Two weeks - I remember that - also remember darkroom hours. Lovely sharp shots Hankdog, the duck is a gem. Some Ibis called in briefly the other day, and a few corellas. Hope the ibis return soon, maybe catch in focus next time.

Excellent quality at Digital Works in Hallam (Vic - near Dandenong). www.digitalworks.net.au You can drop off pick up in person, or order on-line for return mail delivery. Camera House in Croydon (Vic) are more than a bit better than most. Same you can be an in-person customer or use on-line system. (Not all 'Camera Houses' are the same)

Frodo'sMum they are super shots!. Last night we had nature's explosive force by the pony yard. Baby bunnies 'sprung' approaching the garden.

Congrats, lovely foal, beautiful expression. I do like the shots of Dacia, look at her 'thinking' with her nose.

Yes, I bought one when we bought the Sony A55s (one each to avoid confrontation). It is great, I had read some reviews of it and looked at quite a few examples of its work. Love it, lives up to its press. But (there's always a but) I do have a 150mm Sigma macro with a Nikon mount, and if I want to "do" macro I tend to pick up the Nikon rather than the Sony. Nothing against the Tamron, it is a lovely lens. If I can chase up anything I've done with it I'll add it here - changing computers around, they'll be on an external drive packed "somewhere".

I thought not having blown-out highlights on the chrome, and not having distorted photographer reflections on chrome or duco were the important issues to the owners. If it is at a show-and-shine or a vintage rally or any public place those with evil intent just pop along with the rest of the spectators and jot down the number plate in their little notebook, or take their own phone-photo. Same with showy motor bikes - when they do for example the Childrens Hospital run at Christmas - it's all public area, the rego numbers of the Harleys aren't an issue.

Bite the bullet, pay the money and go through the Old Melbourne Gaol. Some lovely stonework internal shots and long-shot interiors. Wood-panel courtroom interior if you do the Ned Kelly trial re-enactment show. The plain doorway across the road is the one the detectives came through in the opening credits on one of the early TV cop shows, D24 or one of those, the old Police Headquarters. Nearby statues outside the Public Library. It's all near the cathedral Aussie3 mentioned.

(Huh?) Ripley that's a great shot of Freya, isn't she out of ChezzyR's lovely girl Rosie?

I hadn't seen the warning on the wishbone either, that's a good tip. Yesterday I read a vet note that chicken necks are not safe - dogs gulp them and choke too easily. Back to frames I guess. What happened to that good 'pinned' thread on where to get this or that feed in bulk, it listed the chicken processors that sell the boxes of frames. Gone, or hidden somewhere still? Edit to add: Found it!! Look in the Health/Nutrition/Grooming Section - it is still pinned at the top, still active.

For any Dolers who can overcome their political stance and pick up a copy of Burkes Backyard, this month has a larger pet magazine included. (Yes it road-tests Whippets, and promotes a designer dog producer). But aside from an excellent poultry segment (Meg of course) it does have a vet's take on toxic plants, and yes it does list bulbs including onions. And brunfelsia. And apricot kernels, as Nic.B mentioned. That's my worry, the apricot tree is huge and productive. A fox comes in and climbs it for apricots. So does Piper, she is an amazing good tree climber for a Rotti. Mostly she eats the fruit and spits the kernels, but now and then passed a kernel so I know a few went down with the fruit last Christmas.