I use a brush to get rid of "grit". I then either use a Zeiss lens cleaner or my eye glass lens solution sprayed on a micro-fiber cloth. When using the "wet" solution, be sure to start at the center of the lens and (using a circular technique) work your way to the edge of the lens.

My card automatically deletes all photos as I download them to my computer. That being said, I had problems with downloading photos because of "error messages"; I started formatting the cards in the computer and then doing another format in camera. Before that I only formatted in camera. Since doing this I haven't received any error messages. There will be photographers who disagree with this, but it works for me.

congratulations! i'm still waiting for my first publication.

My old Pentax K1000 had a through the lens light meter and required a battery to operate it; I still call it an analog camera because it used film and not a sensor.

How about some original B&W photos? I'm scanning my old B&W negatives from 50 years ago.

Check Point Charlie, Berlin, Germany, summer of 1974

Back in my film days I had an extensive filter collection. The filters were for black and white photography. I believe (it was a long time ago) the red filter was for accentuating blue sky and clouds. At the time I knew which filter to use in a given situation. When I went digital, I threw the filters away. I sometimes regret that decision because I would like to experiment with them in different situations.

I have a fujifilm digital that only takes JPEGs; I use the digital zoom (knowing that it's an in camera crop) for my lunar photos; it works better than taking the photo at maximum regular zoom and cropping in PSE. As long as the camera is stable (I use a monopod for this type of photography), the resulting photo (cropped at 11x14 and printed) is sharp. I am sure that pixel peeping would reveal something different.

When I travel I'll take a photo of the Welcome To sign you see on entering a new state. I will somehow take a photo of a town or city sign so I know where a group of photos were taken. I have old technology cameras that don't have GPS; I don't have a smart phone; but i know where most of my important photos were taken.

My uncle owned a farm in upstate NY and worked for the railroad, leaving for NYC on Sunday night and returning on Friday night. One weekend he found a load of trash on his rural, one-lane road; there were a number of envelopes in the trash (all with the same address). The address was just a few blocks from the rail yard, where he stayed during the week. After work one day, he took the load of trash to the address, rang the doorbell, and just dropped the trash on the stairs in front of the house and walked away. Someone took a load of trash from the Bronx and dumped it in rural Columbia County, upstate NY. My uncle swore that this story was true.

I don't think any of my photos have ever "told a story." My photos are my reaction to a scene. My camera didn't even capture my only photo that ever "told a story." I walked along and saw a family on a van trying to take a photo; I had my camera and offered to take the photo with their camera. They were "saying good-bye" to their family camping van. No one else would know that story, only them and me (because they told me why they were taking the photo).

Both are good for Connecticut residents (and those close by) because they let us know about little known photo gems in our state.

I agree with everyone who says to format

After reading the responses, I'm seriously thinking of upgrading from PSE 14 to 23. I'm still thinking.

I was stationed in Germany (in the Army) from 1972-75. I am presently scanning my black and white 35mm negatives; I used fixed length lenses until I got a telephoto zoom my last year there; I find that my best photos were with my wide angle (28mm) lens and the telephoto. The telephoto (maxed out at 210mm) got me in close in places where I could not walk in closer. Once I got my wide angle lens I seldom used my 55mm.

Enjoy the trip, but, more importantly, enjoy your time with your son!

A friend of mine installed solar on his roof and signed a 240 month lease (that's 20 years!). He and his wife divorced and decided to sell the house. When they went into closing the buyer found out about the leasing arrangement and had the entire amount of the remaining lease (I don't know how much it was) deducted from the sale price. He wasn't happy about it, but went along with it to get rid of the house and his ex-wife.

Another friend, with a south facing roof, called in one of the solar companies. She found out about the leasing arrangements and asked why she should pay them for making money off of her roof. She didn't go through with it.