Thanks for the welcome and the kind words.

Thanks, Don. I was a little hesitant to check the "store original" box and use up site resources as a newbie, but I will do that at some point.

Thanks, ebbote!

Thanks, Rich. I spent some time at your flicker gallery this morning. Very nice. Some beautiful shots there. Looks like you have been able to do some traveling. That photo of the dog with the obscene sign is just too much. I have been chuckling all morning. Your artwork is beautiful. Is that done in pencil? The detail and shading... very good.

Thanks, Bigdee.

Thanks Erv.

At one time there were quite a few apple orchards in northeastern Ohio. I know a lot of them have fallen to development. Not sure how many are left. Does your family still have your grandfather's farm?

Thank you for the welcome and the nice compliment, luvmypets.

Maybe! I worked in Wenatchee for a while, and on my way there I stopped in Yakima at a little coffee shop - art gallery right in town. Nice place, nice folks. That would have been the first week of July, 2004. It seemed like a wonderful little town. There was some sort of farmer's market on the street, and I talked to a couple of growers. So dry there, though!

Thank you.

Thanks, St3v3M.

Thanks, Linda. You are doing a lot of nice work with the SX50 - the Bighorns, eagles, herons... Beautiful landscapes, as well. I was in Yakima for the horticulture convention back in '04.

Thanks, ebrunner. It is good to be here.

Thanks for the welcome, Heirloom Tomato. I have been admiring your produce photos.

"Blenheim Orange" is the name of an old English apple variety, by the way.

I have been lurking for a couple of months, reading just about every day, and thought it was time to say "hi" to everyone here. My name is Mike and I am in Michigan.

There are many people here doing some spectacular work. I especially admire the macro work and the bird photography members are doing. There is a wealth of useful information here - thanks to everyone for that. I look forward to participating more.

A recent project has been locating and shooting native plants in bloom. I shot over 300 species last year. Living and working on the farm for years, I have done a lot of shoots of produce. In particular I have located and photographed over a thousand rare historic apple varieties.

I used an Argus C3 "brick" for many years and print film. Started shooting digital with a Fuji point and shoot that was laying around the farm. I always tried to do "a lot with a little" and was slow to upgrade, but recently had a chance to get a Canon 5D and have been happy with it.

Although I am "old school" I appreciate the interesting work that many are doing with PP and various techniques - HDR and focus stacking, for example. I don't think there is a "right" way to do it, and I think people should find their own way and express themselves the way they see fit. I don't think there is anything magical about "better" equipment and I see a lot of good work being done by people with all sorts of equipment - although since I gave up the brick and went to the 5D I have probably lost credibility on that issue.

It depends on whether or not it is a long distance call.