Thanks to everyone for the replies to my question. Everyone seems to be so knowledgeable on this site, and I'm so glad that I stumbled upon it one day.

Thank you CaptainC. Your information was most helpful, but I don't think I'll pass along to Busch Gardens your opinion of their signs. LOL! I just bought the flash recently, so I'm still learning the ins-and-outs of using it.

This weekend I was with my family at Busch Gardens, Tampa, and I used my Bower SFD926N mounted on a Nikon D3000 to take some night photos at Christmas Town. I had the flash in TTL mode, and had the camera shooting in AUTO, Aperture Priority and Night mode. Because the majority of the event was outside, it was not possible to use bounce flash. This flash has a diffuser on it, but I forgot about it until after we returned home.

I did a search for flash on this site, but there was a lot of material and I wasn't sure exactly what I was looking for. I guess what I want to know is, besides using a difuser, how do I reduce the intensity of the flash when shooting portraits at night?

With Flash


Without Flash

ProShow Gold, from Photodex is what I use to create slide shows. It's a very easy interface and allows you to make shows in a number of different ways. You can add your slides to the program and allow the software to create your show - or you can have complete control over the design and output.

I think the website is www.photodex.com, but you can also Google Proshow Gold.

Actually, I didn't see the Gorilla even when it was pointed out. LOL!!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to make a reply. I appreciate all of the feedback. After reading countless (well, maybe not countless, but a lot) reviews of the Tamron and Sigma lenses, I have come to the conclusion that what I have is working and I should stick with it. If I didn't want to swap lenses, I wouldn't have bought a DSLR!! I'm going to try a new camera bag, that allows for more efficient lens swapping and work on my photography technique, rather than wishing for something that, while it might make my life easier, may not be the best thing in the long run.

Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to stick with what I've got.

The lenses that I have are doing the job. I just hate swapping lenses, but then I guess that's why I upgrade from a Prosumer camera to a DSLR!! After reading numerous reviews, I think I'll just stick with what I've got and try to be more efficient at changing lenses.

I currently use a Nikon 18-55mm kit lens, plus a Nikon 55-300mm lens, on a Nikon D-3000. During a recent adventure to Alaska, I did a lot of swapping between these two lenses. While visiting a camera shop at a mall in Seattle, I was introduced to the Sigma 18-200 and told about the Tamron 18-270. My question is: should I stick with the two Nikon lenses, and get used to swapping lenses - or should I purchase one of the "superzooms" from Sigma or Tamron? If I decide to go with a superzoom, which one should I consider? Is one better than the other and does the difference between 200, 250, 270 and 300 really make a difference?

It's people like you that transgender people do not like. Ryan may be a he now - but he does not want to be a he and it would seem that he is doing a hell of a job to become a she. I commend her for making this decision at such a young age. She must feel very strongly about her gender to take such measures.

She may go through surgery later in life, but for now, she is doing everything she can to have others associate her with the gender of her choice. If he should undergo surgery, then she can present an outward female appearance, and she won't have any fear of appearing naked in a public locker room, or with someone that she becomes enamored with. Yes, she may internally remain a boy in the sense that her new gender accoutrements may not work as they do on a "real" girl, but they will be functional for what they need to be functional for. You can make love to a surgically installed vagina - except that no baby will ever be created. Medically enhanced breasts will look and feel just like those on a "real" girl, except that no baby will ever feed at them.

If this is what a boy wants, then why should you put a negative slant on his/her decision. As I said before, I commend Ryan for everything she is doing and I wish her the best in the long run.

Very sick, but very funny. So real world, as well.

Your profile says Bethesda, MD...but your answer in this thread says Sun City Center. Therefore, I deduce that you are a snowbird. I live South of SR 674 at US 41 and Universal Drive. Just South of Morgan Farms in the Riverside Community.

I used to live in Apollo Beach (Southshore Falls subdivision), but now I live in Ruskin in the Riverside Community at US 41 and Universal Drive. It is just South of Morgan Farms.

Ruskin, FL.

I just had one made at CVS (like Walgreen's or Target) and the quality was quite nice and the price was perfect. $13.99 for a 16x20 with a matte finish. Was returned to me in a nice cardboard tube.