Pablo,
Yes, you definitely learned by doing. Not nearly so easy in those days. Thank you. Your post cemented my resolve to look at the scenery from more different angles when I go. I am already asking myself, "what can I do differently this time?" How can I put a different spin on that view(angles, lighting, etc).
PhotoNat

Okay, not sure if I really accidentally posted before I meant to, or was just looking at my preview, didn't see the part that said preview, and deleted most what I had written, so going to send an abbreviated version of what I had written, so here goes.


Hi Ruby,
Welcome to UHH! I am fairly new to UHH myself, and also to the hobby of photography,(just got my first DSLR camera, a Canon Rebel SL2 in January, which came with an 18-55 mm lens) and am on a learning curve with my new camera, so cannot really advise you regarding lenses. However, in case this is your first time going to Yosemite, I wanted to let you know about a hotel I love staying at in the area. The Yosemite Gateway Inn, Best Western Plus in Oakhurst, about 15 miles from the south entrance to Yosemite, is awesome! Check out their amenities on bestwestern.com! Besides the indoor pool and jacuzzi, and the fact each room is equipped with a refrigerator and microwave, each room has a different, beautifully hand painted large wall mural of Yosemite! The customer service is awesome, and their prices are very reasonable for all the room and hotel amenities you get. My single queen bed room is $80.99/night for March 19th-21st. I may have gotten the last of the single queen rooms though, as I noticed online tonight, the first rooms mentioned for that timeframe are the double queen rooms, which is what I have stayed in before.

Also wanted to highly recommend the "Discover Yosemite" day tour(at discoveryosemite.com) and the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine(historical)Railroad excursion,(at yosemitemountainsugarpinerailroad.com). I just went on that site though, and it takes you to a different site to buy tickets, which I could not get to work, so if you want to do that, may want to go on the site, and call the phone number. If you do buy tickets for this, be sure to dress warmly, as all cars are open air, some more open than others.

Am 95% sure I am going. Not sure if you are renting a car, however, if our trip dates overlap, you are staying in Oakhurst, and (and you feel comfortable doing so) and there is anything I can help with while you are there, please feel free to let me know in a reply to this post, and I can private message you my email and/or cell phone number. I just added my photo to my profile, so hopefully I did it correctly, and it shows up with my reply, so you can at least see what I look like LOL.


At any rate, enjoy your trip! It is a beautiful place to visit!
Take care,

PhotoNat

Thank you. I plan to do more challenges. I'm on a learning curve with my new, first DSLR, so it may take some time to get some more that are good enough to post. The two I posted were actually taken with my cell phone camera. I am wanting to try the miniatures setting on my new camera. Plus I just got a new 24 mm. lens today, so will be playing with that as well.
PhotoNat

My only experience is that they do not seem to deal at all with superzoom cameras. After seeing several advertisements about them, I went on their site to see what they would give me for my excellent condition Canon Power Shot SX 520. Granted is an older Power Shot version, but they would NOT even consider it. Come on, you can buy/sell them on Ebay for $75-$250! However, you may have a good experience with a Nikon. I do agree that you could not go wrong with B&H Photo. Very reliable and trustworthy! Great customer service!


KEH, not sure I would do business with them, considering their customer reviews on Yelp are at least 60-705 NEGATIVE!
PhotoNat

I love photographing flowers, so decided to share little flowers. Unfortunately, I forgot to check the label on this plant, and cannot remember the name.

Flowers are one of my favorite things to photograph, so I uploaded little flowers. Since this upload is from my laptop, and I also uploaded from my cell phone, it may end up on two separate posts. Still a little new to sharing my photos, and this is my first challenge I am uploading to. Still much to learn.
PhotoNat

Love it! That is so funny!
PhotoNat

Steve,
You're probably right. I have been happy with B&H customer service and I think their product quality and prices are great!
PhotoNat

Beautiful shot! I heard there is one hanging out about 40 miles from me that I plan to go "capture"( in photo) in awhile.
PhotoNat

I just recently had a couple little "issues" with B&H/FedEx(mostly FedEx).

When I purchased my Tamron 70-300 mm lens at the beginning of this month, eeregarding delivery, it said, "A signature IS (not may BE required) for delivery. The delivery was two days earlier than FedEx said it would be(great)!
However, I was there WHEN the package was delivered, and not only did the driver NOT bother to get a signature, he NEVER even KNOCKED on the door to see if I was there, but just LEFT my package by the door!

Since there had RECENTLY been a news story saying be careful of porch pirates in OUR area, and I was EXPECTING my package to be safely signed for upon delivery, I called B&H, and "reminded" them of their own statement regarding delivery, and was told" it is up to the delivery driver whether or not a signature is required.

So I called FedEx, who immediately tried to blame B&H, saying THEY are the ones who determine whether the delivery is signed for!
I told him what the B&H rep had told me, and that I did NOT appreciate the run around! To call B&H to get it resolved WHO requires the signature! I told him that if it IS up to the driver, I could not understand the CARELESSNESS of ANY driver who would NOT require a signature, in light of the recent news story about porch pirates. I also told him that I had been told by a US Postal Service worker, that these thieves are FOLLOWING delivery trucks and then stealing the packages just after they are delivered!

So when I received the customer service survey regarding this call to B&H about this delivery, I again reminded them of their delivery statement about delivery requiring a signature, and the neccessity of that actually HAPPENING. I soon received an email from them, making it sound like I was complaining that it DOES require a signature. I called yesterday, and told them they need to READ the survey more carefully! The gentleman I talked to in the phone, proceeded to say what the customer service rep did that I talked to on the phone last week, exactly OPPOSITE of what the email I had just received said! I told him that, and said which is it?

I've been happy with their customer service before, fortunately I DID receive the lens, and live it, and if I order from them against, will do so by phone, and will tell them to write on the package, "SIGNATURE REQUIRED, NO EXCEPTION! If they will NOT do this, I will CANCEL that order, AND let them know there will be NO future orders from me.

Sorry for the long message, just wanted to let you know what my experience was with this.
PhotoNat

Beautiful Dahlias!
PhotoNat

Ditto!LOL.
PhotoNat

I actually do have quite a bit of space on both my laptop, which is fairly new, and my external hard drive. I am also thinking of getting a 32 GB SD card, instead of a 16 GB. So, looks like I don't have to much to worry about space wise, and could easily do both.
Thanks,
PhotoNat

GrandmaG,
Thank you. I did not know Raw had a jpg file imbedded into it. So am understanding you correctly, that when I look at the photos I have taken on the camera or computer screen I see jpeg images, then when I upload them on PhotoShop Camera Raw, that is when I see Raw images?
PhotoNat

Scooter,
Sorry I accidentally hit send before I had the opportunity to say sorry for the long reply, and I would take their refund,(as I'm concerned that even though they "got caught", they may ONLY have inferior, and/or damaged lenses) so may just send you another such one.



Also wanted to say, should you put in an offer on Greentoe.com, be aware that they do NOT really go by the lowest online price, and if you let them know you found it elsewhere(even an authorized, reliable dealer for that brand, the Greentoe representitives will ignore what you tell them(even though their emails tell you to "let them know if you find a lower price online) or they will tell you to offer based on the lower price you found, then the DEALERS they do business with will ignore the lowest online offer you have found, and quote the same Lowest Online Price as Greentoe.
Also, at the bottom of their emails, it says if you have further questions, email or call them, and gives a phone number. However, when you call the phone number, the message says please EMAIL us, NOT accepting phone calls at this time. I called at a reasonable time, when someone should have been easily available to answer the phone,(not super early in the morning, late at night, or what might have been likely lunch time, and was careful to observe time differences in calling.

I had originally found good reviews for Greentoe, and had mentioned on the email contact on their site that I had seen the Tamron 70-300 mm lens on B&H Photo, a reliable,(based on reviews here on the forum and Googled) Authorized Canon Dealer, and most likely an Authorized Dealer for Nikon, and Tamron too, for $129, although Greentoe was listing the Lowest Online Price at $159.95. A Greentoe.com rep emailed me, and told me to base my offer on the $129 price. When I offered based on that price, and wrote the Lowest Internet Price I had seen on B&H Photo under the offer's Anything else we should know" question, a dealer came back with a counter offer of the same "Lowest Price Online" as Greentoe.com, at $159.95, STILL stating that as THE Lowest Online Price, although it is not.


I believe I DID offer too low, but feel this dealer could have been MUCH MORE flexible, and still have done well on the transaction.

Between making the offer, and getting the counter offer back, I Googled Greentoe.com again, went to a different site, and they had several bad reviews, some of which the customers said they got damaged merchandise, the dealers they got it from were not only unwilling to work with the customer regarding a refund, or exchange, but also rude. These customers also stated that Greentoe.com drops their customers like a hot potato if there are any problems with the purchase, and CANNOT be gotten hold of, and do NOT return the customers' email messages.


So again, sorry for the second long email, however, just wanted to share my experienced of these sites, for people to be aware.
To be fair, some people have had good experiences with this Greentoe.com, however, after feeling ignored price wise by both the rep and the dealer, and hearing about customers getting ripped off with damaged merchandise, I am not likely to try them again, and will just stick with B&H Photo, or my nearest camera shop, who I Know are reliable and knowledgeable.
PhotoNat