Not to belabour the point, but check out the pics just prior of examples that Posters consider 'photogenic.
They have the symmetry I was referring to.

Likewise infants and young children.
All babies are adorable of course and all photograph extremely well, even by their hypercritical parents (not).
But babies are nearly always very symmetrical, and this of course not only adds to their photogenic appeal, but makes them easy subjects.

Where you don't see the symmetrical face, try and avoid 'taking the shot' front on.
Before any portrait session I always assess the subject from this viewpoint and always use the result to help me pose the client.
Makes for happy clients and I often get acomment that 'you found my right side', or similar.

One can achieve the same result with lighting but that is another subject.

Interesting photo CResQ.
I was just about to post my thoughts when scrolling down saw your pic.

When I photograph someone I think is going to be 'photogenic'. I look at the in-camera screenshot and enlarge the pic to Have the face fill the screen.
If the left half of the face is almost a mirror image of the right half, 9 times out of ten it is difficult to take a bad photo of them.

Have a look at 'youngest son'. Good example.

Also, most popular. or highly successful movie stars, actors, have the same sort of symmetry.

Totally irrelevant but my website is Photogenics.

First off, your timing is great.
February is probably one of our most 'settled' weather months in the year if the past is anything to go by. Hopefully warm rather than cold.
I assume you are hiring a campervan or rental car for your touring, if so you will receive all the maps and touring info you will need and with the advice so far given you will have 'a ball'. (apart from where someone mentioned the trams in Christchurch - since the earthquake, I havent noticed any trams running).

10 days isnt going to be long enough for you to see all there is to see but hopefully it will be a good enough 'taste' to want to return.

My suggestion is to turn South from Christchurch, head down the coast as far as Oamaru then go inland to Queenstown (sorry Southlanders but this guy hasnt the time to go all the way to see you, not to say there isnt brilliant scenery and country down your way).
From Queenstown go up the West Coast stopping as time permits each night wherever you end up. (this route will depend on weather but as said, it should be settled..) ending up in Nelson (Marlborough, best NZ wine region imo) via Motueka.
You are going to be pushed for time but the scenic way back to Christchurch is via the inland route through the Parks, I think if running out of time you might be quicker to head down the East Coast road.

As far as photo ops, just keep your eyes open, they are everywhere.

We are heading down to the South Island with our Campervan in March for the Autumn (Fall) season but intend to take about 6 weeks to do the trip you are doing in 10 days.
It will be my first visit since 'going digital' so hopefully will have heaps to post for critique on our return. (I have hundreds of slides of earlier trips but none of them scanned yet).
Maybe we can do some comparisons . :)

Enjoy your holiday and I am sure there are many NZ UHH members that will await your comments and pics.

Most o the earlier are ones are good for different reasons but this gets my vote.
Retains the original old look but defines the subject without too much contrast.
Nice one :thumbup:

Great idea if you want to eventually ruin a lens or filter coating.

Your stomach produces acid for digestion which finds its way to your mouth.
Breathing on a lens will transfer that acid and initially do quite a good job of cleaning the glass.
Eventually it' will destroy the coating (wont harm the glass though).

Have a look here: www.copperhillimages.com

Have used this product for many years and the first order came with so much stuff am only just starting to run out.
The full kit included sensor cleaner as well as lens cleaning fluid, wipes, lens pen etc.
Brilliant product.
Cant remember what I paid but wasn't expensive (even with the postage to New Zealand from US).

Big debate going on here in New Zealand, as well, about this type of mining.

Spot on for me. Like you I shoot RAW to one card and jpeg to the other.

The jpeg file is an edited (as per camera settings) version of the RAW file. The RAW file has virtually no in-camera editing including no White Balance changes.

More than 50% of the time I find my in-camera settings for the jpeg good enough to use as a 'proof' on the website, but if I require any hard copy enlargement I usually do it from the (edited in CS4 or Lightroom) RAW file. (D300s)

If using a D200 which has only the one card slot, I have a menu that allows me to select either RAW + jpeg in one menu or quickly switch to jpeg only if I know I'm not going to be printing the file.
Only do this to save space on the card.

Personally rarely use a filter for 'lens protection'.
Seems illogical to spend all that money on glass then add
a cheap (in comparison) extra element to the equation.
Only exception is if in a dusty (at the beach say) or dirty
environment,(did a job in a factory a while ago).
Then I use a Hoya UV filter.

Always using a Hood seems to work for me.

Me too.

Save jpeg to SD Card and RAW to CF on my D300s.

View and provide email or website proofs in jpeg.
Use the RAW file for final adjustments and printing (from a tiff version).

Delete all RAW files from computer if the jpeg doesnt look sell-able or useable. Space issue as the RAW files are so big.
NEVER show clients any pics that arent my best.
Save ALL jpegs though as space isnt really an issue.
Shoot jpegs in Large format and Medium quality. Good enough for me.

Sorry Jerry, not quite right.

One email address for your free account with the Eye-Fi Cloud but I have mine setup with my iPad and also with this laptop.
The transfer to the iPad happens okay a minute or two after I take the shot and then when I get home the pics appear on the laptop.
Have to refile them though.
Havent worked out how to get them to go to their own new folder etc.

Havent tried but assume I could pair it with other computers.

Eye-Fi gets my vote.
Works with the iPad while Im shooting so can see results after a minute or two. Great when doing an Event.
Downside is too slow for RAW files.
I use a D300s and save RAW to the CF card and jpeg to the Eye-Fi card.

Works for me :thumbup:

I carry an LX3 with me everywhere, it is a true pocket camera.
Brilliant results once you get to grips with the shitty menu system.

Downside for me;
Zoom is limiting
No viewfinder, but you get used to it
I bought it when they came out, now they are cheap!
(Plenty for sale second hand because, I think, buyers expect
it to be a simple point and shoot (well it can be I guess), but for
me there was a definite long learning curve.

Up side
Very versatile options for exposure etc
RAW
Focus lock/Exp lock
Big bright screen
3 Aspect ratios
Fantastic lens
Good Histogram
Sometimes difficult to tell diff in LX3 jpeg to D200 jpeg
(D300s RAW vs LX3 RAW no competition though)

I havent read the whole thread so someone may have offered this same solution but;
I also am using Windows 7 64 bit.

Recently I went to use Coral Draw suite, (we use it only to publish Coffee News) and got a weird result when opening the last edition.
Half the fonts had disappeared, some of the graphics were all over the screen and nothing would fix it.
In Lightroom, the system couldn't find any of the latest files I had downloaded from the camera.

Without going in to all my frantic efforts to get things working again (we work to a deadline) my final desperate move was to restore the system to an earlier date.
Suddenly everything was working fine again.

The only change to my system was about 5 Windows updates. One of them, havent worked out which one yet, corrupted my system but it only affected Coral Draw and Lightroom.

Hope this solves your problem.

Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2013 to all from NZ.

Tony Polglase

Hope you guys have a fantastic Chrismas and I too look forward to your company here again next year. Been really nice and interesting swapping views.
:thumbup: