Is that the bridge at Florence, Oregon? Over the Siuslaw River.

Thank you for your comments. You said it very well.

I probably was not clear enough, because I agree with you. However, I began a paragraph with this sentence: "Criticism, gently offered, is usually welcome and appreciated." What matters is the delivery, which can either encourage growth or discourage it.

Yes, and that would spare me of having to read such boorish comments, but it offers no protection to the new member. Thank you for reminding me about that feature, though!

I posted a minor pet peeve a few days ago and really appreciated the comments. They were fun to read and think about as contributions to the thread. I now have a suggestion intended to improve participation in this forum.

We have UHH users who come from all levels of photographic experience, interests and skills. Some have spent thousands of dollars on gear and post amazing photos. Others have spent the same amount and do not yet know how to use the gear, but they want to learn. More than anything I am impressed with the obvious skill of many here.

A few posts elicit rather snarky responses. These may take the form of a rebuke for asking something or harsh criticism of a photo and are direct responses to the original post. I cringe when I read them and hope even the worst curmudgeon among us would not say those things to a person's face. (So what if the question has been asked before? Everyone was new here once.)

Criticism, gently offered, is usually welcome and appreciated. However, highly critical and pointed responses have the effect of discouraging people from posting. We all lose out as a result. I am not interested in everything that gets posted (especially the snapshots of cats---there is a Pampered Pets Corner section for those!), but I just skip over them and watch for the truly great photos many of you share. I learn from them or am inspired to try something because of what I see. (By the way, the better the subject line in a post, the easier it is to hone in on what interests me.)

I have seen amazing photos here! That is why I visit here almost daily. I am an old film guy and it has taken years for me to think of photography in digital terms. It affects how I expose photos and approach post processing. Many of those learning experiences had their genesis here, thanks to all of you. The best photos here make me want to improve what I do. Others remind me of where I once was.

We share a love for photography and will all benefit from a less harsh and judgmental forum. Give encouragement. Be positive. Compliment. If you feel the need to be snide or rude. . . (I was going to say go yell at the cat, but that would offend someone, so I will not) . . . just don't say anything. Move on. Find a post you love and say so. Make this a safe place for people to share, not a place of punishment.

A Sigma DG lens is for an APS-C sensor, correct?

I have a small wireless remote, but I have not used it for awhile. I downloaded DSLRRemote from the Android Play Store. It works beautifully and even supports mirror up and bulb functions. Free.

I just realized I had a typo in my original post that naturally led to some misunderstanding my point. Toward the end I meant to say "I am NOT saying 50mm is the right lens for everyone."

I agree! Great photo of the slot canyon!

The best advice I ever got from a fellow photographer was to put a lens on the body and then spend a week looking for things to shoot with that lens. It is a great way to discover what you can do well with it.

The most frustrating posts I read here are the ones that say "I am going to ___________. What lenses should I take?" I never like to call someone out, so I waited until I did not see such a posting. If there is one, I did not read it and am therefore not replying to it specifically.

My silent and unposted answer is always the same: "What do you like to photograph? Landscapes? Cityscapes? People? Animals? Flowers? If you will answer that, the choice of lens is fairly easy."

If people want to shoot land- or cityscapes, 50mm or less. If your answer is people, something in the range of 50mm to 85mm, perhaps even a little longer. If you want to cover a couple of those, take a zoom that covers them. If you are just taking snapshots of everything you see, consider your cell phone.

There are some fundamental truths. For example, you do not need a 400mm lens to shoot landscapes or cityscapes. You do not need a wide angle lens to shoot flowers or the moon (photographically, not playing Hearts).

I used to drag around a 24-120. Big and heavy. Now my walk around lens is a 50mm. I love the sharpness and speed (and weight!) and if I need more coverage I shoot multiple overlapping shots and stitch them later. That way I get better sharpness than a zoom without the distortion introduced by a wide angle lens. As I have come to recognize what I most enjoy shooting I have also narrowed in on my lens choice.

One way to figure out what you like to shoot is to go through your photos and see what focal length you used (easy to view in Lightroom). That is an educational experience. When I did that a few years ago, I discovered almost all of my photos were in the range of 35mm to 75mm. Rarely did I shoot anything at 120mm or even at 24mm. That changed how I thought about lenses.

I am saying that 50mm is the right lens for everyone. It is often the right lens for me, because I love landscapes, cityscapes, and interiors of churches. I know in advance if I need to capture a larger area I will stitch in Photoshop. As was said by the philosophers of old, "Know thyself." To that Polonius (in Hamlet) added, "And to thine lens be true" (or something to that effect).

Also, if you like Irish High Crosses, the tallest in Ireland is nearby at Monasterboice. There are three of them at that location, the tall one is 18 feet, but the most beautiful is Muirdach's cross.

I have been there 5 times (taking groups). IMO it is one of the must-see places in Ireland.

I have the 60/2.8 and love it. It is very sharp, as most primes are. The right focal length for you depends on what you want to shoot. I use my 105 micro just as much as I do my 60.

I also use a Black Rapid sling, secured by the tripod thread at the bottom of the camera. It is extremely secure, easy to use and I love the balance.