Just realized my tripod will barely fit in my carry-on, I'll expand the question to include those, too. What about it, brain trust?

Good advice!

Traveling light this weekend domestically and would like to pack a monopod. Anybody have any problems with the TSA mistaking one for a billy club or other form of weapon? I have read where a rocket blaster sensor cleaner got confiscated (probably because it was a rocket...) Any thoughts?

Here are a couple of HDR landscapes I got yesterday when I saw that the cloud cover was pleasing. 95% of the time, it seems to be clear and blue skies here, great weather but not as interesting for HDR landscapes. I read a blog recently where one guy drove his wife nuts because he couldn't pass a rundown barn or farmhouse without stopping and taking pics. He said they had character. I set out to find something like that and within 20 minutes of my house in urban Austin, voila, there it was. Here are a couple of shots taken with an 18-55 Nikkor lens mounted on a D5200 on a tripod. They were all taken within a space of 50 yards from each other.
A few more are at this link: https://plus.google.com/photos/103425019225851329391/albums/5963194512692580785?authkey=CN6cmdLnoe-2cA

Hope you enjoy them!

My HDR shots were just a tad fuzzy, especially with a zoom until a kind soul here told me to turn off VR (vibration reduction) on my Nikkor lens when shooting from a tripod. Same setting as your IS. Made all the difference in the world. Apparently the VR introduces a bit of vibration if it's on in a rock steady environment...

Well done! Since I moved to Texas 21 years ago, the likelihood of me ever capturing this picture is zero. Thanks for being our proxy! Too bad we have to go through pain to get shots like this....

Bulb timer for star trails, set it and forget it

Incredible shot. Kudos!

All are great, but number 2 gets my vote as well. The detail is great, good composition and the dynamic range is exceptional. Was it an HDR shot? Very pleasing...

Very nice! I love the detail. The gurus here have helped me take it to the next level, too. Isn't UHH the best?

Thanks. Glad you liked it. Incredibly, 30 seconds before, the drive was full of people. I was at the Temple of Karnac on the Nile in 2008 and there were literally hundreds of people all over the place. But my pictures looked like I was the only one there. Don't ask me how this happens, because I don't know. Kinda spooky, isn't it? I just loved the yellow light that evening, it was perfect...

One of the helpful souls on UHH sent me this the other day. Go to this link and upload your most recent picture. It will give you the shutter count on most cameras. I hope this helps you, too. I found out I've done only about 6000 pictures in the last 6 months, I've been slacking!

http://www.camerashuttercount.com/

I don't care what it is. These shots are spot on. The eyes really make these images pop... What great detail in the feathers, too. Wow!

Love the glints of light, particularly the eye. Did you use fill flash or were you there under perfect conditions? I've gotten a few shots like this out of many, many attempts. I admire your patience. I'm sure you just didn't walk up and get this on your first try. Good work.

Thanks. You should see the RAW file cropped and zoomed in. I like the composition of what I posted better, but the detail that 24MP gives you is scary sometimes!