And the last part. I recommend that you 'work up' to carrying this gear by challenging yourself. I knew I was going to Yosemite in 2019. I carried a 26 pound backpack for many months as I built up my stamina. - It worked! My longest day in Yosemite was about a 15 mile walk with this backpack and a handheld camera/lens.

Very, very nice. What a pretty little girl she is! Good work!

Wonderful performance for the optical system that you had available. High congrats. And appreciation. Thanks for sharing with us.

Unfortunately, "hardware creep" is relentless and un-avoidable. Technology is relentless that way. I have a 64 GB RAM I7 2017 computer that windows tells me is not suitable for Windows 11!!?!!

We all must face the time that someone else's idea of technologically capable has exceeded our purchased level of competence. You might decide to upgrade your hardware. Or you might decide to jump off the carousel of constant change and "settle" for the level of tech that your HW/SW will support.

I'm rapidly approaching this horizon, myself.

Ahhhh, the 'toy box' I wanted and never received when I was young! Thanks for your photo.

Hi,
This is constructive. For any of your pictures, try the thumb/forefinger test for cropping. Or the same two fingers from both hands to crop the image (on your computer). You may find you have multiple pictures where you originally thought of it as one. Or, cropping might help the viewer focus their attention where you want them to look and what you want them to see.

And, you can also use your thumb. Use it to block out something in the picture. If that item is missing, does it help the viewer to focus or refocus their attention away from what you are blocking out with your thumb?

The green lamp, for me, fails the thumb test. When my thumb blocks out the green lamp, growing out of her nose, it helps me 'focus' more on her. And I like your photo even better.

You can't be a "pro" at shooting different sports or weddings, product photography, etc. without doing it, making mistakes and learning from them.

I'd introduce myself to one of the assistant coaches, tell them that you want/need to shoot one of their upcoming games and ask permission to shoot a practice of the team. Get a visual feeling for the layups at the hoop, foul line shooting, etc. You get this experience by doing it. - Ask if the lighting they are using are the same lights used when the game is being held (usually not). And ask if the higher intensity lights can be turned on for this practice and your shoot. -

Sugar vs Vinegar - Offer to share your best with the Asst. Coach/team after you have had the time to review them, etc. Not suggesting free prints are necessary. And you can share a digital image with your watermark on it, if you want.

It seems to keep changing----The old saying, continuously updated---60 is the old 40!!!

Nice work. I appreciate you posting/sharing.

I definitely wasted my years during the 70's. Should have been going to the beaches of CA during my business trips from NY. Your photos are proof.

Thanks for sharing poignant moments that revive questions to this day.

And, thanks for sharing your memories/experiences from then in the rarified atmosphere of today.

Great shot. Well done.

3 males and so many females. Feels like "party time" for the survival of the species. Best of wishes. - Love these colorful beauties.

And, the answer is "yes". You must combine images. Combine an image of the properly exposed Jupiter with a differently exposed image of the moons, visible because they are the result of a longer exposure/higher ISO to have them record when orbiting their mother planet.

Next, don't apologize for combining two images that give you moons orbiting Jupiter without "streaks". While you should also have a involving/gratifying image of Jupiter with its bands or red spot at the proper exposure for Jupiter.

All "good" pros do this !!! Even Ansel!!! (Moonrise over half dome {3 or 4 different images to select from} as a good example.)

And get out of feeling you are responsible to explain that your exposure for Jupiter was greatly different from the proper exposure for the moons of Jupiter. - Just do it!

Sadly, I lost my complete reply. My paraphrase is shorter.

Use your photos to tell a story. Think of this story before shooting your images. Take photos that will tell a story when they are presented..... (What did you see? What did you feel?? What did you think??? What did you want to share to invite your audience to participate in your photo series????)

These are the kind of questions and images to qualify for the title of photojournalism whether the image is nature or people or many other circumstances.

Keep up the good work. And do more!!!

Great work. I especially like image #2. Might I suggest, for future reference. Also shoot one image of the moon that is not washed out/overexposed. And splice it in to replace the overexposed image of the moon in this image.

You will literally have the "best of both worlds" with a properly exposed moon and properly exposed mountain backdrop.


Work with it. Ansel did. And you can, too! (Stretch the range of tones to include the properly exposed moon as well as the properly exposed mountains/scenic of your image.

Looks like you have done a good job of working within the restrictions of the programs. And, you've come out the other side with some great images. Now, the next responsibility is to crop the final photos into the images that you want them to be. - I know how/what I would crop. What would you crop???
Do it. And see if you like what you have achieved.

Everyone has their "scale" for measuring what they have as a finished image vs. what they "visualized" or wanted to achieve. The next step is to show us your "vision". - And, thanks for sharing. Very good job.