Hi CResQ, all great shots. You have picked up on the panning to center the subject with a new lens in a very quick time. For your arm and back maybe a gun stock mount would help. It did for me with, ahem, Nikon, motor drive and a 300mm telephoto lens. Again great shots.
Tom H

Hi Bob, Well I guess I'm just fat,dumb and happy, This is a new one for me, I have never heard of this one before. Sounds very interesting. Did you look at the "new to photography" subject in the main section?

WOW! Thanks to all who made comments, a lot of wise advice piled onto one image. After the comments started coming in, I thought instead of trying to answer each one, I would just let it go and see where it went. Much good information and opinions. This image was taken out of contents and placed here to see how a new thread could be arranged to make it easer for a newcomer to follow a thread and search the thread for a special topic. So the image is one of many on the subject of the rule of thirds, how to use and/or throw away. The image had a singular point to express. Again thank you all, their is much to ponder and learn in reading this short thread.
Tom H

Welcome Rick, pull up a chair, have a cup of coffee, and join in. This site has a GREAT bunch of people willing and able to help, but tighten your seat belt cus we don't want you to get hurt falling off your chair laughing so hard.

O' one other thing, substitute Nikon for each time you want to say Canon.........just kidding
Tom

Hi Gary, both are excellent images, captured scene and time of day very well. May I make a suggestion for the second image, please tone down (gray) your name, the contrast of white on the black of the rail pull my eye down away from the rest of the image. Nit-pic to be sure, but I believe it would help.
Tom

Not for this 80 year old, 3 years in the Army was enough Brass o

Very effective, thanks

Hi Bob, I tried a new thread "New to Photography" with the same image with an overlay for the third of rules points. Well so much for civility, maybe he was trying to be funny, I don't know.

Aw come on, read the whole text PLEASE

Hi chapjohn, This was intended for another thread, but you are right. Might be a little hard to explain the golden mean to a new comer to photography. Perhaps latter I will try. Again, thanks

Rules:

Using the rule of thirds for placing the point of interest in your photograph.

Here the main and secondary points of interest were placed as close to the crash points of thirds (yellow circle) as possible in the image.

Hi Bob, Thank you, pleased that you found it interesting.

This idea of showing how some "rules" are applied has me thinking that I'm maybe doing it like, the cart before the horse, type of thing. For the newcomer maybe I should diagram the rule on top of a photo and then let others input there images to reinforce the rule. Also to use a new thread name to make it faster to search for a particular rule.

Hi Graham, did you use photoshop to create the rembrant (sp) lighting effect to the image? Again an excellent photo

LOL Yes, h2, I will take you up on the offer. We have both new and experienced people in this group and maybe we can pass on thoughts that will help explain the sometimes confusing items. Others are welcome to join in also. An informal, relaxed talk, with examples, to help us all.

Thanks Shakey, just trying to help the new to photography while having some fun at the same time.