Update:

According to Gurushots, the "A Shot To Remember" challenge just ended and my attached image "Pick Me" took 11th place. One of the best finishes ever for any of my images.

The story behind this image, is that we were driving down the coast of Maine last week to check out one of the light houses, turning the corner, there was this field of flowers. Grabbed my camera, but I couldn't get the right angle. I was either too low or too tall.. Nearly on my knees in a ditch beside the road, I took this shot on a cloudy forecast for rain day.

What was so difficult about this shot?.. it was windy too.. I focused on one flower in the middle and waited till the wind blew the flower into the right position. Nothing in this image has been altered or enhanced. It's odd that the leaves in this image seem pale almost waxy in appearance as they weren't a dark green to begin with.

https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/upload/2019/9/28/t1-707794-img_0282.jpg

You should have driven down the washboard road we did this past week. Couldn't stop anywhere to get a few shots. was extremely dangerous. Single lane, washboard, gravel etc. Brakes nearly over heated. Still tring to locate the road on the map. but it's somewhere through the mountains of Vermont into New Hampshire.

Just return 2 days early from our trip to Maine. This trip lasted us 7 days and went through MD, PA, NY, VT, NH, ME. Over 1,880 miles avoiding major cities & highways. One rural road was nothing but washboard for about 6 miles through the mountains. This trip cost us $346.69 total in gas. Total pics taken: 268 Total Pics missed 12 Visited 6 Light houses, Vermont Country store, Herkimer Diamond mine, The historic round Barn, Three covered Bridges & more..

Here's a few of our favorite pics from that trip.

I avoid RAW and post processing or enhancing any of my images and you shouldn't be ashamed of doing like wise.

Just returned from our trip from Maine.

More can be seen here: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-602232-1.html#10545685

Apparently you can't read:

@TriX STAY AWAY FROM ME & MY TOPICS and stop stalking and Harassment Me.

@TriX get off my ass you've been ridding it since day one. Even when I've complain to the Mods about ignoring you (which is active) I STILL see your sh!t

Now to really clarify, EVERYONE must be compliant in Maryland before October 1, 2020

The reason "we" have to do this is because our drivers licenses was recalls which I stated in the beginning that Maryland jumped the gun in printing these card with the stars on them. Because of their mistake, "We" have to goto the DMV with 4 proofs of identification IT's THE Law. To quote it bluntly, "If you're pulled over by a police officer and your licenses is NOT Compliant, the Officer can and will confiscate your licenses.

Want Proof? if you live in Maryland:

http://www.mva.maryland.gov/realid/real-id-faqs.htm

To those of you who are interested, Check with your state's DMV for more details.

In Other Words @TriX STAY AWAY FROM ME & MY TOPICS This stalking and Harassment.

@rdemarco52 Calculation:

here's something you and anyone else thinking of getting new lenses. Check your saved photograph data and you don't need to go through the whole lot, just randomly check a particular images, look at the data and find out what focal range was used in this image. Granted the more images you scan through checking the data, the better idea you'll get for knowing and learning your focal range.

Based on your current setup, I'd say either the 24mm or even a lesser lens (14mm?) or the 85mm

@Sendai5355 correct and thanks for the added details. Also which reminds me. that if you don't have this taken care of and you get pulled over for a traffic violation, The police will confiscate your licenses.

Agreed @lamiaceae and i'm not attempting to side one way or another, merely letting others know that if they haven't got this letter, they will. and to look for any discrepancies within the letter and never just fill out any web forums because the letter asks you to do so. Also, True the wife and I would never fly so yes, this is pointless. The point of this is it doesn't cost anything IF you already have either a gold or black star on your licenses. I tend to panic when I see this type of stuff in our mail box. In your mind, you know you've not done anything wrong and the letter makes it look as if you did. putting the fear into unsuspecting persons. Just remain clam and find out if the letter is real or bogus.

Got a letter in the mail a few days ago and I wanted to share with the hogs about our experience with this letter and what will happen next. If one is not familiar with some called "Real ID" they soon will be. Our federal government and homeland security has created this real ID in an effort to make sure you are who you say you are and of course weed out the nonconforments.

The reasons I'm saying something about this is that I felt as if I'm a prisoner in my own home simply because Maryland Government jumped the gun and added the Black stars to a newly issued drivers licenses. The reason for feeling like I do, is that the letter goes on to say, you need to login to our DMV site and submit an appointment and bring in all of your identification types.

So when we went to the site and started filling out the forum, we got down to where ti was asking us to please enter your social security number.. This halted us from continuing filling out the web form. By no means should anyone, I mean anyone fill out or give away their SS# to anyone even though an online web forum.

Because we're not willing to fill out this web form, we have to goto the express DMV and wait in line. A small price to pay simply because they wanted our SSN. Just so all are aware, there's a new law that states Not under any circumstance is it required to give out your SSN. Even on a Dr. visit form etc.

We're all getting a little old and our eyes are as good noticing all these letters. In fact at one point we thought this letter was bogus until we actually called the DMV. To all though who haven't got this letter yet, be advised not to fill out any online intonation to request an appointment. Just arrive extremely early at your DMV and be prepared to sit a little while.

Now before anyone starts rebutting my comment about not giving out your SSN online. Read the reports, do the math and be warned your SSN is the most desirable information to thieves and even though once we get this taken care, we still have to present our SSN card to the Receptionist at the DMV. The point is nothing is secure and even if you filled out the web form, the connection to this form may not have been secure.

So we're getting this taken care of Sat morning and instead of going to the main branch which is a pain, we'll selected one of the smaller express branch and wait our turn.

I miss going to these events and you realize that you can make money doing these events. Because drivers always looking for photographs of them and their cars. Work the track as a support team. I was with the SCCA back in the 90's and worked several local and not so local tracks made a few bucks selling my images to the drivers.

You're doing very well with these and I would have done the same thing. When taking pictures of textures, one has to learn how to use the natural light to play off these textures. Shadows can work with you on these images

Keep exploring the cameras limits as we've all been there. over time you'll learn what to look for and how to frame the images. Don't rush this and don't rush into trying to post edit them afterward, just take the picture, critique yourself. But these would be listed as better than average tourist photos.

For one, your F stop is way to high for this shot. Next time try different f stops to achieve better results. Use a cardboard shade off to the left of this image would have blocked the bright area. Alos, if you post processed the image tone down the contrast & brightness.

it would have been nice if you light painted the foreground tree..