I am farsighted and just use the cheap reading glasses so far. I use a 41" tv as my monitor and have it set back about four feet just so I don't have to use my glasses. I buy the cheap reading glasses at Walmart that come in 3 packs for under $10. I leave them everywhere. I have a pair in my bedroom, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in my shop, in the car, at my girlfriend's house, at my parent's house... I don't even know how many pairs I have. I have gotten used to using them in the room where they belong and leaving them there. I also have trouble seeing without bright light and have various little lamps to use with my glasses. This getting old is for the birds!

I do understand one type of people who would not be comfortable posting their location. My late wife and our youngest son would both feel terribly exposed on a forum like this if they had to list their location. For them, it would be like being put on display in front of a huge audience, naked and powerless. They both have a need for protection at levels that may not make sense to other 'normal' people. I have been around this personality type for many years now and have learned how to help protect them in small ways. This enables them to feel safe and to interact with others on their terms.
My present girlfriend is terrified of spiders. Her fear of spiders is no less real than my wife's or son's fear of exposure. I take care of the spiders (sometimes after a quick mug shot) and protect her from having a spider in the house. I have hundreds of spider shots and she has only seen one of those pictures by accident.
Living with these people has taught me that we are not all created equal, nor do we all have the same capabilities. Just giving another perspective here from someone who loves people that would never post their location.

So many great shots, they give me inspiration! I took this one tonight, I am still working on how to make a great shot, but it was pretty good for me. ;-)

Tonight with my D610 and a 40 year old 50mm f/1.4

(Download)

Here is the link, the discussion seems to have died already and I was just stealing his single message to help me try to express my question.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-377597-5.html#6362521

Excellent capture, I need to try working in B & W more often. :thumbup:

:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Probably one of the biggest reasons I shoot with a camera these days instead of a rifle. I still get to hunt, and the critters get to live another day. :thumbup:

I miss the days where I would save up for 100' of black and white film or 50' of color slide film. I'm still not ready to set up a dark room again, maybe one of these days.... I think my Nikon F still has an accurate shutter, keep posting those for me and maybe one of these days I'll run a roll of film through her.
:thumbup:

I almost always click on posts that talk about the arrival of the Brown Truck or the arrival or order of a new piece of gear. Reading about a fellow UHH member's excitement and happiness brings a smile to my face. I did stop posting about my own orders and acquisitions, not because of any personal attacks towards me, but because I have seen many posts that have become lost in the Gear Police wars. My equipment will always be better than my ability to use it, the best I seem to be able to do so far is to usually get the correct exposure and focus. I will never be great, I just don't have the eye for it, but I do get lucky once in a while with something that we are proud to give as gifts or hang on the wall.
SharpShooter wrote the following (I edited it slightly) and it impressed me. I don't know SS, but I see his posts often. And I hope I don't offend SS by plagiarizing his words.
SharpShooter wrote: (slightly edited)

BUT let me tell you what I've learned in the last couple of years. You don't have to care, maybe it's your lot in life to be the gear police, we've got dozens of self-appointed police here!
Yes, there are a lot of gear heads here. And plenty with very fancy cameras and their photography stinks. Yes, plenty with small minds an big pockets. But I've also learned that some of these guys worked hard their whole lives and have a right to do whatever they want with their pockets, it doesn't actually affect my photography in any way.
I've also learned that most here are over 60. Some up to 80 and 90. Some come here as their only outlet socially. Some just don't get around much anymore, to shoot or to socialize. So they come here and show each other what they bought and tell each other about the brown truck. Some day I'll probably be in their shoes and you'll be yelling at me!
The "big' thing to do is to just let them have their fun. Show enough maturity that you can do that. Sure there are those that don't have anything to buy anything with, but they should not put down those that worked so they could. Bragging might be in bad taste, but I don't have to look except by my choice and I choose not to be a cop like you're being, which is in itself is in bad taste.
It's ok to get in some friendly jabs, I do it all the time, but I'm not malicious about it.
My advice is to ignore what bothers you, unless it was personally directed at you. Those that want to participate will, those that don't should hangout where they feel they can add positively.
SS

I see myself in some of what SS wrote. I am happy with my equipment. I love using it. I used to enjoy talking about it here but I have stopped doing that. And I am ok with owning gear that is far better than my skill level.
I guess I would love to hear from the Gear Police as to why they are so offended by other members when they talk about their new equipment. Knowing why the Gear Police attack or possibly even resent amateurs like me who are sharing their love of their hobby and their gear would give me more insight when reading the Negative Nelly comments.

My first natural perch had a broken end on it and the fresh break stood out like a broken thumb. I put dark brown stain on the broken end and it fixed that problem. I like to shoot with full sun in the early morning hours and late day because the birds are lit more evenly and I can use a faster shutter speed. Birds are fast! I do short burst shots instead of trying to get one pose at a time.

I have had my D610 now for about a year and have around 14,000 clicks on it and it has been flawless. I bought it with confidence as a refurb with the 10% off based on the many recommendations from fellow UHH members and it had a very low shutter count. The D600 had the oil problem on the sensor and Nikon fixed that with the D610. I grew up with a Nikon F as a kid and love the fact that I can use many of the older lenses on my D610, manual focus does not bother me a bit, I kind of prefer it and the D610 will set the exposure using the old glass. Here is a recent thread of other D610 users:
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-374326-1.html

Take a shovel to lean on so you look legit. :thumbup:

Fantastic captures, as always, Steve! :thumbup: Sounds like I just need to get a few more camera bodies to get shots like these... (just kidding! Sort of... :thumbup: ) Keep them coming :D

If you hate it and need to sell it cheap, let me know! I have been eying this lens for quite a while, my widest FF lens is 24mm f2.8 and I have been investigating this lens along with a couple of others to broaden my view. Looking forward to hearing how you like it and seeing some posted results. :thumbup:

But they are so gaunt and needy! :-D