Great photos. They reminded me of an aspect of family portraits that Tomfl101 forgot to mention, but demonstrated brilliantly ... if possible try to get the family to coordinate clothing, and ask them to keep the clothing as plain as possible. No loud checks or prints, no logos or movie/cartoon prints on kids clothes etc. These photos are going to be keepsakes and you don't want them to be dated by the clothes.

On the question of waist up or full length, the ages of the kids will determine that. You don't want to do waist up shots if the kids are not at least waist high!!

May be a good idea to have the principals seated on chairs at the center, with the kids on the floor.

A few years ago I purchased a 'cube', a gizmo made by x-rite?

I took a few test pictures with it and completely forgot about it simply because it was not important to follow through.

Now, I have very little to do. I am sitting at home, playing nursemaid to a friend so I go through everything I missed or left undone, unfinished... (There is quite a bit).

A few weeks ago I posted about black holes in photography.

No one really answered so when I found those long shots I just and an opportunity to cease...

How does a sensor reacts to an absence of light vs limited reflection, from a black background???

Well, the answer is... weirdly.

I need to do some basic accounting, journals, trial balance, balance sheet, income statement. I don't want to pay a subscription. Many years ago I used both QB and Peachtree, they do just what I want. I was surfing on the Bay and I see some available, sometimes with the caveat that there is no guarantee that the license will work. Based on the general experience of the group, is there any reason to not buy a 20 year old version of either of these? After all, debits and credits haven't changed in hundreds of years. I appreciate all opinions.

Last week in a post titied "Beef: It's What's For Dinner" I mentioned that my dog Ted had eaten an entire recently purchased bag of yogurt-covered raisins. Raisins are toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure and death sometimes without obvious symptoms, so I want to warn all you dog owners out there about this. Why raisins (also grapes and currants) are so toxic to dogs is not well understood, and not all dogs react to them. By the time I realized what Ted had done over 16 hours had passed so it was too late to give him activated charcoal or something to make him vomit. Though he never even got sick, the rotten little varmint, I didn't want to take any chances and had him hospitalized for 72 hours, receiving IV fluids. Ted achieved a kind of celebrity status at the clinic for the vast quantity of raisins he pooped over three days, and that bag ended up costing me $456.30 plus the initial price of purchase.

Many of you expressed concern for Ted and wanted to be kept posted, so I'm using this post to do that as well as give others a heads up. Ted is fine now. On a hike this morning he wanted to drag an entire fresh deer carcass back to the car. Incidentally, it was four years ago exactly that he underwent surgery for an intestinal blockage that turned out to be caused by a squeaker from a toy. He's a lot of fun.

Also, today marks the 11th anniversary of my finding the little fuzzball sitting by the side of the highway, so I thought I'd commemorate the occasion by sharing photos taken of him over the years. He is a very odd dog, full of peculiar rituals and fears, often curmudgeonly and testy, and as often sweet, playful, and affectionate. He would probably say the same things about me.

Hi folks!

I usually don't start a thread with a complaint but it has reached a point, where a certain group in our community, will BLAME the fledgling new “Advice for the Pros” section if war were to break out on the Korean Peninsula- perhaps if the Mount St. Helen volcano ever erupts again! I am trying to take a humorous approach but it is rather perturbing that, lately, every time there is a movement or a referral of a thread or post from one section or another or anyone has a gripe with the administrator, the cause seems to go to the new effort.

Folks are bandying about terms like elitism, compartmentalization, cliques! Well- everyone is entitled to their opinions but...

The photographic community is not the military. Professionals and advanced workers don't wear badges, insignia or have caps of different colors to differentiate themselves as “elite troops”! As far as I am concerned the reputation of a true professional is only as good as their last assignment and satisfied client. As a teacher or adviser, any professional is only as good as their track record for providing accurate, useful and practical advice and information and their willingness to reach out, help and share. All the rest is hyperbole!

Sadly enough, there is a culture, running through this forum, of resentment for professional photographers. Whenever the subject of “professionals” arises there are usually some remarks about pros being elitist, arrogant, hacks, cookie cutter artists, know-it-alls, charlatans, folks who take baby and Santa Claus pictures in shopping malls or passport pictures at the license bureau, people who do mediocre work but manage to get paid for it and worse. Some of this may be true, in a very small minority, but this attacking group likes to paint all the pros with the same negative brush. Most of the pros I know are hard working consummate professionals, competent journeymen or true masters of their specialties. Unfortunately, there are phonies, fakers and charlatans in every trade, profession and business but fortunately, they are eventually found out and don't last very long.

Oh- Some may ask, how do I know that this resentment really exists and think perhaps I am paranoid. Well- the very first time I posted on this forum, and modestly identified myself as a professional/commercial photographer, I got a “who do you think you are” kinda response and a challenge to show my pictures. So I showed my pictures and carried on. Every now and again, a similar response to one of my posts arises.

As far as compartmentalized, departmentalized or “clique” sections, what's up with that?! God knows there are enough fine sections on this site to accommodate just about anyone's interest in photography and then some. There are even sections dedicated to idle gossip, non-photography related subject matter and all kids of “hate and discontent”! Folks can go to any of theses sections and involve themselves in any way the wish. Unless something is in extremely poor taste, offensive or illegitimate, why bother knocking it- just don't go there.

I think that much of the resentment, objection and disquieting remarks pertain to the new section are due to personal conflicts, personality incompatibilities, long standing feuds and and a few (yes) cliques, not cliques that are based on photography styles or modes or artistic philosophies, but groups ganging up on certain individuals or other groups and encouraging verbal combat. Personally, I feel put off and even slightly victimized by this in that I do not presently or never have participated in any of this “combat” and most of it started long before I even came on this site or became invollved in any section management or mentoring activities.

Of course, there is here, like in every other segment of society, a tinge of ageism. If you are an older photographer and not a child of the digital age, there are “old man” remarks. In some cultures, older folks are respected and consulted for their experience and acquired wisdom, especially in in areas of craftsmanship and insight into philosophical issues. Not around here! I am not saying that age or tenure automatically is accompanied by wisdom and knowledge but oftentimes, asking for advice from someone with long time experience can avoid and negate a whole lot of floundering around and set folks off on the right track.

I don't think that anyone that is connected with the new section is out to hijack or upstage any other section. I manage two modest sections and co-manage the Wedding section. On occasion , I see a post in the main section where someone is seeking advice on wedding photography. I try to answer the question but I will oftentimes suggest that the take the question to the wedding section. Why do I do that? Usually when a wedding issue arises on the main section there are numerous posts discouraging the OP form photographing a wedding, because it is it is a terrible aspect of photography and this is usually accompanied by a raft of posts where folks tell horror stories about the “awful photographer” who messed up a family wedding, charged too much, or ripped them off. There is always a poster professing that professional wedding professional wedding just ain't worth the investment! Frankly, perhaps some, a small portion, of this negativism is well founded or true but meanwhile the OP's question is never resolved. Perhaps he or she is not up to the job or is ill-equipped. My experience is that they will attempt to do it anyway so at least I can offer some solid advice and the gang in the wedding section have experience, do well at what they do and actually enjoy their work and encourage others to do likewise. This is not hijacking or elitism.

When I started my 2 managed section, I was told by the administrator that I am expected to promote and advertise my own sections. I don't do so by belittling other sections, trying to hijack anything or creating tumult in the main section.

I have been taken to task for writing very long posts-my bad! If however, if you add up all the characters, word counts and waste of bandwidth that is taken up by argumentative name calling, nasty commentary, snide and overly sarcastic quips and remarks, stuff that has nothing to do with photography, arguments over spelling, grammar, writing styles, semantics and entomology, all of my lengthy posts put together, pale in volume.

As my favorite dearly departed comedian, Joan Rivers, used to say.
“GROW UP”!

I think I'm just gunna let it go I have other lenses, it just hard losing it..
Ill check on homeowners but years ago I did that and it was a hassle for pennies on the dollar .
If anyone wants that lens i could buy the new one for 820$ Its would be half price and I won't expect to make money just pay shipping. Just saying , I know I won't rip you off. I could even have them ship it to you , just a thought , at least someone would get a deal . Email and we can talk.
Bado


Thanks bado