Welcome ..from one newby to another!!
I love this site, I've gained a ton of tips here

Congrats ..hope it makes a lot of journeys in it's near future

I just got the APG4 and I like it ..it IS a little heavy (about 8-10lbs), but it's pretty sturdy and as a bonus, it came with a CHEAP little mini tripod that will work OK with my little point and shooters

Overall though, I think it's a pretty good tripod for the money
I bought mine on EBay for about $40.00

Good luck with the hunt

I live on an Air Force base, and the squirrel mafia is STRONG here. We can't keep the squirrels out of our bird feeders, (that Yankee feeder looks cool, but the squirrels are smarter then that and would just jump on it until the bird seed was completely on the ground). So I took a scrap piece of wood, carved "WELCOME" on it with my router, screwed three 3" lag screws through a platform and now I feed them dried corn on the cob to distract them from the bird feeders. The show is pretty funny ..watching (and listening to) the squirrels yell at each other, and now I get to have the best of the birds too. I only wish I was back up north where there are more colorful birds. There MIGHT be color here, but I've not seen it yet.
Can anyone from this area tell me any tricks

new focus screen and screen holder came in today, but can't get it in correctly ..I followed the instructions on the link above, but cant get the holder to click into place. I'm starting to think I might have ruined my camera. I think I can get it to "work", but the little clip keeps popping of and blocking the view finder. I'm hoping someone else on here may have some tips on how to make work. don't really want to start bending the little nub that clips onto the holder, but think that might be my next option

AMAZING!!
touched up, or is that the real color?

either way ...VERY nice

Welcome!!
I had a cat that looked just like that about 3 or 4 years ago ..

nice picture

is this a good second lens to go along with the kit 18-55mm?
I'd be using it with a 1000d

Let me start by saying "I'm an IDIOT"!!
I received a hand me down Canon 1000d from my father-in-law and it had a few specs in the view finder. After a few attempts to clean the specs, I finally figured it out ..it was on the focus screen. I went to Google, did a crash course on camera repair (not really) and wah la ..I not only ruined the focus screen (still worked fine, just had a few extra black dots), but also the focus screen holder.
I'm now trying to find replacement parts, but can't find too many for the 1000d. my question is ..
Are there other models that are interchangeable with this one?
I have read a few places that the T1I or the 400d are very similar to mine, but don't want to buy the wrong part and prolong my pain.

Any help will be GREATLY appreciated

Welcome the UHh ..love the photo's, the Whale tale is :thumbup:

hope to see more from you

Hi and Welcome from one newby to another

Thank you ..I agree with both. I was in a boat while taking those, and my son doesn't understand the concept of "stop driving for a few seconds".

Still working on the rule of thirds ..I forget about that, especially when I'm caught in the moment

It's pretty awesome the things you see (or don't see) when you look through a camera

just a couple of shots for you guys/gals to tear apart.

I'm here to learn, so please lay it on

Hi all ..I just received my father-in-law's old (but still in OK shape) canon 1000D (he upgraded to a 60D). I'm now learning the DSLR world and so far I'm hooked. Here's one of my first days shooting.

I have very THICK skin so fire away with the critiques!
I figure the more tips the better.

But, I will also be asking for a lot of advise, so please be patient with me

here's a picture of my wife's horse ..

This is Koda (the wife's boyfriend)