Veloman

Thats a well presented view Peter.I too,have to learn a few tricks of presentation as I'm taking the step to sell some high-end items on Ebay.I'm experimenting with the ubiquitous LED lights at the moment,a cheap and powerful light source.

PS..What is Lucite?

Stationary tree lights fast traversing camera.

Two cracking pictures Mr L.I like them a lot.

You've said it much more eloquently than me Nicole.Perhaps I didn't want to offend by saying that they wanted the cheap option.(which is not the same as saying that Darren is a cheap person by nature,quite the opposite I would think)I would understand someone trying to save money by cutting down on the photographer,but,as I said,they MUST carry the responsibility by requesting a non professional and carry the weight if things go wrong.I thought that this approach from them would have been fundamental to the request.However,Darren ,do it.It's your call,your gain, without any comebacks.

The person who has never made a mistake,usually,has never made anything.Carpe Diem.

I can understand your dilemma.But my view is,with digital photography being the excepted method these days (not always)the margins for acceptable work have widened so that the number of good shots taken,plus the instant playback, increases exponentially.With this in mind I'd go for it,a steep learning  curve for sure,taking two or more camera's would increase your confidence,going in at the deep end could be good for you Darren.

PS,  don't forget to take your Nike running shoes.

PPS.They realise that you're not a top end professional and should take responsibility for their request.They obviously trust you.

Darren,I have no past experience in portraiture or indeed any photographic interest in the genre,however I can appreciate the care taken to produce a good picture.The smile for me says it all,the clarity of the skin texture is appealing,and your? reflection in the eye makes a nice personal touch.I have no criticism at all.I would have been proud to have taken it.

Enough to keep the Pagan Gods of the forest happy Peter.

This picture shows architecture spanning nearly 2,000 years,the tower is part Roman which has been incorporated into medieval arches which led to the West Gate of Exeter.It is still being used as part of the walkways of the town.Sensible planning.That's why it's my favourite of the week(I was on my way way to pick up my new(used) Nikon D90 this morning)

Welcome J.I'm also a recent joiner.

I envy your wilderness and it's wildlife Daniel.Although this cluttered Island of ours has its open uninhabited areas,humans have pushed any indigenous wild life out to the periphery and we are left with the protected and restricted habitats.We're thankful for our seasons, which allows us to see migrating birds as a change of scenery.

PS.Lets see the sleepy owl please.

That's a cracking shot Daniel. (why are owls so photogenic,they never have a bad plumage day  )

Although considered to be 'domesticated' I can vouch for this one being 'wildlife' when I tried to climb over the compound fence for a closer shot.

I took this very ordinary and uninteresting picture yesterday near my home(for a homesick and nostalgic son who lives/works in Zambia),and didn't really see the colours of the near trees until I put it through the computer.It will remind me to look at nature with a little more care.

Saw this beetle creeping around my workshop/studio/shed ;-).Put a reversed 50mm lens at the end of my camera lens and just experimented .I think I've found a new photographic interest.These creatures are stunning in their design and diversity.