An Introduction

[Jimr1961]

I'm not much for introductions, but I try to do it when I've decided to enter into a forum community. I signed up about a week ago and have been lurking to see how everyone interacts with each other. I like forums where people seek to get along and show interest in sharing and helping with information relative to the subject. I learn much faster by participating in a good forum than any other mode. I also believe that a general chit chat section is vital to creating that sense of community. It seems CiC has these qualities, so I want to stick around and participate.

My father spent his entire career in an aerospace B & W lab and shot weddings on the side. So, I was exposed (pardon the pun) to manual photography quite early. In fact, my earliest camera related memory is being closed in the hall closet with a towel pushed against the bottom of the door while I changed the film in my father's camera plates.

When I moved out on my own, he gave me his Kowa 66. I think it had an 80mm fixed lens and shot only B & W film (don't hold me to the latter statement). This was fun, but times had changed, so in 1980, I bought myself a Canon AE-1 and a couple of Tamron zoom lenses. I shot mountain landscapes exclusively because I wanted to capture my backpacking trips. I used that camera for many years, then for some reason (I think it had something to do with my wife hitting her mid thirties, but I'm not sure) I decided it would be a good idea to have children (sometimes, I have my regrets). Well, my photography was reduced to x-mas, b-day, etc. shots of the young ones. In fact, on my son's first x-mas, I dusted off the AE-1 and noticed there was film still loaded from the last time I dusted it off, but plenty of shots on the roll. When I developed the film and started looking at my son's first x-mas, he suddenly started looking like a little girl. Then it dawned on me! The last time I had the camera out was at my daughter's first x-mas.

Sometime in 2000, my wife (who was deathly afraid of my technical camera) decided she wanted a camera she could use, so I bought a Kodak something or another Piece of Shoot. That was the end of the SLR. When the kids got into their teens and no longer wanted anything to do with us, I began to re-introduce some of the hobbies and pastimes I used to enjoy. The P&S was a miserable camera for the photography I wanted to do deep in the high mountains and I was constantly disappointed with poor, blown out shots and lost opportunities. Early last year, an uncle of mine upgraded his 40D to a 70D and offered the old one to me for a very cheap price, so I jumped on the opportunity. What can I say that everyone here that has moved from film to digital hasn't experienced. A whole new world including the world of PP.

I recently upgraded the 40D to a 60D and have enough mid-range lenses to cover from 11mm - 300mm (x1.6) and 100mm macro. I'm very happy with the kit I've assembled (to my wife's relief) and look forward to learning and sharing some shots I've taken so far. My current prep work is for shots of the Milky way with high mountain silhouette. I've assembled a hinge barn door tracker for backpacking and plan to create some composites with extended time for the MW portion, then separate shots to replace the foreground. Perhaps some human elements added.

I'm currently a fan of Open Source software and use Rawtherapee, Gimp, Hugin, etc. Mostly because I despise the Adobe lease model.

I look forward to participating in this forum, but I must say, I tend to receive more likes for my sarcasm than for my photography

[IzzieK]

As you had already been observant in our ways here, welcome to CiC from Missouri. I enjoyed reading your intro. You must interpret your story telling via your camera. It will be interesting...Just jump in on any of our conversations here, share your thoughts with us and do believe me when I say we do not really care what sort of camera you have...it is the fruit of your labour that we will be interested about because you work hard for it. Ask for a C&C and many will oblige...with the added info on how to improve your shots if any. Let us get to know you through your images just as you will get to know us with ours.

Don't be shy -- we don't bite...hard. Show us what you got....

[DougR]

If your pictures are as good as your narrative, we are in for some excellent photography. I am looking forward to your work.

DougR

[Donald]

Delighted that you like what you've seen so far, Jim, and that you want to stick around.

[Jimr1961]

Thanks for the warm welcome! I'd love to share some of my shots. I have one shot in mind that could use some critique before I reprocess. I'll post it up soon in the appropriate sub-forum.