You Spin Me Right Round....

So glad to say that my good and bestest friend in the whole world, Des, has just given me the dosh to subscribe to the lovely Blip as a Christmas present.! This means that you have to put up with both my 'objective' comments and often strange images for at least the next 365 days....you have been warned!

Yes, the amount of editing software and other gizmos available is rather giddying, isn't it? No, I'm not one of those moaners condoning their use - as long as no pretence is made to the contrary.

Having been away from camera clubs for four years and really, away from other photographer's work (don't buy mags etc), apart from local rivals on the competitive music front etc, and having Blipped 106 times now and looked at some very beautiful and outstanding images within its e-pages, I've come to some (rather flexible) conclusions:

HDR toning is not how I see a landscape in real life and generally, I don't like its effect. True, I don't do it, nor tried it - that might open my somewhat blinkered eyes.

Panoramics - where they've been 'stitched' together - apparently everyone does this, except me. Impressive, at times, true, but often it seem to be more about 'let's see how many mb's I can bump this up to and show off a bit'.

Merging and adding 'bits' to other pics - I've never seen the need to do this. If a pic doesn't stand up to what's in it, choose another. Or take another. I do remove the occasional bit, but rarely, usually a spot of litter - I can't be bothered to painstakingly remove telegraph wires and fences!

Yes, I do use Photoshop CS5 and have played with the odd effect, so I am being a bit hypocritical but would say that these are so bloody obvious they are unreal. Literally. As a freelancer, you do need up-to-date editing software, to make you and your pix competitive.

Oh, yes, this one. A thirty sec time exposure of me walking round in circles, slowly. Yep, the local park. One, only shot. Lucky, yes. Dizzyingly simple. (Felt a little unwell after, actually). And, yes, upped the sharpness and darkened/upped contrast a bit. And, boosted the red only, some, in the hue/saturation section.

So, I'm not (as I said) taking anything away from any of the tricks and procedures that I or others use, just don't expect me to like them, or at least not all the time and don't be surprised or deterred if I say so! How will you know, otherwise?

I would also like to thank all those who viewed and awarded stars to my four swans Blip of yesterday, making it the highest star rating Blip of mine, to date. Much appreciated!