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    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Greetings from the gray Northwest

Hello, and greetings from Washington State! I just joined, and am looking forward to sharing my work, seeing others' images, and learning more about the art of photography.

I have been involved in amateur photography on and off since 1984, when I purchased my first “serious” camera, a Pentax ME Super. Early in my photographic career, I did some freelance work for a whitewater rafting company in British Columbia, Canada, and had one of my pictures published on the front cover of a Northwest trade publication. My photographs have appeared in other places as well, from the front page of a local newspaper to motivational posters for a college in Ireland. More recently, my images have been published in a calendar produced by a large botanical garden near my home, and one of my photos even appeared in National Geographic Magazine.

I got started in digital photography in 2004, when I purchased a pocket point-n-shoot. I played with it for a few weeks, and I was hooked. Within months, I had moved up to a "superzoom", a Panasonic FZ20, which I bought in November of 2004. I still have that camera, and it still performs very well, within its limitations. But after a year and a half or so, those limitations began to be a factor, so I took the plunge and purchased a Canon 30D with a couple of good lenses. The flexibility, speed, and overall increased performance of the DSLR have proven to be well worth the cost, and I'm having more fun with photography now than ever.

I prefer to shoot natural subjects such as landscapes, flowers, and wildlife, rather than people or urban scenes. I see those every day. To me, the spendor and beauty of the natural world are far more interesting and photogenic than any man-made subjects, and capturing and preserving that beauty in photographs is my favorite pastime.

I currently live near Seattle, Washington, in the heart of the Puget Sound region. A lifelong Washington resident, I enjoy the wonderful photo opportunities provided by the diverse and scenic locales in the Northwest, where almost any conceivable environment, from seashore to mountains, from rain forest to sagebrush desert, is within a three or four hour journey from my home. This rich variety of landscapes and animal habitats affords me opportunities to photograph nature in all its many forms, and provides me an endless source of subject matter.
 

Marian Howell

New member
welcome aboard winston!
you *do* live in a most photogenic region. i too shoot mostly landscapes and nature, specializing in the 15 square miles of my town on the other coast :) and working with the local lands trust and open space advocates to preserve our natural inheritance.
we cover a lot of topics here, from photos to gear to philosophy and beyond...enjoy!
 

Tom Ringold

New member
Hello Winston

Like you, I too am a Puget Sound creature and possess a Canon camera. We are indeed fortunate to live in such a diverse and beautiful area. I have to believe the splendor of this region is a big part of why I have pursued photography. I work at Shilshole Bay and I am in awe of my surroundings almost daily.

I recently stepped up, and with the blessings of my wife, purchase a 1Ds MKII and three lenses. It is definitely an incredible machine, with a hefty learning curve. Even as a newbie, I am getting some stunning results.

I'm looking forward to sharing what I have and learning from others. Perhaps we will cross paths!
 
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