Gaffer

Hi Steve, Thank you for your constructive criticism, much appreciated. I totally agree with the overdone HDR, but you know what it's like when you find something new...! I've since made my bracketing setting more subtle and I'm getting a far more natural look as well as trying harder to achieve the natural look, with the added drama, using Photomatix, if that makes sense. Like many things, the more I learn the more I realise there's even more to learn! I'm getting there slowly and trying not to rush things. One thing that photography has taught me though - when looking at everything as a potential photo opportunity - is all the little details in life that were passing me by (cloud shapes, shadows, lines, and all other manner of compositions). And another thing I really must sort out is the 2/3rds rule, which I forget every time!!!!!!! Cheers, Garth.

Passing through the local village of Greatworth yesterday evening.... ...and here's our Stoopid Staffie... Garth.

Thank you for your compliment. I'm really happy with my results so far, especially at I can't even 'see' a good picture take, unlike you guys, and secondly I'm colour deficient (colour blind), so what might look good to me, might be total rubbish to everyone else. I really like your work, fantastic stuff! The missus wants the laptop now so she can have a ganders at your work. Garth.

Thanks guys for the comments. I've taken some more and had a play with some I'd already taken. To you guys these may not be to your taste, but I love the HDR look....... Garth.

Hi all, After months of lurking on this forum, and being really inspired, I decided to treat myself to a new camera. I'd previously been using a 1mp Fuji thing, which could only hold about 20 pics and I'd have to replace the two AA bateries twice to get those! After much (re)searching around on t'interweb I went for a camera that would suit my needs based on my potential competency (I'm never going to be any real good) and decided on a Panasonic Lumix G1, which I love, even though it's stupidly over priced. I'd played around with the camera, looked on this forum for further inspiration and read a couple of mags before investing in the bigger Panasonic lens, 4-lens Macro set (£14 off ebay) and Polorizing and UV filters (together £12 off ebay). My holiday last week on the Isle of Wight was my first time out with all my new gear. At first I just used the iA function, followed by the A and S, before settling down on 'day 2' with the M function. I cheated at first by using the iA function and pressing down on the button halfway to see what settings the camera would use, then I tweeked the setting in M to get what I wanted. I don't know if this is the right way to start out, but I learnt a lot from using this method. As the week went on, and my confidence grew, I made my own judgements. And here are my results...... Garth.

I'm good thanks, mate. Hope all is well with you and yours.

For those of you finding Redband difficult to source or too expensive, go to your local pet food warehouse and ask for Pigeon 'Trapping Mix'. You'll know you've got the right stuff as it'll have a very slight aniseed smell to it. Submerge the trapping mix in boiling water until all of the water has been soaked up (add more if necessary) then add Vitalin (gold/yellow packet). Use the excess water from the Trapping Mix to get the mixture to bind to a consistancy to either spod in, ball in or even on the method. If you don't mind the attention of Tench or Bream then by all means add micro pellets and/or sweetcorn. Garth.

I thought the Randy Couture vs Gabriel Gonzaga fight was great! Gonzaga's face was a real mess and looked like he was struggling to breathe with all the blood from his nose. Gonzaga's big kicks didn't even shake Randy!! Randy looks like he's back to his old self, if not better. I can't see Cro Cop beating Randy, not while he's in this sort of form. Good fights, but the adverts drove me nuts!

I totally agree. On the water I'm fishing at the moment, if you 'cause a nuisance' you're warned, do it again and you're banned for life, which is how it should be. They're very strict, but the fishing is all the more enjoyable.

I, and all the friends I fish with, have a few drinks while fishing. I really don't see the problem provided, like all things, it's done in moderation and sensibly. For me there's nothing like sharing a bottle of nice red wine with a few mates, sat on the bank and watching the water, which is like a fizzing mill-pond as the sun goes down. Maybe my friends an I are just a minority, but you wouldn't know we were there unless you saw the LEDs from our buzzers.

Very true. 50lb PowerPro and 3.25lb tc rods are my standard/normal/general Carping set up, where I have the capability to reach 160yrds plus if I need/have to. The main reason for the 50lb PowerPro is that Shockleaders are banned where I'm fishing at the moment, so it's a way round that rule. And using 50lb mainline isn't 'unsporting' (as some might think) anyway.

That is where I've witnessed most damage to be done. Hmmmm, I disagree with that. I've used Drennan Micro-braid for over 10 years and have never experienced any mouth damage. And for the record, for carp fishing, I use 50lb PowerPro mainline and 3.25lb Tc rods too. As I've said, most of the mouth damage I've seen as an angler and as many years as a bailiff are down to poor handling. Having said that, poor technique in playing the fish can also cause damage too. I cringe when I see anglers cranking the rod hard left in a horizontal position, then hard right in the same manner, like their playing a 15ft great White. And when the angle of the line changes, the hook point does too.

I love stalking carp with my 8ft stalking rod and centre pin. I use the 'lift' method and trout-pellet paste. Easy and fun.

Vitalin, micro trout pellets and sweetcorn (use the liquid from the tin and a little lake water to help it bind) spread generously, with pop-up fake sweetcorn as a hookbait usually does the trick for me. Bream are browsers, so the nice bed of freebies will keep'em chomping.

Guys, guys, guys, lets not get too wound up over this. Commercial fisheries have their place in fishing and they're here to stay, so lets get used to the idea. Many anglers have cut their teeth on commercial fisheries and I even fish them in the winter for a bit of action. I personally think they're a great way to introduce anglers, young and old, to carp fishing. And if you don't like the place, go somewhere else! What I don't understand are the generalisations about the type of people that fish commercial fisheries and the general 'tarring of the same brush' regarding the handling of carp. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but the sweeping statements made on this thread (as they do on other threads) really make me chuckle as 9 times out of 10 they're unfounded opinions at best. I mean, who are 'they'? LOL!!! Let's keep it civil please chaps.