New Member Hello from Florida

[Paul]

Hello everyone I just joined and wanted to get completely enrolled.

My name is Paul Cassidy, I am a retired photographer, a US Navy military trained photographer that made his bread and butter over the decades doing many various forms of photography whenever the opportunity presented itself.

My new camera is a Sony a100 with a CZ1680z lens. Over the summer I have been a frequent visitor to dPreview and now want to join with David here. I have several very good Minolta lenses in my digital kit and enjoy using my camera almost daily.

Large format B&W photography is also a passion I enjoy though my a100 has been occupying my mind for the summer and now into the fall and winter.

Learning has become my hobby and the dslr has a lot for me to learn!

[David Kilpatrick]

Hi Paul. The peculiar behaviour of dPreview may not have been a ban (though I am a bit baffled as to what else it could be) and Simon Joinson says it's not. I realise a few dPreviewers are arriving over here as a result. No harm, as the forum here is underused.

We had an email for http://www.shootalpha.com a week or so ago suggesting co-operation - they are worth visiting for the very large (over 5000 pix) user galleries.

David

[Paul]

Hello David,
You just let me know if there is anything I can do to help out. Being retired I have lots of time and only a few pennies. But I like your work and I enjoy your writing so keep up the good work!
Your Friend,
Paul

[LeyOMM]

Welcome Paul
Next time I visit Fl. I have to visit you to test all that lenses

See you!hiccup!
ByzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

[Paul]

Hello and Thank You, Maybe I'll go for letting out my lenses if you are willing to milk the dairy goats?

[Omega892]

Hello everyone I just joined and wanted to get completely enrolled.

My name is Paul Cassidy, I am a retired photographer, a US Navy military trained photographer...

Welcome aboard Paul. SFX sound of the pipes drifting across the harbour as they tail away.

Another naval type here ex RN FAA. I considered changing to phot’ branch (an Air Arm billet) when the asked for volunteers but I already had a technical trade as an artificer on airframes and engines so the powers would not let it happen. In many ways I envy the opportunities you had. I had trouble getting permission to take ‘photo’s from the catwalks around the flightdeck, this in spite of being very deck aware from working on it when on watch and had to be content from the ‘goofers’ atop the island. Once I was sitting in an F4K on the range in Fly 5 doing engine test runs as aircraft were manning either side and a flight deck handler insisted on standing in front of my aircraft and wave me out for the sortie. The launch would have been fun but the necessary trap afterwards was a little more daunting.


My avatar is a shot taken on board Ark Royal whilst alongside in Lauderdale in 1971 (the year Apollo 15 launched), taken with one of my Minolta SRT-101s.

Coming from Florida you may have come across the work of David Stillings ‘The Lightning Stalker’. I came across a video of him at work on a PC Advisor cover DVD in 2002. His imagess are absolutely stunning, and printed at large size. What cameras was he using even then? Well in his words, ‘the Minolta SRT 101 is my camera of choice’ and he shot on 100 ASA (ISO) colour film.

But then Florida is absolutely the right place. I recall the brilliant sky fireworks whilst I was there, and in particular being in the centre of such a light show at the stationary bar with revolving restaurant around at the top of the Pier 66.

I still favour film over digital for lightning as the delay whilst the DSLR processes the nearly black image if you misjudge the timing between strikes is sure to make you miss the next one. With film one had a better chance of the camera being ready for the next. But then in UK we don’t get the type of show common in Florida. Not yet a whiles anyway.

[Paul]

Hello Omega892,

I can not say I know of the photographer that you speak of? In Florida it is said that the Tampa Bay/ St. Petersburg area is the lighting capital of the world. Scientist from around the world gather there to study the light show and the power in the atmosphere.

My flight deck experience is limited to 28 days at sea in the Tonkin Gulf during our Vietnam war. I managed to bounce between five aircraft carriers several times in that time frame. The work my squadron performed is now done by satellite and unmanned aircraft. High tech has replaced the cartographic recon aircraft. Leaving the flight deck via the catapult remains one of my "Most exciting moments!"

Because our aircraft were the largest allowed by the Navy to land on the flight deck we worked mostly out of airfields like orphans bouncing about the globe. Even manage a stay at a RAAF base in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. The folks downunder are some of the nicest people in the world I think.

Oh well those years were when I was 17 to 21, memories and adventures at that age stay with you forever! The knowledge I learned served me for a life with cameras and for that I will remain grateful even if it meant nine months in Danang in 1968.

Back to topic, Now I really enjoy my dslr a100 camera. It is really a computer with a lens mounted to it!

Cheers and Thanks for the welcome. . .
paul