Hobbies anyone??

[Robbity]

I used to enjoy tinkering with computers, building them from the ground up, order parts and assemble. Couple years back I built a multi-media server installed unix and then remotely logged in with a command line shell and configured all the settings, network shares (samba) etc... Then I got board with them after a while and wanted a new challenge. (Been tinkering with them since 84)

I'm another computer freak, and have also built two of my own computers from scratch - and it's one of the most rewarding things I've done! The first one I built was a retirement present to myself. Not built a server but have set up and run web servers and my own interactive websites. I worked with computer at work and was lucky enough to have attended database & programming courses and still enjoy doing a bit now & again, now I've finbally got rid of my pre-diabetes-diagnosis-brain-fog.

I've always been a great reader, and now daily thank god for my Kindle and e-books, as otherwise I'd have no room to move.

I also do a lot of crafting, mainly cards now. I particularly enjoy making moveable/interactive ones, and have designed and made some 3D (paper/card) models which are great fun. I've, over the years, done a lot of dressmaking and soft toy making, done some soft furnishings, tried upholstery, tatting and beading. I also spent many years doing needlepoint and cross stitch and researched and collected antique samplers, and finally designed and sold my own sampler kits online for a short while.

I was also a keen gardener until my husband started weeding and chopping every thing down - garden destruction must be a common husband thing !! I learned archery and sailing with my husband, and did some obedience training (and a lot of walking) with my first two dogs, and a little clicker training with my current two. We now have a short session every day doing fun things, a bit of (dis)obedience, and what is nominally very basic and very riotous agility.

It sounds a lot but I've been lucky enough to have a long life to enjoy trying new hobbies.

Robbity

 

[Opalshards]

Such a lovely mix of pastimes in here, for a long time I was interested in Paint Shop Pro, and animation shop. Now and again I go back to those groups. It is so creative in its way but not much you can do with the end product. Mostly used in making siggys for yourself or someone else. I think I prefer my Jewellery making, at least you had something real and tangible at the end of the day.

 

[dtennant9]

In spring of 2013 I picked up my first DSL camera, joined a few forum sites and self thought myself the basics. By October, I switched to fully manual mode in the camera and dropped JPEG format. A year later, and 6 more lenses, I'm fully enjoying this with even more passion than when I first got it. There are soooooo many techniques, and mastering lighting and composition is going to take years. I love challenges and learning new things. It's a trait that I hope I can instil in my kids.

I also love photography and learning all of the different techniques. Keeps me busy.
I bought my first DSLR in January 2010, used it on auto for a long time and never got the use of it.
Went on a few courses in 2013 for portrait photography and also shot my first wedding.
I upgraded my DSLR in March this year and this has moved my hobby on even further and allowed me to take even better photos.
My favourite area of photography is portrait and have started doing shoots on a fairly regular basis.
I do also like to try out other genres and am taking part in my first ever exhibition tonight which is a bit worrying. Hoping it all goes well though.

 

[Jill the tt]

i love photography updated my DSLR a while back and some new lenses, enjoy using photoshop, my love is animals and nature, also put together a book of photo's of our travels

 

[Marko723]

I'm another computer freak, and have also built two of my own computers from scratch - and it's one of the most rewarding things I've done! The first one I built was a retirement present to myself. Not built a server but have set up and run web servers and my own interactive websites. I worked with computer at work and was lucky enough to have attended database & programming courses and still enjoy doing a bit now & again, now I've finbally got rid of my pre-diabetes-diagnosis-brain-fog.

Robbity

Glad to meet you Robbity! Computers used to be my passion up until about 3 years ago. Not sure why, but I just got board with the whole idea of tinkering with them. A couple years later I took the plunge and purchased my first DSL.

I still tinker with them to keep things up and running, but now it just feels more like work than fun.

Mark

 

[Marko723]

i love photography updated my DSLR a while back and some new lenses, enjoy using photoshop, my love is animals and nature, also put together a book of photo's of our travels

Would love to upgrade, and it's killing me at times to see some of the newer cameras. Micro Focus adjustment is something I'm drooling over. I know my focusing can be much sharper on a few of the lens I have, I just lack that feature on my current camera. Unfortunately some surprise car repairs have depleted any chance of getting something soon.

 

[Marko723]

I also love photography and learning all of the different techniques. Keeps me busy.
I bought my first DSLR in January 2010, used it on auto for a long time and never got the use of it.
Went on a few courses in 2013 for portrait photography and also shot my first wedding.
I upgraded my DSLR in March this year and this has moved my hobby on even further and allowed me to take even better photos.
My favourite area of photography is portrait and have started doing shoots on a fairly regular basis.
I do also like to try out other genres and am taking part in my first ever exhibition tonight which is a bit worrying. Hoping it all goes well though.

I started saving funds again, with hopes of an upgrade in the spring. In the mean time, I will have to work with what I have. Here's a couple samples from this weekend's outing. Good luck tonight on the exhibition!

 

[JTL]

vERY NICE PICS!

 

[dtennant9]

I started saving funds again, with hopes of an upgrade in the spring. In the mean time, I will have to work with what I have. Here's a couple samples from this weekend's outing. Good luck tonight on the exhibition!

Lovely pictures.
Photography can become an expensive hobby but also accessible to all. You can spend a fortune on kit but equally you can get good photos with a cheap compact.
Exhibition went quite well. No idea if I sold any prints though.

 

[dtennant9]

Lovely pictures.
Photography can become an expensive hobby but also accessible to all. You can spend a fortune on kit but equally you can get good photos with a cheap compact.
Exhibition went quite well. No idea if I sold any prints though.

Here is one of my favourite shots from a few weeks ago.

 

[JTL]

Here is one of my favourite shots from a few weeks ago.

View attachment 6680

Is that in North Wales by any chance?

 

[dtennant9]

Is that in North Wales by any chance?

No it is Arbirlot Falls, just outside Arbroath in Scotland.

 

[Opalshards]

I started saving funds again, with hopes of an upgrade in the spring. In the mean time, I will have to work with what I have. Here's a couple samples from this weekend's outing. Good luck tonight on the exhibition!

Lovely photos.

 

[RosieLKH]

I started saving funds again, with hopes of an upgrade in the spring.

Lovely pics. What camera are you using and what are you upgrading to? We are in the market for a digital SLR, but likely to go second-hand due to limited funds!

 

[Marko723]

Here is one of my favourite shots from a few weeks ago.

Very nice! Excellent work!

 

[Marko723]

Lovely pics. What camera are you using and what are you upgrading to? We are in the market for a digital SLR, but likely to go second-hand due to limited funds!

Thank you, and thanks to everyone for their kind comments. I'm using a Sony a57 currently. My hope is to up grade to the new sony a77mII. And as dtennant9 said, even a point and shoot can take excellent pictures. It's the person behind the camera that mostly counts.

The camera should feel comfortable in your hands, part of you. If it doesn't feel right, it's not the one for you

 

[dtennant9]

Thank you, and thanks to everyone for their kind comments. I'm using a Sony a57 currently. My hope is to up grade to the new sony a77mII.

Looks like a nice camera.
I seriously considered the Sony's when I got my first DSLR but the mirrorless cameras were not to my liking, getting a bit geeky now .
My in-laws use one though and love it.

 

[Marko723]

Looks like a nice camera.
I seriously considered the Sony's when I got my first DSLR but the mirrorless cameras were not to my liking, getting a bit geeky now .
My in-laws use one though and love it.

The a57 has a translucent mirror, (although I really like the new full frame mirrorless Sony's that came out), and one key feature that Canon and Nikon didn't have when I was looking. The ability to auto focus as you change focus length when shooting HD video. Key for me when I attend my kids school functions. The bonus was the ability to shoot 10fps, which comes in handy at the kids soccer games.

Everyone is different, you have to pick what suits you for hardware. Heading in to work shortly, will leave everyone with a pic of a gal that hammed it up for me on the weekend. She loved to pose for me for quite some time.

 

[dtennant9]

The a57 has a translucent mirror, (although I really like the new full frame mirrorless Sony's that came out), and one key feature that Canon and Nikon didn't have when I was looking. The ability to auto focus as you change focus length when shooting HD video. Key for me when I attend my kids school functions. The bonus was the ability to shoot 10fps, which cames in handy at the kids soccer games.

Everyone is different, you have to pick what suits you for hardware. Heading in to work shortly, will leave everyone with a pic of a gal that hammed it up for me on the weekend. She loved to pose for me for quite some time.

Yeah everyone is different.
I did read about the new Sony Full Frame in a magazine.
For me it was the number of Focus points and the speed of autofocus. I often shoot at very large apertures so need to focus precisely.
Lovely picture of the Polar Bear.

 

[Seriously_Sax1989]

Ahhhh I did suspect with the name .... really!
Any stu8ff we can listen to?

I've not posted anything of me playing lol, but there's a cracking saxophonist I found on YouTube who also plays alto, can't remember the name but he's a little Chinese guy. I just typed in "Hey Jude for alto saxophone" or something like that... Seriously good stuff!