watutsi

Soul Music was the sound of my youth.I have embraced the best of many genres

of music over the years but nothing ever did it for me in the same way.

I have recently discovered most of my old vinyl collection on You Tube and

i am still amazed how much my mood can be transformed by the likes of Darrel Banks : Lorraine Ellison; Curtis; Otis etc.

I'm wondering if there are any like minded soles/souls out there who would like to meet up for a beer.

If we have one passion in common maybe there is more. PM me.

When using Barclays internet banking it seems you need a "pin sentry" [small pin code security machine] to add new accounts.

I ordered one a month ago and also again 2 weeks ago but still have received nothing.The "call centre" [india] says they have been sent

but i'm unsure if this is a postal problem or Barclays being their usual unhelpful selves by not sending stuff to Thailand.

Has anyone received one of these machines while in Thailand ? Thankyou

In fairness, it is security related. The bank cannot ensure security so it has adopted a conservative approach. Although a pain, at last the bank is realistic. Also the conservative approach keeps a lid on fraud. Not much help I know, but I'm trying to provide an explanation so that one is not too harsh on the bank.

I take your point about security,but once you are logged in to your average bank in the west,

it is not necessary to get on your donkey and travel all the way to your bank to ask for permission

to transfer your own money to another account [at the click of a mouse] within that countries

banking system.The system is either secure or not, why is everything so illogical here, even in technology

as universal as online banking ?

I have just registered with Bangkok Banks Online Banking. I had almost got used to the antiquated methods of banking here

but figured they had to enter the 21st century at some point.My main reason for registering was to easily pay my rent to my

landlord who also has an account with BB, an incredibly simple transaction usually, but TIT.

It seems i can only pay money to an already selected list of companies who have an arrangement with BB. W.T.F.!

I've been trying for over an hour now and am despairing can anyone confirm this fact or have i got something wrong ?

Also has anyone transferred money online from a UK bank into BBs London branch and the money eventually end up in Thailand.

Thankyou for any first hand info.

Just completed my annual retirement extension,couldn't help but note the following;

1 letter from The Bangkok Bank stating the balance of my account : cost 100 baht

1 letter from The British Embassy stating my annual income : cost 2,408 baht

Both letters virtually same amount of work.

Now curious what other embassies charge for this service.

Bangkok Bank recalled my ATM card and issued me with a Debit card. I had to pay 300 baht

for this, although i had not asked for a new card i figured a Debit card is more useful than a sole ATM

card.

I have just tried to use it for the first time at True to pay my TV and internet bills but was told

"only Credit cards or cash"

I'm curious , is this going to be a regular occurrence or are Thai Debit cards generally accepted as a means of

payment ?

Why would True not accept a Debit card to pay a bill for which they already have all the customers

details, address, passport no. etc.? T.I.T.

I need to buy a small piece of wood/ply or chip 150cm x 70cm approx

then get 2 holes cut into it.

Anybody know somewhere that will do this to order ?

Up until now can only find places selling large sheets of wood

with no cutting facilities - thankyou

It has NEVER been easier than it is now for a "start-up amateur" to take

competent pictures. The camera does practically everything, if you

choose automatic

The problem is not training the right index finger but training the eye

The place for "snapshots" these days is behind closed doors, between consenting

adults and children

OK, help us choose a better title than Snapshot.

How about "Challenge #9 is Character"

This challenge was slowly improving month by month

It was not "High Art" it was just a nice mix of banal - adequate - quite good

and people seemed to enjoy taking part

It is now somewhere in the lower part of the forum and i now feel no enthusiasm

amongst members for either challenge.

//Edit: removed reference to moderation -- Maestro

Surely the most important thing is the content of the image

I agree totally.

Hence the idea of the Snapshot challenge.

I don't think we are decrying post processing, it certainly has its place,

but not everyone has got to the stage of using it.

Post processing needs some investment in software, just as there was cost in

setting up a darkroom for film. Then time to learn how to use it to good effect.

I hope we will see you posting photographs.

It has NEVER been easier than it is now for a "start-up amateur" to take

competent pictures. The camera does practically everything, if you

choose automatic

The problem is not training the right index finger but training the eye

The place for "snapshots" these days is behind closed doors, between consenting

adults and children

Why are we pandering to this imaginary lowest common denominator when the forum

is entitled Photography & the Arts .This title implies a search for learning and improvement

not a return to before the wheel.

You embarrass only yourself with posts like this. Grow up.

Yes you are correct. What was I thinking when I posted that........ Oh well life goes on.

Yours truly,

Win in Bangkok

Perhaps you could explain this.

Grow up.

Well, I am 'a Amateur Photographer', 60 years old. I am still learning and growing up in the 'field of photos and arts'.

Thanking you for reminding me of that.

Yours as always,

Win

Keep digging Kan Win keep digging.

And what do you mean by this post..'watutsi'

You have a very short memory, please read your post below:-

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Images-Forum-t298698.html

Hope I helped you in one way or another to post your linked photos on ThaiVisaDotCom

Yours truly,

Your Moderator on this forum by the way

Kan Win

Thankyou for helping me with that problem. In this case acting like a functioning moderator

However i feel it is an abuse of your position to single out a member of your forum

and continually subject him to snide and insulting remarks.The reasons for this baffle

me as this particular member has been one of the main supporters of the sub-forum that

you moderate.

If this had been happening between two forum members you are the person supposedly appointed to

censure the guilty party !!!

The "digging" post is referring to the fact that you appeared to apoligise for the remarks

you made then almost immediately started digging yourself back into the hole you had just

apologised your way out of.

Grow up.

Well, I am 'a Amateur Photographer', 60 years old. I am still learning and growing up in the 'field of photos and arts'.

Thanking you for reminding me of that.

Yours as always,

Win

Keep digging Kan Win keep digging.

"In-camera processing" and "straight out of the camera" can both apply to a single JPG photo. It is normal to tweak the manufacturers default settings, for example to produce colour that satisfies your sensibilities. This is in-camera processing. Then you take the shot and it is then "straight out of the camera". Even beginners should be encouraged to play with the settings in the camera to experiment and see how things like saturation and contrast changes can effect a photo. This is how you learn.

I agree, in camera processing should be allowed,

in fact I consider it essential.

My Canon 40D was quite disappointing until I tweaked the settings.

Post processing is another matter.

Straight out of the camera encourages newcomers to consider framing,

lighting, depth of field etc, which are the first steps to a good photograph.

Sure I agree also. I did not realise that it meant "in-camera processing" Was things of something else....

Silly really to call it that 'lordsux' without an explanation, like 'hughden' gave us

The camera is yours for goodness sake and the setting are your own. No one asked to take photos in the 'factory setting' nor 'manufacturers default settings' did one 'lordsux' and most certainly not a photo 'straight out of the box either'.

Post processing should only be cropping and re-sizing down the size of the photo to my thinking. If the photo is not straight then take one that is.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

You embarrass only yourself with posts like this. Grow up.

my mum was photographed by Penn 1948 in Florence. I have the photo in storage back in Canada.

Fantastic 6969jay : thankyou for sharing that

I have seen this portrait of your mother many times before either in books

or exhibitions wow i wished i owned an Irving Penn

Penn was definitely amongst the "Best of the Best" and although he was usually

regarded as a "fashion & people " photographer, i personally regard him as the

greatest "still life" photographer ever

Despite his age he was still working & Vogue continued to commission him

There was a truly jaw dropping still life of decaying bananas as recently as

2 months ago

style style style

I'm really losing the plot here

The idea that a "Snapshot Challenge" now titled "in the fast lane" is going

to suddenly attract lots of new "intimidated shy non confident photographers" is a farce

Only the "usual suspects " will be interested, at the expense of the original challenge

which will probably have even less participants now

The majority voted to leave things as they were so what happened to listening to

the members mr moderator ?

In a creative challenge there should be no such thing as a "wrong subject"

the problem is a lack of customers/participants, therefore do what the

rest of the planet does in this situation - ADVERTISE - through other more

popular areas of TV

I'm sure there are many talented enthusiastic photographers amongst

the 90000 members who just don,t consider trolling down to P&A

Give them a gentle reminder now and again

Also i,m convinced the majority of TV members still have a dial-up

connection I would ask the moderator to try and access the challenge photos

with a dial-up connection to see how user unfriendly it is

This is of course a difficult problem to get around but i think a voting system

based around Lordsux's panel of images together on the same page would

make the process of comparing and voting easier for the casual visitor

One final thought a points system where you could divide up your points

between different images you liked 5 points to your favourite then 3points

2 points

this could open up the voting system a bit- just a thought

The plan of 2 separate challenges is totally pointless the mixture of inputs

should be what makes the challenge FUN

gx100 - 100iso - 24mm - 3.5@50 - pp

gx100 - iso 100 - 24/72mm - 3.6@140 - pp

I have followed all the above information - however after i click OK at the end

of the process i'm told that i have tried to link into a website that does not

permit links - so what have i done wrong and where is "enable links"

thankyou

The majority of images being posted in Photography & the Arts etc

are coming directly into the forum full size - no thumbnail

How is it done? I have a mac + firefox

In a current TV ad for "amazing thailand the closing scene is set

on a moonlit lake where a small cluster of gondola type craft are

occupied by romantic couples enjoying a romantic candle-lit supper

One couple to one boat + gondolier

I've been in Thailand 9 years and i have never heard of or seen this scene

portrayed in a magazine

So my question ; Is this some Ad mans fantasy or does this really exist

and does someone have first hand knowledge of where exactly it is?

"If it ain't good enough - you ain't near enough" (Bill Hardy)

Vulcan : "If your pictures aren,t good enough, your not close enough"

has always been attributed to Robert Capa

so either they both said something very similar or one is misquoting the other

Both great photographers anyhow

GX100 : 24mm : 100 iso : 4.6@60 : pp

Thanks 'watutsi' I didn't think about the poor dial up users and that the above idea would make life a bit easier for them (have to take care of this endangered species ) Thanks for mentioning it.

This post needs a nudge btw.

You call them an endangered species but this is Thailand

I would imagine that the majority of TV members do not have

very speedy internet connections

The problem is not that you have dead heats but that not enough

people are voting

Make it easier for people to see all the images together and maybe more

people will vote and indeed take an interest