[EnglishBob]

Welcoem aboard, the site is based in Australia, members are mostly Australia, UK and North America.

[Petographer]

Welcome to the forum Dionysius.

[Toad]

Welcome Dionysius! This forum is largely based in Australia but has a significant Canadian contingent, as well as regular members from the USA, Europe and South East Asia.

I am very intrigued by your Mystical Theology doctorate. There is a large Christian group on this website but not too much alternate religious content. I know about the origins of Dionysius in Greek mythology, but I would be interested to hear about what mystical theology means exactly. Your description brings to mind HP Lovecraft in one of his stories describing his character as having a degree in "Medieval Metaphysics". Please do not feel I am making fun of you - I am genuinely interested. Please elaborate.

Sometimes we disagree on theological issues here, but there is a good contingent of talented photographers who make this site their primary home. Please post some of your work, and feel free to comment on the work that you see posted here.

Best
Toad

[Irma]

Welcome to the forum Dionysious

[Dionysius]

Hello,
Toad, broadly speaking, Mystical Theology (a.k.a. Spiritual Theology) is that branch of sacred theology which studies the nature of the spiritual life, the supernatural laws that govern its growth, the obstacles encountered, and the way in which God sanctifies souls from the beginning of the spiritual life to its end or purpose - eternal union with God. Dionysius, actually Pseudo-Dionysius (but I did not want such a long user ID), gave us the three stages or levels of the spiritual life: beginners (aka as the Purgative way); proficients (Illuminative way) and advanced (Unitive way). More precisely, Mystical Theology involves the study of those souls in the advanced stages (Illuminative and Unitive) of the spiritual life, whereas Ascetical Theology deals more with the Purgative way. Spiritual Theology is the most commonly accepted term for this sub-specialty in theology because it encompasses all three stages. Now how is that for a start?
This may prove to be a fascinating forum. I thought it was to discuss cameras and photography, and here we are talking about Spiritual Theology!!! LOL. What is your interest in this field?

[R3N]

Hey peeps!

Just signed up. Haven't had time to go through past posts but I will eventually.

Just a little intro.

I'm from Perth, Australia. Studying in Curtin Uni, I have a Nikon D70 at the moment which I had bought at the begining of the year and still learning how to use it to its full potential

[shuttertalk]

Hey R3N - welcome! We've got quite a few people from Perth/WA - so do make yourself feel at home!

[Petographer]

Welcome R3N.

[Peted]

There is even some Ex Perth people here, but I am going back over for Christmas.

[R3N]

Cheers for the welcome, I'll post up a photo I took a couple of days ago in the other thread

[jericho]

Welcome.. another D70 owner here. Great to have one more on board.

[adam]

Welcome R3N
Another Perth person here
What do you study at Curtin? I've got some Curtin friends (and D70 Curtin friend also!)
hehe

[guitarman]

This is one cool site. I stumbled on here kind of by accident. Can't even remember how. You have emphasis on three of my main interests. Photography, Musician and Christianity. All thats left that I don't see here is sports. In hte winter I like to play in a couple of mens hockey leagues and I'm a big NHL fan. Don't know if I'll play this year as my knees have been acting up but its too early to make that decision yet.
Anyway about myself: Played professionally on the road in various bands from 1983 until 1992-94. It was a gradual quit from the road. Then I wandered from meaningless job to job as the road took a toll on my marriage that was in 1987. Finally went back to school got my grade 12 and studied for a career in IT in 1996. (Bless my wife for holding the household finances and looking after the little ones while I studied my butt off, she is an amazing woman) then I landed a job in 1998 which I stayed at until a year ago last may. Took the summer off and played summer hockey 5 days a week. Almost killed myself. At the end of July started looking for a new job and found one in August and I love it here. Will have been here a year in August. (Next week.) I've been taking picture for about the last 7 years, all point and shoot, but got my first DSLR in February. I have a Canon 20D 17-40mm F4L and a 50mm 1.8. In about two weeks I'm picking up a Canon 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8 (Probably Non IS) and a 580EX Speedlite.
I go to a Penecostal church but come from a bit more of a Baptist background. Kind of been taking the summer off and regroup myself spiritually.
Any way thats about it for me. I hope to get to know some of you a bit more.

The photography sites I've been hanging out at are

http://www.outdooreyes.com/phpBB2/index.php
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

[shuttertalk]

Cool... great to find out more about you, Gman!

[Muzeek]

Greetings from the Island of Guernsey UK

My name is Brian and I'm a retired Police officer now working in local finance industry.

I play the tuba in the local symphony orchestra, and brass band, enjoy sailing, walking and drinking Australian red wine.

I am the proud owner of a Nikon D 70 and have a lust for a wide angle lens.

Am considering the Tokina 12-24 for £ 299 or the Sigma 10-20 for £ 339

Any advice more than welcome
Cheers
Brian

[EnglishBob]

Welcome to Shuttertalk Muz / Brian. You'll find many comments on lenses here on the forums.

[Irma]

Welcome to the forum R3N. I take pictures with a D70 as well... I just got it few weeks ago... I have to learn a lot too

Welcome Gitarman. I have seen already one of your pictures, I think. Looking forward to seeing more

Welcome Muzeek ! Great that you have a D70... Looking forward to seeing your pictures

[shellby]

I have recently designed my own website showcasing my retouching work. Retouching styles vary from an over done look as seen on the Dior adverts to a more natural style. Please take a browse through my site and let me know your thoughts:

http://www.retouchme.co.uk

[Kombisaurus]

Welcome shelby

Great to have people here who seem to specialise in different areas Shelby - I took a quick look at the samples on your website and you clearly know your way around photoshop. Some of those blemishes that were removed without losing the skin texture are very impressive, and you seem to have a good eye for knowing how far to push things.

...but... Sorry to be a grumpy old man but I also took a quick look at your other posts here, and of the 6 posts you had made, your first THREE posts were simply advertisements for your site - including two new identical threads.
I can understand your excitement about starting a new website (and perhaps a new business), and while it is generally fine for members to make such announcements here when they start new websites... the Rules of this Forum quite explicitly forbid spam and commercial posting.

These initial posts got my alarm bells ringing and normally all three posts would simply have been deleted, but after reading your later posts I'm inclined to think you actually aren't here to just spam or simply self-promote, but rather to be part of the community which is great.
I hope this is the case, and that your first three posts were simply a case of not knowing how things work around here... in which case don't sweat it, and don't let me scare you away

So tell us more about your photography.. are there certain subjects or genres or styles or techniques or equipment you prefer to work with? Do you try to combine it or keep it seperate to your retouching work? Photography and retouching are skills that obviously go hand in hand, but I can also understand some people might want to keep each "pure" and seperate. How long have you been doing this kind of thing?

Cheers
Adrian

[shellby]

Oh dear sorry about that

Just keen to get feedback on my hard work...

I use a Canon 20D with 3 lenses. Wide angle, Telephoto and a Macro. My first camera was a manual Pentax MZM. I am loving digital as results are instant and as an amatuer photographer being able to see your mistakes / results straight away is great. I do not tend to retouch my own photographs - bar the usual minor sharpening and bumping up colours as I tend to shoot in RAW when I can.

Here is a photo I took during a trip to SA in March...

[shellby]

Now I just need to do a website showcasing my photos

So much work though...

[EnglishBob]

Hi Shellby, welcome to shuttertalk, nice macro.

I took a look through your retouching portfolio and you do some excellent work. I look forward to seeing some more of your photography

[shellby]

Funny enough I actually took that photo before getting my Macro. It was taken using the 300mm end of my Telephoto lens.

[AARUSA]

Almost 73 years old. Grew up with folding 620 film camera loaned to me by my mother. Discarded my 35mm camera in the 1950's to move to medium format. Wanted a Rolliflex but couldn't afford one; settled for a 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 Yashica D ($35.00 with the case thrown in "free"). Made the best "snap shots" of my family growing up in Western Washington state.

Have used a Mamiya Universal with 100 mm, 65mm, 250mm lenses since 1972. Best investment in a camera (for a limited budget amateur) I ever made.

Most pictures made in the family now are by my wife with a digital Nikon COOLPIX 3500.

My new interests are in the Mamiya Universal with a focusing hood. Plans for the 2005-2006 Fall and Winter are foliage and snow and ice landscapes in the New hampshire north country. I wish that BW or Color 2-1/2 x 3-1/2 inch or 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 inch film packs were available.

[shuttertalk]

Welcome! Looking forward to seeing some pics!