A few musings

On a personal note I'd have to say that this site and more importantly,
the people who regularly post here have helped me find a hobby that
satisfies me no end.

I'm 25 years into astronomy and just 1 into astrophotography but
without all the help from the people here I'd have been another 25 years
trying to learn the ropes.

It's a good thing that you more experienced imagers don't post every single
shot ye take.
It would just become pointless and the place would be more of a gallery
then a fourm.

(Maybe it might be an idea to have an IFAS gallery?)

Most of you more experienced guys seem to have your own
websites so if you feel you have gotten something new from
a particular shot but it's of an image seen a 1000 times,
there is still no harm making a post with a link to your shot
explaining what you feel is different or better/worse about it.

The fear would be you would stop posting altogether which I
think would be actually worse.

I guess a time comes on this site that you feel others might think
''Ahh jeez, another image from yerman? Is he just glory hunting or what!?''

but as long as your not posting string after string of funny looking clouds
then I'd say post away.

I have learned also that you can by chance pick up some nuggets of
information by reading posts that at first seem not to be of interest to you.

I also think we can easily say we have an excellent thriving amateur astronomy &
astrophotography
community here in Ireland.
Some of the images I've seen posted here by people are up there
with the best in the world.

Please guys don't get jaded with your work!
Your images & help have inspired me to try something that I would have
said a year ago I was simply just not cut-out to be able to do!

We also get images from absolute beginners to truely seasoned pros. And what's really great is that the pros don't scoff at the beginners but advise and encourage them. It's like a mentoring scheme!
Bart.

I agree. this site is fantastic. nothing is looked down upon. constructive criticism is provided which is always welcome. this sites members in general is fantastic for that. i have posted questions on other sites and got some good answers , but also some snooty "you dont even know that!!!" kind of answers which leave a bad taste in your mouth. When viewing photos from absolute beginners, the pros here tend to point out what the beginner done correctly and congratulate them on it, which reinforces it, and thats brilliant. thanks guys and keep it up!


Oh, Dave, I would compare your two images of M14, but there is no comparison!!! its unbelieveable the difference!!!

1. Has anyone noticed how much astrophotography is going on here compared to say two years ago? I have to say that not only has the quantity gone up but, in my opinion, the quality of imaging is not far off as good as it gets in the UK. In some case, its better. Evidently, a good few folks here are good enough to be (rightly) published. Hip hip...

I blame SSIA's Some of you have too much money to spend on gear

I don't do any imagining any more really. It was fun to experiment with when we all had just got our first digital SLR's but now that many folks have perfected the art and in some cases spent a lot on kit some of the fun has gone out of it for me.

Sure I still try the odd shot with the PST, webcams shots of planets and the very occasional long exposure (~1minute because my mount isn't up to much more.) through the scope. But don't bother posting those efforts here. About the only thing I can keep up with (given a dark sky!) is constellation shots, and even then I like my SLR enough to not yank out the IR filter so even those don't have as much red as what some of you can produce!

Still thats just me. There are plenty of beginners here that have posted up their first images and got great help from the experts. And the experts themselves are now taking shots that we would hardly have thought possible a couple of years ago.

(Maybe it might be an idea to have an IFAS gallery?)

In the meantime have a look through www.flickr.com/photos/tags/irishastronomy/

''Ahh jeez, another image from yerman? Is he just glory hunting or what!?''
but as long as your not posting string after string of funny looking clouds
then I'd say post away.

Cheers,
~Al