Yipee! I'm in!

Hi everybody

Yesterday, Jim got my bucks. So I now consider myself a "real" member of NPN. Feels good.

For those who are interested in who I am, what I do, and why I've become a member, I'll write a few sentences below - everybody else is invited to have a look at my website (http://n.ethz.ch/student/bgreber/ ) and my online portfolio (http://members.photoportfolios.net/basilgreber ). Comments are appreciated, as always.

I'm a student of biochemistry and molecular biology, interested in evolution, 23 years of age. I like climbing, photography and playing volleyball but there's always too much work and too little spare time. I think that's about it.

In spring 2005, I visited the small island Lanzarote, part of the Canary Islands. At that time, I was using a Minolta Dimage Compact (actually my father's camera), and was stunned by the spectacular volcanic landscape this island had to offer. It's the place that really got me interested in photography. I took the best photographs I had ever taken up to that time, but at home, I was not entirely satisfied (today, I know that what I was missing was resolution, accurate white balance, and dynamic range ). So, I decided to buy something "better" and got a Nikon D50 with kit lenses approximately a year after that. I thought that this was it. That I had everything I needed. Boy, I was wrong! It wasn't the end, it was the beginning! Suffice it to say, I have some more toys to play with now. This is not going to be a thread about photo gear.

Soon after getting my D50, I started posting here on NPN (maybe it was even some weeks before, I can't remember exactly), and found this place to be great. Beautiful photography, skilled people - and very helpful people, too. Comments were always helpful, even though not always as enthusiastic about the photos I posted as I would have liked. As a newbie I gladly accepted the tips I was given by those who are masters at what they do (Guy Tal and E. A. Juza come to mind) and felt fortunate to profit from their experience. I visited other discussion forums, but it never came close to the experience here. Instead of talking about photo gear endlessly, as on other sites (I don't need to mention names, do I?), people here tend to talk about composition, light, technique, subjects, and nature. So, I decided to join NPN after a while. Here I am.

Thanks a lot to everybody. Particularly to Jim & the NPN crew, of course, for keeping this great site up and running.

Best regards

Basil

Basil, it's great to have you on board! I have great "financial empathy" for college students because I was one myself a long time ago and each of our three children have been as well. The future of our world is in the hands of your generation and I firmly believe an appreciation of the natural world will be critical for our continued existance as a species.

Thanks for your participation (and support) of NPN!

Welcome Basil. It's nice to have you "officially" on board now.

Basil, welcome aboard. I've always enjoyed your comments. You are always thoughtful and sensible in your comments and I agree NPN is a great place to learn.

Welcome Basil!

You've now taken the first step towards a long, steady decline in the fullness of your wallet. But as a tradeoff, you'll hours on backroads looking for that perfect bar(n), have a fuller head of hair, and maybe even get a nice photo or two. We'll be sending the secret handshake video, along with instructions on the macro victory dance shortly.

Welcome to NPN and please post your photos!!!

Hey, I didn't get the secret handshake video or the the instructions for the macro victory dance!

Anyhow, welcome Basil. Gruetzi aus Ohio.

Pete D.

Welcome, Basil. NPN continues to be a wonderful learning experience and source of hours of delightful views and no matter your age, the helpful comments continue to add to knowledge and understanding of both photography and the natural world. It is the first place I "check into" every morning!

I was on Lanzarote once myself--about 30 years ago, when I was just a kid. I can understand your awe; I remember it being a starkly beautiful landscape. (Are there still zillions of stone semi-circles protecting the grape vines?)

welcome to NPN officially Basil! NPN is the best.

Welcome, Basil. I've appreciated your comments and hope you will post often. It's so much fun here and a great way to learn about all things photography from fellow enthusiasts.

Thanks for the kind words everybody.

Kerry - yes, the stone circles are still in place. It's an unusual sight, for sure.

Basil