Hello! Let's try this again. I joined last year just in time for life to take one of it's many interesting twists. Been gone for a few months, but I'm back now, and looking forward to meeting everyone here.

Hi! I'm new here and I couldn't help noticing your name. I can't remember the names of the books but they were about dragons right?
Great name and it's nice to meetcha!

Welcome to both of you! You'll find this is a great site! Enjoy!

Lizziegirl

Thank you lizziegirl =) Yes, cyqe, those are some great books, with a princess called Cimorene. Talking With Dragons, Searching For Dragons, Dealing With Dragons, and Calling On Dragons. It's a great series written by Patricia Wrede. She also co-authored the Book of Enchantments which is a wonderful little short story book.

Welcome Cim,
Have fun here and enjoy the place!

Hi cimorene, it is nice to meet you. Welcome back to Spiritkeep!

Feel free to dive on into the forums. Nice to have you with us.

Enjoy, Cat

Hello, Cimorene! Nice to have you here — welcome to SpiritKeep! Hope you enjoy yourself. =)

Kell

Thank you all for the warm welcomes! So far I'm having a great time reading and surfing the site! =)

Cimorene, it is great to have you with us again!! I am looking forward to the fun!!! =)

Mare

Hello and Welcome. =)

Hello Cimorene! Nice to have you back!

Just got back from a week in the Wyoming / South Dakota area. This is the second time I've tried to get some good nighttime pics of an old boarded up hotel, but like last time, they came out totally black. I'm sure it's the cameras I'm using, yet, it makes me wonder ..... Maybe next year. LOL

What kind of cameras are they? If they are 36mm with manual settings, it may be the speed of the film isn't working in your favor. Did you use your flash? A combination of the film speed, camera settings and use/not using a flash could all contribute to getting black pictures. If they are digital cameras, what settings were you using?
I have done a lot of night photography of wild animals, and sometimes we even had to use a slave strobe and reflectors to help cast more light on the area. Just my thoughts... =) I am sorry your pictures didn't turn out.

It reminds me of my visit to a monastery in west Texas. (I wish I could remember the name of it!!) They had a weeping icon of the Virgin Mary in a very small chapel. I asked the monk if it was alright to photograph it, and he said "Certainly, if you would like to try", with a sweet, but rather mischievious grin on his face. I took aim with my Nikon, and I could NOT get it to click!!!!! I tried again, and nothing happened I went outdoors a few minutes later, and took a pictures as if nothing had ever happened. The camera has worked flawlessly ever since. The monk then told me that the icon of Mary often causes cameras not to function. That was an experience I will never forget. It can be explained in a religious context, or in a paranormal context, and it still leaves us feeling that a force was at work there that we humans don't fully understand. I know that I felt strangely blessed to have experienced something like this, but I guess this is a common occurrance with that icon.

=) Hi Cimorene, I'm new as well and I love it here! So many friendly people. Welcome back and I hope to talk to ya!!!

These are outdoor shots of an old hotel I was trying to get. 2 years ago the street lights weren't so great but I thought I'd get at least a blurry something. This year the street lights have been changed and were much brighter but still got nothing but black. I used a Chinon Genesis Auto and the HP Digicam and a cheapie *camera-in-a-box* from the grocery store. None of which are great cameras, plus my abilities as a photographer stink anyhow. The only thing I'm absolutely sure of is that the Virgin Mary wouldn't have gone near this place. LOL

Hi ms.spiritseeker! Nice to meet you! =)